Tourist arrivals topped 3.5 million for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, driven by a surge in Australian visitors.Stats NZ numbers showed overseas visitor arrivals hit 3.51 million in the year ended December 2025, up 6 percent from the prior year.The agency said it was the first annual period to exceed 3.5 million since the year ended March 2020.However, total annual visitor arrivals were 90 percent of 2019 levels, before the Covid pandemic began globally.It said Australia was the biggest source of visitors, up 10 percent from 2024, followed by the United States and China.More than 1.5 million tourist arrivals were from Australia in 2025, followed by 385,000 from the United States, and 262,000 from China."Holidaymakers were the main driver of the annual increase in overseas visitor arrivals in 2025 from 2024, followed by those visiting friends or relatives," Stats NZ international travel spokesperson Bryan Downes said.Visiting friends or relatives was the second most common reason for travel, Stats NZ said."The increase in overseas visitors to New Zealand in 2025 coincided with a 4 percent increase in flights into the country compared with 2024," Downes said.The country's two main international airports both reported additional seasonal flights for the peak summer period for tourism in New Zealand.Auckland Airport, the main gateway for overseas visitors, said in December that international capacity for the 2025/26 summer was up nearly 4 percent (207,000 seats) on the 2024/25 period.Christchurch Airport said in November it expected a record summer season in 2025/26, with international capacity up 15 percent on the prior year.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The Blues fell 15-19 to the Chiefs at Eden Park after a frustrating performance where they could not capitalise on their chances.The match was tense early, with both sides probing but unable to turn pressure into points.New Blues recruit Bradley Slater was held up over the line against his former side in the opening quarter. After the visitors struck first, the Blues hit back through Zarn Sullivan, who finished a break after Caleb Clarke punched through the line to level the scores and lift the Eden Park crowd.The Blues started the second half with intent and skipper Dalton Papali’i crashed over following another Sullivan carry. After the scores were levelled again, Sullivan kicked a penalty after a strong restart forced an error to put the hosts back in front. The match turned in the closing minutes when the Chiefs scored a breakaway try to seal the win, with the Blues fighting to the final whistle.The Blues now travel to Perth to play the Force in Joondalup on Saturday night. Watch Blues coach Vern Cotter and captain Dalton Papali’i in the post-match interview below.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Hibiscus Coast shoppers will start to notice recyclable LDPE wrap replacing PVC in New World and PAK’nSAVE stores.Foodstuffs has replaced non-recyclable PVC wrap with recyclable LDPE across butchery, bakery, produce and deli departments.As of January 2026, most Foodstuffs North and South Island stores have adopted the new wrap.Both co-operatives plan to complete the transition by the end of June 2026.The change forms part of their commitment to reducing problem plastics and sending less waste to landfill.It is expected to remove around 850 tonnes of PVC plastic from landfill each year, equivalent to about 1,400 skip bins.Foodstuffs worked with packaging supplier Wedderburn for more than three years, including blind in-store trials testing PVC against recyclable LDPE.The new wrap had to perform as well as or better than PVC, be recyclable through the New Zealand Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, and be cost effective.Foodstuffs New Zealand sustainable packaging manager Debra Goulding said, “We knew the new wrap had to work across our machinery, our fresh departments, and in customers’ homes. It had to do everything the PVC was doing previously.”The wrap works with chilled and ambient products including meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables and baked goods.Hot foods are moving to paper bags, tubs and LDPE carry bags.LDPE is a single-polymer plastic recyclable through New Zealand’s soft plastics recycling infrastructure.It can be remoulded into products such as bin liners, recycled packaging, plastic timber fence posts and other construction and agricultural items.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

There is something special about seeing a local name called on a national stage.Former Whangaparaoa College student Zoe Pedersen has been named a finalist in the prestigious ISPS Handa Halberg Awards, recognised in the Emerging Talent category. The 18 year old has built an impressive dual career across swimming and surf lifesaving.Pedersen began learning to swim at her local pool before moving to Northern Arena when it opened in 2010. Over the past 15 years she progressed from swim school into Coast Swimming Club in Silverdale, developing her talent step by step.Her family has long been involved in water sports including sailing, wind surfing and ocean swimming, making the water a constant part of her life.On the international stage, Pedersen has claimed World Junior Championship gold in swimming while also breaking Youth World Records at the 2024 Surf Lifesaving World Championships. Surf Life Saving New Zealand says her nomination reflects the depth of talent within the sport and the pathways it provides for young athletes.She is one of five finalists in the Emerging Talent category, recognised for exceptional performances on the national and world stage.Her journey from local pools to global competition is a moment of pride for the Hibiscus Coast community.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has fired a shot over the bow of Kaipara's proposal to combine with north Rodney under local government restructuring plans.Kaipara District Council (KDC) is backing a North Rodney Action Group proposal to combine with Auckland's north Rodney in a new local government entity - and wants the government to consider it.Brown said KDC and the North Rodney Action Group should be careful what they wished for."We live in a democracy, so good luck to them."Kaipara Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth said the proposal provided another option for the government to consider.KDC is including the new Kaipara-North Rodney Unitary Authority proposal as part of its submission on local government restructuring, due to the government by 20 February.North Rodney occupies about 30 percent of Auckland Council's footprint.Combining its 50,000 residents with Kaipara's just under 30,000 would create a new entity of about 80,000 people.North Rodney Action Group chair Bill Foster, from Leigh near Warkworth, said that population was a good minimum size for a local government entity.The proposed local government entity would dramatically wipe the current local government boundary between Northland and Auckland.The new proposed Kaipara-North Rodney Unitary Authority. Photo: Supplied / NZHerald graphics via Local Democracy ReportingBrown did not comment on whether the entity should be part of Northland, Auckland or stand alone.Neither did he comment when asked about how much difference it would make to Auckland if Rodney were no longer part of the Super City.KDC's call for the proposal to be considered comes in spite of the government stipulating that Auckland Super City, set up under its own legislation in 2010, is not part of its nationwide local government change plans.Brown warned the new Kaipara-North Rodney entity would need a legislation change.It would also inevitably require further investment "at a time when cost of living pressures and purse strings were tightening for government and ratepayers"."It also pays to remember that (Auckland's) Watercare has invested $450 million to transform wastewater services in the Warkworth area, including the new Snell's Beach wastewater treatment plant that will service Warkworth, and is designed for future population growth."This investment was only possible because Warkworth sits within Auckland Council boundaries," Brown said."Good luck with getting that level of investment under a new unitary authority," he said.Brown said he backed the government's current major local government shakeup."It's no secret I've been a long-time advocate for stopping wastage, so I get why the government's doing a major shakeup of local government to streamline, simplify and give ratepayers relief."Brown unsuccessfully pushed for Northland local government amalgamation when he was Mayor of the Far North District Council (FNDC) from 2007 to 2013.He did not comment when asked about how Northland's local government restructuring should be set up under the latest government reforms.Brown's 2012 amalgamation push kick-started what became a three-year process.He wanted FNDC to become a stand-alone unitary authority combining the district council functions and those of Northland Regional Council (NRC).At the time, he said Northland local government was too fragmented and "Whangārei-centric".Brown sought his proposal rather than the creation of a single, giant Northland council.But the Local Government Commission (LGC) rejected his call, saying it would have too much of a regional impact.The Commission instead proposed a single region-wide unitary authority as preferable.This would abolish the Far North, Kaipara and Whangārei district councils, along with the Northland Regional Council.The LGC's draft Northland super-council proposal was released in 2013 for public consultation.By 2015, the commission ruled the Northland super-council would not go ahead because of a lack of support and concerns it could not be successfully completed.Brown's Far North Mayoral call came two years after Auckland Council was formed as a stand-alone unitary authority by amalgamating eight councils - seven city and district councils plus Auckland Regional Council.The 2010 Auckland Super City combined Rodney, Auckland, Franklin, Manukau, North Shore, Papakura and Waitākere local councils.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

After a public outcry, the government is imposing a two-year ban on taking shellfish from rockpools north of Auckland - the minister in charge placing the blame on migrant communities.The ban is for all of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, and further north at Kawau Bay and Ōmaha Bay.Locals have said more people are taking sea life and beaches were being stripped bare.Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones said on Sunday most people did the right thing "and gather only what is appropriate and legal", but others were exploiting and collapsing ecosystems.The ban will take effect from 12 March and will be enforced by fishery officers.Oceans and Fisheries Under-Secretary Jenny Marcroft said officials "have been directed to explore how community volunteers can be supported to encourage visitors to do the right thing"."Fisheries New Zealand will also develop multilingual educational material to support this closure and the ongoing management of intertidal fisheries."Last year, the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust applied for a two-year legal ban on harvesting all shellfish and seaweed from rock pools along Auckland's eastern coastline, from the Rodney local board area through to the Hibiscus and Bays local board area, under section 186A of the Fisheries Act.The government in January said it was seeking urgent advice on the matter.Fisheries worked with the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Jones said, to enact a traditional rāhui."My decision excludes some of the species and areas requested by Ngāti Manuhiri where existing closures and restrictions apply."All seaweed, invertebrate and shellfish were covered, he said, as well as sponges, starfish, anemone and sea cucumbers.Spiny rock lobster and scallops were already covered by existing closures.Sea urchin (kina) were excluded "and can still be taken within the current recreational fishing limits"."I decided to allow kina to continue to be taken as managing kina barrens is a priority for me. Officials will continue to actively monitor and manage kina population."The closure did not apply to any aquaculture activities such as marine farming or the collection of spat (small juvenile shellfish), Jones and Marcroft said."It's important that these coastal management restrictions do not impact on marine farming and the aquaculture development so it can continue to support our economy and provide jobs in our communities," Jones said.More details were posted on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.'Long overdue'The Protect Whangaparāoa Rockpools group said the government's move was a long overdue but welcome development.The closures gave good protection for areas that had been "decimated for decades", spokesman Mark Lenton said."It sends a really clear message that this type of behaviour is not tolerated in New Zealand and hopefully sets a blueprint for the rest of the country for other areas that are similarly impacted."He said in recent years each and every type of marine life - both plant and animal - had been taken for food."So whether it's seaweed or crabs or limpets or starfish, they get scraped out of the pools and put into soups and turned to fish stock," he said. "Such that every pool across Army Bay now and around Whangaparāoa is simply empty, they only contain seawater."Lenton said it was 15 months ago when he made his first call to the Ministry for Primary Industries."That was the day I looked around and I counted over 200 people with chisels and piano wire and hammers just decimating the intertidal zone."Lenton said the ban was a great step but would be a challenge "operationally and logistically".He said officials would have to rely on the support of locals for the closures to succeed in any way.The Hauraki Gulf Forum also welcomed the closures.'Stick to Peking Duck': Fisheries minister blames Chinese communitiesJones said he was acting after "things got very heated"."The local community felt that their space was being degraded by migrants who either were wilfully overdoing it or not aware of the host culture, or indeed all of the rules."The minister also opened the door to more closures in other areas, and more often."Because when you change the character of your population, and let's face it, we have had enormous amounts of immigration into Auckland in the last 15 to 20 years, and they have to adapt and accept the host culture."When immigrants don't accept the host culture, then they're going to end up ruining areas, for example like the rockpools, and we don't want that to happen," he said.He said the local community reported that Chinese language social media sites were organising large groups of people on buses with spades and piano wire, "so we had to intervene"."Around Auckland there are some egregious cases of migrant communities foraging taking starfish and barnacles, things that Kiwis ordinarily don't regard as part of the daily menu."And look, my advice to the Chinese social media organisers of these foraging trips, stick to Peking Duck."Jones said he was suggesting honorary fisheries officers be appointed to enforce the closure. It would also be explored whether locals could carry out "warden-like duties" of educating people.Jones said he liked the idea of infringement notices, but that this would require consultation and tweaking of the law.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Happy Sunday, Coasties! Grab a coffee and settle in.This is your essential 5-minute download of the week's most read Hibiscus Coast news and updates. Don't miss a thing!Wayne Brown Slams Government Economic RoleRead more →Hibiscus Coast Watches LNG Cost DebateRead more →Whangaparaoa Road Crash Sends Student To StarshipRead more →Whangaparaoa Principal Takes National Chair RoleRead more →Orewa Businesses Stand Out In AppRead more →Never miss a beat again. Get instant alerts and local updates delivered straight to your pocket.Download the Hibiscus Coast App now for news, jobs, events, and essential community info, anytime, anywhere.

Black Foils grinder Louis Sinclair and DS Team France strategist Manon Audinet were injured in a high-speed crash in Auckland.The two teams collided on the first leg of race three on the opening day of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix.Sinclair and Audinet were taken off the stricken F50s and rushed to hospital.A Black Foils statement said Sinclair suffered compound fractures to both legs and was in a stable condition. “Sinclair is receiving treatment for compound fractures to both legs but is in a stable condition,” the statement said.“Thank you for all of the messages of support since the incident. Special thank you to all of the medical staff involved in the response to the crash and subsequent treatment of all the athletes involved.”DS Team France said Audinet was thrown forward in the collision, breaking the team’s left-side steering wheel.She was being assessed for abdominal injuries.“The entire DS Automobiles SailGP Team France has Manon Audinet and Louis Sinclair in their thoughts and stands fully alongside them during this time.”For day two in Auckland, SailGP adopted a split-fleet format, with 11 boats racing following the collision.The two groups are:• Group A: Emirates GBR, Germany by Deutsche Bank, Mubadala Brazil, NorthStar, Red Bull Italy• Group B: BONDS Flying Roos, Los Gallos, ROCKWOOL Racing, Artemis, Switzerland, U.S.Watch: YouTube video of Black Foils France collision.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Thousands of New Zealanders have borrowed from their banks to put solar power systems on their houses, but advocates are calling for more help for people who don't have a home loan.The main banks all offer low-or no-interest loan options for people who want to invest in solar power for their homes, often by extending an existing home loan.Westpac's managing director of product, sustainability and marketing Sarah Hearn said the bank had approved more than 1000 "greater choices" loans for solar panels or batteries in the past two years, as well as a small number of personal loans.The total amount lent was $30 million.ASB said its Better Homes Top Up lending balances were $327 million, and around 4500 customers had used Better Homes Top up in the previous 12 months alone.ANZ had a similar offer that had been taken out by 21,000 households to a total of more than $850 million.'Super excited' about New Zealand's energy transitionChief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa Mike Casey said he was "super excited" about what was happening in New Zealand's energy transition."A lot of the time we talk about moving from fossil fuels over to electricity, but I think there's a bigger energy transition that's going on here, which is also moving away from traditional energy landlords and towards customers of New Zealand taking a lot of energy sovereignty into their own hands."Being able to generate and store energy, it's a whole new dynamic to the New Zealand's energy system that we haven't seen before."And while the price of all forms of energy, whether it grid electricity or diesel or petrol or gas, continues to go up at, I think, quite an uncomfortable rate for many New Zealanders, the price of solar and batteries seems to keep coming down."Chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa Mike Casey. Photo: Supplied / Rewiring AotearoaA typical system can cost between $9000 and $15,000 installed, although some systems are much larger.Casey said while taking on a loan to pay for it was a form of debt that some people found uncomfortable, "choosing not to generate your own electricity on your own rooftop is another form of debt because you have to just keep paying someone else for the energy that they can provide you".He said a conservative estimate was that a system would pay itself back in seven or eight years."It really comes down to the number of people that are in your home, how much of that solar you generate you can self-consume. And a lot of it comes down to making sure all the machines in your home are electric."The more electric machines you have, like your hot water and your spatial heating and all of those kinds of things, the more of your own power that you use, the faster the payback on the solar is."Electricity comparison site Powerswitch tracks the buy back rate that companies pay for solar power that is generated, but not used and sent back to the grid.It varies from 23c/kWh during peak period from Octopus through to 8c from Contact.Casey said the next step should be support for batteries.At present, many households do not opt for battery storage of the power generated because the cost makes it uneconomical.But Casey said it could be part of helping the country shore up its defences against things like natural disasters."I would love to see the government come out and say, you know, we think a massive roll out of solar batteries and electrification in the homes of New Zealanders is the best way to bring down our cost of living because it genuinely is."Australia has about 40 percent rooftop solar covering compared to 3 percent to 4 percent in New Zealand.That has been driven by government subsidies, including for batteries."They've seen 200,000 home batteries get installed in the last six months. It's bigger than the peak response of Manapouri. It's like building another entire dam."And at the moment, the energy system in New Zealand doesn't recognise or reward customers from having batteries."But he said people who did not have mortgages or own their own homes were being left out.Long-term low interest loansRewiring Aotearoa is working on a Ratepayer Assistance Scheme that would offer long-term low interest loans tired to a property with flexible repayment terms, building on the New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency.These would have longer terms than the bank options, making them more manageable for people on lower incomes.It said eight councils, plus EECA, had committed the further funding required to get the scheme ready for final equity investments from councils and central government."There's a big problem here with equity and that not all New Zealanders have access to a mortgage."Pensioners, renters - we're looking at what else can we do outside of mortgages for people to have the upgrades on their homes that allow them to start saving money."He said the ratepayer assistance scheme would be good for pensioners who had cleared their home loans and did not have the income to service the sort of loan that banks would offer them.Rewiring Aotearoa is also working on a trial to look at solar for renters."How do you get the landlord to spend the money and how do you split the savings between the tenants and landlords?"How long to pay power system off?Investigative writer at Consumer Chris Schulz said it would take seven to nine years for a solar power system to pay for itself.People who were high energy users, such as those with an electric vehicle, would see a quicker return.He said it was likely that when New Zealand reached 5 percent coverage, it would be a "tipping point" for the new technology."People start seeing it when they're out walking or on their neighbours' roofs and start thinking oh yeah, okay - now might be a good time to look at this."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Nestlé in recalling specific Milo Dipped Snack Bars over possible rubber contamination.Acting deputy director-general Jenny Bishop said rubber pieces in the product could cause choking.The recall applies to Nestlé Milo Dipped Snack Bars (160g) with batch numbers 5316 TD15, 5317 TD15 and 5318 TD15, and a best-before date of AUG 2026.The affected products were sold at supermarkets and retail stores nationwide.They have been removed from shelves and were made in Australia.The same product is also subject to recall there.New Zealand Food Safety has received no reports of associated injury.Customers are asked to check the best-before date and batch details on the box.Affected product should not be consumed and should be returned to the retailer for a full refund.If returning it is not possible, it should be thrown out.New Zealand Food Safety will work with Nestlé to understand how this happened and prevent its recurrence.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

New Zealand’s net migration gain fell to 14,200 in 2025, according to provisional estimates from Stats NZ.The total was down on 2024, driven by fewer migrant arrivals while departures edged up to a provisional calendar-year record. Net migration of non-New Zealand citizens also eased. New Zealand citizens continued to record a net migration loss, with 61 percent of departures heading to Australia.On the Hibiscus Coast, the estimated population reached 67,800 as of June 30 2025. That compares with 48,600 in 2015 and 37,100 in 2005.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Explainer – NZ Post is closing service counters and cutting delivery days.What is the future of mail going to look like?So, is mail delivery as we know it just going to vanish?Not so fast, says NZ Post CEO David Walsh, who says the agency is in the midst of a massive transformation in the face of rapidly dropping mail numbers.“New Zealanders are communicating differently,” he said.“I think we’ve all experienced that in our personal lives as well, and that change has been going on for quite some years.”Here’s what you need to know about how NZ post is changing.What’s happening to NZ Post?The agency is in the middle of what it’s called “a period of transformation,” shifting its emphasis towards parcel delivery and consolidating many of its services.In October, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment approved changes to the Postal Deed of Understanding between the Crown and NZ Post, allowing them to change some of their procedures.The changes approved include:Permitting a minimum frequency of 2 days delivery to urban, PO Box and private bag addresses, or 3 days for rural. The days must be spread throughout the week. Formerly, 3 days per week urban and 5 days rural were required.Allowing a minimum 500 total postal service points, then down to a minimum of over 400 after four years. Previously a minimum 880 points were required.The ability to convert up to 5 percent of delivery points to communal points annually.For consumers, this boils down to likely fewer delivery days and postal counters.Deed change doesn’t automatically result in operational change to NZ Post’s services, Walsh has said, but it gives the network more flexibility to make changes.It announced back in 2024 that it would be gradually combining its two separate mail and parcel networks into one operation.“For customers – this means your mail and parcels will eventually be delivered by one person, rather than two separate deliveries made by a Postie and a Courier,” Walsh has said.That’s all basically because mail volumes have dropped dramatically.How bad has it gotten?“It wasn’t that long ago we were delivering 700, 800 million mail items a year,” Walsh said. “We think in the next 12 months that could be well under 150 million mail items.”According to NZ Post’s latest annual report, 158 million mail items were delivered in fiscal year 2025, down from 187m in 2024, while 88 million parcels were delivered, up from 84m in 2024.“Parcels have grown significantly over the last three or four years, and mail has declined significantly in the same time,” Walsh said.New Zealand addresses currently receive less than two letters each per week, compared to 7.5 in 2013, a spokesperson told RNZ.The service has started to move back upwards after heavy losses – after a $56m loss in 2023, there was a $14m loss in 2024, and a $2m loss in 2025, according to their annual report.The transformation toward parcel delivery is still in progress, Walsh said.“When and how that happens we’re still progressively working our way through change, but that will depend on where volumes get to over the next few years. It’s too early to say exactly when.“We believe it’s a good solution to maintain a great mail service.”Consolidating parcel and mail delivery into one would be more economical, he said.“Having one person deliver down the street is clearly more efficient than having two, so that is the goal.”So, we’ll get mail less often?Although the changes to the Deed of Understanding now lets urban delivery be as few as two days a week, that hasn’t happened so far.“We haven’t moved to twice a week yet, that is still something that will respond to as we see changing demand for mail services,” Walsh said. “If there is a permanent change in frequency we will certainly communicate that in advance.”It’s hardly a transformation unique to New Zealand.Mail services around the world have been dealing with lower volume and higher costs.Last year, Denmark became reportedly the first country in the world to end its national letter delivery service entirely.John Maynard of the Postal Workers Union of Aotearoa recently criticised some of the cuts and changes on RNZ’s Midday Report.“It’s one thing that people will want to use emails over the old traditional mail system, but it’s quite another thing for a state-owned enterprise to act in a manner which consistently undermines people’s confidence in an institution.”Could you no longer get mail delivered to your house?That’s one of the concerns raised by the union to RNZ late last year.The Deed of Understanding now allows for up to 5 percent of delivery points annually to be changed to communal points – such as a cluster of boxes which service multiple addresses on a street.Maynard told RNZ the suggestion to stop delivering to individual home letterboxes was “sort of hidden away in the document”.“Putting the letterboxes in clusters makes it easier for the company to sack all the posties and have them delivered by vans which wouldn’t have to stop at your house, they’d put your mail at the end of the street,” he said.However, Walsh said, the changes were more geared towards new developments, such as entrances to apartment buildings.“There is both what the deed permits and what I expect us to continue to do”.NZ Post also said in a statement, “we do not have widespread plans to move to communal delivery, and customers who currently have an individual letterbox can expect their delivery to continue as normal.”While the deed does allow for consolidation of some delivery points, Walsh said, “From the perspective of NZ Post, if you’re in urban New Zealand and you have a letterbox outside your house, it’s almost certain we will continue to deliver to your house.”However, he said NZ Post needs flexibility for new subdivisions or developments in rural areas.“That will mean that we can continue to offer good service to those areas.“As more households come on, that’s more points for us to deliver, but every site is having less mail be delivered too, so that makes it incredibly expensive for us to maintain to those new sites being developed.”The Deed of Understanding says that “Any proposed change requires reasonable notice and community engagement before any conversions.”What about my local post shop? Is it closing?NZ post also announced recently that it would close 142 service counters in convenience stores, pharmacies and libraries around the country, leaving 567 still operating.Manly, Stanmore Bay Post Shops CloseWalsh said NZ Post had a “robust process” looking at what services were being used the most and where, when it came time to decide on closures.“The data I have at the moment is that about around 90 percent of urban New Zealanders will be within 4km of a retail site” once the changes are in effect, he said.To find out what’s happening in your area see the NZ Post Website list.NZ Post says it has invested $290 million into infrastructure and automation.NZ Post has also opened up new retail hubs for sending, collecting and returning parcels in Auckland, with more planned around the country, and five large processing centres.How will these changes affect people who rely on the post?The decision to close outlets has upset some smaller communities, who worry about the impact on older customers or those without easy access to alternatives.“It’s easy for millennials and younger generations, but older people will really struggle,” Springfield Superette owner Raj Kumar of Rotorua told RNZ recently.Stuart Dick is the chair of the board at the Magazine Publishers Association and general manager at Are Media which publishes weekly magazines including the New Zealand Women’s Weekly and the Listener.“It is concerning that NZ Post are neglecting their core service and customers by reducing delivery days,” he said.“Thankfully there are alternative delivery networks growing to provide some coverage, and the majority of magazines are sold via retail outlets.“However this does not absolve NZ Post of their core purpose to ‘Deliver what people care about’ which includes the magazine subscriptions that our readers love, along with many other things Kiwis rely on their national postal network to deliver.”Walsh said NZ Post was aware of those concerns.“We will continue to work with those senders that have specific time requirements around them. We may not have perfect answers for everyone but we are absolutely committed to working with those senders to see what we can do to support their requirements.”He said NZ Post’s goal was to make the changes with as little disruption as possible.“It’s not easy, it’s clearly going to have impacts on some people, but we’re trying to get that balance right.”Will mail ever go away entirely?Asked if NZ Post as we know it is just going to vanish entirely at some point, Walsh said it was simply responding to changes in the culture.“The way New Zealanders communicate, what they choose to receive, is choices that we don’t make, so we are responding to those changes and that’s really what we’re reflecting.”NZ Post’s pivot to parcels also means it is more directly competing with services such as Aramex and DHL.“It is a very competitive delivery market out there,” Walsh said.“I’m proud of how well NZ post both competes and operates. We have made some pretty significant investments over the last few years to make sure we can continue to scale up our parcel and parcel delivery services.”However, the Postal Union’s Maynard told Midday Report he was still concerned about what the future might hold.“I think we’re going to see some more reductions in NZ Post services allowed for under the deed. I think this sort of thing will continue, pressure from the government, for NZ Post to cut costs and give the cash back to the government.”Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

North Police have recovered a vehicle from the Mahurangi River linked to a fatal January incident.Forty-seven-year-old Tekanimaeu Arobati was washed away in the Mahurangi River on Tuesday, January 21.He was located in the river three days later on Friday, January 24.Inspector Nina Pedersen said Police continued searching for the vehicle Mr Arobati had been travelling in at the time.The Police National Dive Squad was deployed to the Mahurangi River on Wednesday, February 12 to carry out further searches.Mr Arobati’s Nissan X-Trail was located that afternoon and recovered from the river.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Supporting local only works when locals can actually find you.SkinSafe Skin Cancer Clinic in Orewa was set up to meet the increasing demand for skin cancer treatment on the Hibiscus Coast.Spic N Span Cleaning Services provides home and commercial cleaning across the Hibiscus Coast.North Harbour Law, based in Orewa, specialises in property, private, and commercial law.Complete Beauty Spa in Orewa specialises in skin treatments and beauty therapy.The Hibiscus Coast keeps growing, and new people moving in do not always know which local names to trust yet.These are the kinds of services people look up with a purpose, they open the app because they need a clinic, a cleaner, a lawyer, or a treatment provider.For many owners, confidence comes from seeing exactly where they appear, and what happens after someone taps.In the app, that is trackable.You can see views, clicks, and placements, so you are not relying on assumption.A Featured Listing puts your business above standard listings in your category when someone is actively searching.Display advertising adds another layer, with your brand on the Home Screen or at the top of News, so it is seen even before the search starts.One helps you be found at the right moment.The other helps you stay top of mind a little earlier.Visibility counts. Learn more at portal.hibiscuscoastapp.nzGet the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Emergency services are responding to a school bus fire on Pakiri Road near Leigh this morning.The incident was reported just before 8.30am.The bus has been extensively damaged by fire.Sergeant Mark Stallworthy says four children were onboard at the time and have all been safely removed. “It’s fortunate that no one has been hurt.”Sergeant Stallworthy says Pakiri Road is down to one lane until about midday.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Making plans?Three Hibiscus Coast events to check out.Valentines with Elvis - Mike ColeSat 14 FebClick here for more detailsDigital Seniors Whangaparaoa HubWed 18 FebClick here for more detailsOrewa Boulevard Arts FiestaSat 21 FebClick here for more detailsFind more things to do anytime in the Hibiscus Coast App. Browse the full Events Calendar for what’s on this week.Got an event coming up?List it free now. We’ll review submissions for next week’s Top Picks.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand says response times may be delayed as the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union escalates to two one-hour strikes per week.Strikes are planned between 12pm and 1pm this Friday and Monday, with further notices for 20, 23 and 27 February, and 2 March. During the strike periods, Fire and Emergency will still respond to emergency calls. In areas covered by professional firefighters, the closest available volunteers will respond from their stations.Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says both parties are involved in facilitation and the agency believes the strike action needlessly puts the community at risk. Fire and Emergency sought facilitation citing a significant gap between its offer and the union’s expectations.The agency says its pre-facilitation offer amounted to a 6.2 percent average increase over three years. It says this was three times less than the NZPFU’s settlement proposal. Under that offer, average senior firefighter salaries would move from about $81,000–$87,000 to $86,000–$93,000 at the end of the period, excluding overtime and allowances, which add an average of nearly $39,000 to annual remuneration.Fire and Emergency says average senior firefighter pay has increased by 37 percent over the past decade, more than 10 percent above the average increase for all workers.The agency says it remains committed to reaching a fair and sustainable settlement while facilitation continues.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Small- and medium-sized businesses SMEs are handling more work than usual, with nearly 40 percent reporting an increase in levels normally expected in the first quarter, according to a recent survey of more than 500 businesses.The first quarter survey by accounting software firm MYOB indicates a quarter of SMEs had less work than usual in the pipeline, though there was an increase in the number expecting an increase in trade over the first three months of 2026.Several key sectors, including 38 percent of manufacturing SMEs, 37 percent of retail businesses and 33 percent of the construction and trades businesses surveyed reported an increase in orders or work commissioned before the end of March.MYOB chief customer officer Dean Chadwick said many SMEs were still navigating uneven demand and ongoing cost pressures, though the survey results suggested business activity for the new year had started on firmer footing."SMEs ended 2025 with largely steady trading conditions in the final few months of the year, though performance varied across the sector," he said."While more than a quarter of businesses exceeded their sales expectations and most met their forecasts, a quarter saw a softer-than-predicted performance."The survey indicated SMEs were moving on their own spending plans, with 44 percent of those surveyed planning to bring forward deductible business purchases on things like supplies or equipment, before 31 March."We know from our research at the end of last year that many local businesses are planning to take advantage of the Investment Boost to maximise business investment this year," he said."We can also see from the latest data that businesses are making good on the growth ambitions they signalled at the end of last year - not only seizing opportunities to increase sales before the end of the financial year, but also upping their own spending on plant, supplies and equipment to boost their operations."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

A Warkworth man has been sentenced to 12 months home detention for distributing child sexual exploitation material.The 25-year-old appeared at the North Shore District Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to 21 charges of distributing objectionable material. The Department of Internal Affairs said the material included images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.The Department’s Digital Child Exploitation Team opened an investigation after a report from an international law enforcement agency. The Department said the report indicated the man had been sharing links containing child sexual exploitation material through an online chat.A search warrant was carried out at his address on May 14, 2024. The Department said several electronic devices were seized and destroyed.It said examination of the devices identified 7,853 objectionable files, and that 1,053 child sexual abuse images had been shared to 12 other offenders.Digital Child Exploitation Team manager Tim Houston said offenders who possess and knowingly share this material present a risk to online and offline communities.As part of the sentence, the man will be registered as a child sex offender, and the devices used were ordered to be destroyed. The Department said that in 2024 the team conducted 69 investigations, helped safeguard 14 New Zealand children from harm, and its filtering system blocked over one million attempts to access websites hosting child sexual abuse material.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]