The Government has moved to the next phase of a proposed LNG import terminal, drawing criticism from Rewiring Aotearoa.Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey says the plan relies on “expensive foreign molecules” rather than “locally-generated electrons”. He says, “You cannot make cheap electricity with expensive fuels,” and describes LNG as “one of the most expensive fuels there is”.Rewiring Aotearoa says dry year risk is a major issue, but argues an LNG terminal would lock New Zealand into an expensive overseas dependency. It says all electricity users would pay a levy for dry year certainty, not just gas users, and claims this would load costs onto households while having minimal impact on bills.Minister Simon Watts says removing dry year risk delivers $265 million in savings, or $50 per household per year, as referenced in the statement. As he told RNZ: “I'm not going to guarantee, based on the advice I've been given the benefits outweigh the costs.”Rewiring Aotearoa says the solution has two parts. First, more solar on homes, farms and businesses, more renewables like wind and geothermal, and coal and diesel peakers only if required. Second, it says New Zealand should make better use of existing gas reserves and spend money to help businesses electrify, claiming this could extend existing gas supplies by about a decade.For Hibiscus Coast households and local businesses, Rewiring Aotearoa’s message is to cut grid demand by generating more power on site and switching more energy use to electricity.What Hibiscus Coast residents can do, under Rewiring Aotearoa’s approach:Price rooftop solar and compare expected savings with your current annual power spend.Consider a battery if you want more self-supply, especially for evening use.Shift home energy use to electric options mentioned in the statement, including heat pumps and hot water heat pumps.Watch for any move on the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme model Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for, which it says would offer loans for solar, batteries, heat pumps and hot water heat pumps.If you run a business, map your gas use and get quotes to electrify where it pencils, which the group says is already possible for a share of large users based on EECA RETA reports.Rewiring Aotearoa says it will ask to see the Government’s modelling and analysis, including scenarios with high renewable uptake.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Kaipara District Council (KDC) wants the creation of a combined Kaipara-North Rodney Council to be considered in the Government's major local government shakeup.The council is backing North Rodney Action Group's proposal to form a unitary authority by merging the area governed by Kaipara District Council (KDC) with the northern two‑thirds of the former Rodney District Council, now part of Auckland Council.KDC is including the proposal in its submission on the Government's plan it calls simplifying local government - which is due by February 20 - in spite of the Government not allowing Auckland Council, which was set up in 2010 under its own legislation, to be part of its local government reforms.These plans are New Zealand's biggest local government restructure since the sector's nationwide 1989 amalgamations.KDC Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth said the proposal gave the Government an option worth exploring.Kaipara Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth.Kaipara Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth. Photo: LDR/SUPPLIEDHe did not personally support amalgamation but he said the council had to look at what worked best for ratepayers as part of the Government change push.Kaipara-North Rodney Council would become a standalone electoral area - changing the existing regional boundary between Northland and Auckland and reflecting Auckland's continued growth northward.It would take over both district and regional functions currently split between KDC and Northland's regional council, which the Government intends to dissolve. It would also assume equivalent functions currently delivered in north Rodney by Auckland Council.The proposed council would be largely rural and coastal and include service towns such as Dargaville, Helensville, Warkworth and Wellsford.It would also include the growth-challenged coastal settlements of Northland's Mangawhai and Auckland's Matakana coast.KDC's draft submission says the council is committed to working with neighbouring authorities to ensure local government in Northland remains cohesive, efficient and cost‑effective while still providing strong services to communities.Kaiwaka-Mangawhai councillor Luke Canton told a recent KDC briefing meeting that the council, with a population of just under 30,000, risked being overshadowed in a Northland‑wide amalgamation."We want to make sure we don't get swallowed up. We need to make sure we get as much control as we can for our local area in any amalgamation," Canton said.KDC is one of four Northland councils - also including Whangārei District Council (WDC), Far North District Council (FNDC) and Northland Regional Council (NRC) - jointly looking at amalgamation under the Government's plans and between them catering for about 200,000 residents.The proposed Kaipara-North Rodney Council's footprint would cover the current Kaipara District Council and north Rodney which currently comprises about 30% of the footprint of Auckland Council Photo: LDR/SUPPLIEDKDC is Northland's smallest council with 26,800 residents. Kaipara-North Rodney Council would have about 80,000 residents, also including about 50,000 from north Rodney.The proposal would tip Northland's restructuring into being between only WDC, FNDC and NRC.North Rodney Action Group is a lobby group long pushing to separate from Auckland Council.Group chair Bill Foster, from Leigh near Warkworth, said Northland did not need Kaipara to create an effective new regional government under the Government's plansHe said combining KDC with north Rodney made more sense than Kaipara joining a much larger Northland entity.North Rodney Action Group chair Bill Foster from Leigh near Warkworth Photo: LDR/SUPPLIEDFoster said a combined Kaipara and north Rodney council would better be able to deal with preserving the areas' predominantly rural-coastal essence in the face of the intensifying urbanisation expanding north from Auckland.This had already changed Warkworth as the 18km Pūhoi-Warkworth SH1 four-laning extension opened, in 2023.People were already speculating on Wellsford property as construction of SH1's next northward extension step loomed.Mangawhai too is also already experiencing growth impacts from the SH1 four-laning.SH1's four laning heads north from Johnstones tunnels into Puhoi and beyond. Photo: LDR/SUPPLIEDThe next four-laning step creating a new 26 km stretch of SH1 from Warkworth-Te Hana is expected to begin by the end of this year and take eight years, finishing in 2034.Foster said it was important that intense metropolitan, city development did not consume lower Northland as Auckland moved north.He said urbanisation was being encouraged through Government planning changes, but local communities and their ratepayers were being left to foot the bill for massive resulting infrastructure changes.Foster said Kaipara had local control but lacked scale. North Rodney had scale without local control."The merger option responds to both sets of constraints by realigning governance to geography, community structure and service realities," Foster said.The proposed new council's footprint would cover the existing Kaipara district and extend south toward the Waitākere Ranges in the west and Waiwera in the east.Its southern boundary would begin near Muriwai on the west coast then head inland to Waiwera.Puhoi would be part of the new council, but SH1's Johnstone's Hill tunnels would remain under Auckland Council.Warkworth, Wellsford and Helensville would also be included in the new council.The plan does not include the area around the former Rodney District Council's Orewa head office.Hibiscus Coast, Dairy Flat and Kumeū would also remain with Auckland.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Trade Me Property has become the first New Zealand company to launch inside ChatGPT, allowing buyers to search live property listings without leaving the chat.The new integration means users can describe what they are looking for in plain English and view matching properties on an interactive map, all within ChatGPT. It follows OpenAI opening its ChatGPT App Directory to third-party developers in late 2025, with apps rolling out globally from early 2026.Trade Me Property says the tool is designed to make searching and comparing homes simpler. Instead of adjusting filters across multiple screens, buyers can refine their search through conversation, narrowing by location, budget, property type, or features as they go.The launch places Trade Me alongside a small group of early partners inside ChatGPT, which is operated by OpenAI. The directory gives users access to external services directly inside chat, rather than sending them out to separate websites.For Hibiscus Coast buyers, this could change how early-stage searching happens. Someone looking in Orewa, Millwater, or Gulf Harbour can ask for an overview of the current local market, then drill down to specific streets using the map view. The tool can also explain what current pricing means in practice and flag common checks buyers often miss.Trade Me notes the experience is intended for shortlisting, not final decisions. Listings should still be opened and reviewed in full, with buyers doing their usual due diligence around flooding, access, noise, and title structure.The company says users should expect follow-up questions in chat to narrow results and clarify trade-offs, rather than a single fixed search.Trade Me has not said if it will build ChatGPT apps for other parts of its marketplace, but it positioned this launch as a move toward conversational, AI-led search.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

That moment when a mum cat finally relaxes, after her kittens have been scooped up, is the part most people never see.SPCA says kitten season is in full swing, and Centres across the country are overflowing. It is launching the Super Mums adoption campaign from February 9 to March 29. It is also starting regional walk-in Caturdays, so people can meet cats and kittens without an appointment.For Hibiscus Coast locals, it is a prompt to look past the tiny kittens. They can be adopted within days. Their mums often wait much longer. Adult cats are usually calmer than kittens. Their personalities are already formed, so you know who you are bringing home. Many are also litter-trained, which makes the first week easier.SPCA says many of these mums have survived outdoors through summer. Some gave birth under houses or in gardens. Some protected their kittens from the elements, while still kittens themselves. SPCA CEO Todd Westwood says the campaign is about giving those mums their turn. Every Super Mum is desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, and health-checked.Caturdays will run for the next 11 weeks. Different Centres will host each week. Each event will be announced 10 days ahead. Adoption appointments still apply for dogs, small animals, and farm animals. If you want to move quickly on the day, SPCA suggests applying online first for any cat or kitten you like. Then check your nearest SPCA Centre in Hobsonville, or your regional SPCA Facebook page, to see when the next walk-in Caturday is on. One Super Mum you can view right now is Marissa: https://www.spca.nz/adopt/animal/655246/cat-marissa-hobsonvilleGet the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown says the government is unqualified to lead the city's economic recovery and should leave it to local council.The comments came as Brown again renewed calls for a bed levy tax, despite the government's opposition to the move.A suite of events were set to be held in Auckland throughout the year, as major infrastructure projects neared completion.The long-delayed International Convention Centre was finally due to open on Wednesday.Photo: New Zealand International Convention CentreConstruction of the Convention Centre began back in 2015 and was initially supposed to take 38 months, but had been plagued by a budget blow-out and legal wrangling."We've been waiting for such a long time. [Convention centres] are hard to make money out of."I understand it's booked up pretty well, so it will bring in conventions and it will be part of the tourist offering. But that whole tourist thing is a bit of a question for us."The New Zealand leg of SailGP also returned to the waters of Waitematā Harbour this weekend.Brown told Morning Report both events were a positive for the supercity."Those are two good things on this week, that's for sure," he said."It's a big year really when you think about it."The Polo finals and the Blues and Chiefs are playing shortly. There's a lot of sport," he said.Another long overdue milestone, the City Rail Link was also due to be completed later this year.The Ocean Race, formerly known as the Round the World Race, was scheduled to return to the City of Sails in 2027.Brown wasted no time pointing to the small matter of the Election, another major event pertinent to Auckland residents, he said."If you don't win Auckland, you don't get to be the government."Brown had long campaigned for a bed tax on visitors to help fund destination marketing and events.He again expressed his desire for the scheme."The government can't bring itself to do that yet, so that they're raiding tourists at the border. And then central government will tell us how we spend on things, which is something we don't like."All these big events want some money up front. And if we have the bed night levy we will have the money up front."Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston, said a bed tax was not something she was pursuing this term."Our government has already announced a number of initiatives to boost tourism and events across New Zealand and in Auckland, including our $70 million major events and tourism package and a regional tourism boost announcement which invests in campaigns to market New Zealand (and Auckland) to overseas visitors."Upston said the government was firmly focused on growing the economy, including the Auckland economy, and tourism and major events remained integral to that."I recognise there's been an interest in bed tax and am also aware of Wayne Brown's recent comments."In response to Auckland's lagging economy and high unemployment rate, the mayor said "it had its own ideas".Council-led initiatives such as the Auckland Innovation & Technology Alliance showed the council was better suited than the government in driving investment into the city, Brown said."Economic development; we've decided that council will lead this, because the government doesn't quite know how to do that."When asked if he felt the government had dropped the ball, he replied "they hadn't didn't pick it up"."They're not quite sure where it is/ There's a lot we can do ourselves as well. Instead of them initiating things, we just want them to help with what we're going to initiate."There's too much centralised decision making in this country."Minister for Auckland, Simeon Brown said the government was focused on rebuilding the economy and Auckland was central to that."That's why we're fast-tracking major infrastructure like the $200 million Port of Auckland extension and incentivising business investment through Investment Boost and our Going for Growth agenda."The opening of the International Convention Centre and the City Rail Link later this year will further lift jobs and economic activity."Simeon Brown said business confidence in Auckland was at its highest in over a decade."GDP is up 12.1 per cent on 2019, labour force participation is 72.8 per cent, and CBD office vacancies have fallen for the first time since 2022 - a clear sign businesses are backing the city again.The Mayor and Auckland Council would be wise to focus on keeping costs down for Aucklanders."Supporting a rates cap last week would have been a good first step, Simeon Brown added.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Hibiscus Coast households are part of a system where New Zealand recovers less than 1 percent of materials flowing into the economy.A circular economy is designed as a loop. Products are made to stay in use through repair, reuse, remanufacturing, or being remade, so they do not become waste. The goal is to design waste and pollution out from the start, keep materials in use, and regenerate the natural systems the economy relies on.University of Auckland Professor Saeid Baroutian says most people think circular economy means recycling, but it is much broader. He says it should be treated as industrial strategy, not just waste policy.Research commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment found New Zealand operates one of the most linear and wasteful economies in the developed world. University of Auckland Professor Saeid Baroutian. Photo: SuppliedIt reported that less than 1 percent of materials are recovered through recycling. It also found around 700kg to 750kg of waste per person goes to municipal landfills each year, among the highest rates in the OECD.Construction is a major driver. It is responsible for about half of New Zealand’s total waste. PricewaterhouseCoopers has reported that 80 percent of waste is effectively determined before a building leaves the drawing board, which points to design and procurement decisions as a key lever.Other sectors show similar gaps. An Auckland University of Technology-led study into major food manufacturers found firms are starting to adopt circular ideas, but recovery of materials or energy remains the weakest link. Companies reported they still lack working knowledge of circular processes, and the traditional linear model still dominates.Overseas, regulation is moving faster. The European Union has rolled out circular economy requirements since 2018, including eco-design rules, right-to-repair, digital product passports, and stricter sustainability reporting. Across Asia-Pacific, many countries have introduced extended producer responsibility schemes that make manufacturers accountable for products across their full life cycle.New Zealand has taken some steps, including product stewardship for tyres and e-waste, plastic phase-outs, and a higher landfill levy.But University of Waikato researchers concluded central government has mostly adopted a “weak” model of circularity, focused on end-of-pipe waste and voluntary action rather than strong regulation and long-term investment. The study also argues momentum has slowed since the 2023 election.MBIE warned that tightening standards in Australia and the EU, including recycled-content rules, packaging requirements, and life-cycle disclosures, could raise trade costs or reduce market access for New Zealand exporters if the country does not align.MBIE estimates circular interventions across construction, manufacturing, and food could cut 1.5 million to 1.9 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions each year, about 3 percent of New Zealand’s net emissions. On the Hibiscus Coast, Coasties can back the shift by choosing repair before replacement, buying durable goods with minimal packaging, reusing or selling items before they become waste, and asking tradies what can be salvaged on renovation jobs.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Consumer spending across New Zealand rose slightly in January, offering a tentative positive signal for the economy despite sharp drops on days hit by extreme weather.Figures released by Worldline NZ show core retail spending processed through its payments network reached $4.023B in January 2026. That is up 0.6 percent on the same month last year, after adjusting for changes in the merchant base. While the lift is small, the return to annual growth suggests consumer spending may be stabilising rather than continuing to slide backwards.Worldline NZ Chief Sales Officer Bruce Proffit said the modest growth would be welcomed by retailers after a tough year, but warned the overall result masks sharp weather-related impacts.Spending dropped heavily on Wednesday, January 21, the day storms and heavy rainfall hit several regions. Core retail spending that day fell 5.6 percent, from $125m on the comparable Wednesday last year to $118m this year.The disruption carried through the Auckland Anniversary long weekend in regions affected by severe weather, including Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Waikato, Auckland and Northland. Total hospitality spending across those regions over the four days to January 26 was $71.2m, down 8.7 percent on the same weekend last year.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!Hibiscus Coast Searches Turn Task FocusedRead more →Hibiscus Coast Pharmacies Brace For ChangesRead more →Silverdale Street Bus Stop VandalisedRead more →Hibiscus Coast Job Access Boosted By Licence ChangesRead more →Hibiscus Coast Families Mark Safer Internet DayRead 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.

A person has died after a single-motorcycle crash on Horseshoe Bush Road in Dairy Flat early Thursday morning.Emergency services were called to the scene at about 1.30am.The sole rider died at the scene.The crash site was examined by the Serious Crash Unit, and Horseshoe Bush Road has since reopened.The death will be referred to the Coroner.Police have not released further details at this stage.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The kettle clicks off, you sink into the couch, and that first bar of the theme feels like home.From Waitoki paddocks to Army Bay living rooms, Country Calendar has been part of Sunday nights for generations, and 2026 is its 60th year on screen.The brand-new season starts tonight at 7pm on TVNZ 1.TVNZ is also marking the anniversary on TVNZ+, with a curated set of classic episodes available now and more archive episodes added weekly.It all began on Sunday, March 6, 1966, as a modest, studio-based programme hosted by Fred Barnes, built to inform farmers in a formal, instructional style.Field filming was limited at first, simply because it was hard and expensive to get cameras out on location.Over time, that changed, and so did the show.It became more visual, more relaxed, and more human, letting rural people tell their own stories while the camera quietly captured the work, weather, and everyday reality.A big shift came in 1974 when producer Tony Trotter recognised that plenty of urban viewers were watching too.The storytelling widened beyond farming into fishing, forestry, and broader rural life, and it helped Country Calendar become something closer to a national scrapbook than a niche industry programme.In a media era where other long-running local shows have been cancelled, its calm pace and high trust have helped it endure.Hyundai has renewed its naming sponsorship again for this milestone year, marking 16 years of partnership, and if you are choosing one easy watch at 7pm tonight, this is the one.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Unemployment has hit its highest level in a decade, but beneath the headline numbers some sectors are faring much better than others.Stats NZ said this week the unemployment rate hit 5.4 percent in the three months to December, the highest since March 2015.A total of 165,000 people were unemployed, a rise of 4000 on the previous quarter and 10,000 on a year ago. More people reported being available for work in the quarter.Brad Olsen, chief executive at Infometrics, said while the number of full-time roles was down 0.9 percent year-on-year, the number of part-time positions had increased 2.1 percent, or 11,400 jobs."Accommodation and food services has seen the largest increase in jobs over the last year, up just over 25,000, with around 17,000 more full time and 8000 more part-time roles," he said.He said retail, health and information, media and telecommunications also had strong part-time growth in employment."For retail, there were 400 fewer roles overall, with 4100 fewer full time roles but 3700 more part-time roles, as retailers look to right-size their workforce for still mixed spending patterns. Health roles are up 7000 jobs overall over the last year, but this is made up of around 3000 fewer full-time roles but nearly 10,000 more part-time roles as the health sector manages budgets."In manufacturing, there were 7000 fewer manufacturing roles in December compared to a year earlier, driven by a drop of 7300 full-time positions offset a little by a 200 lift in part-time roles.He said across the economy as a whole, a quarter of all roles were part-time."The increase in part-time work does seem to be a bit around businesses who are needing more capacity but aren't willing or able to commit to full-time work immediately. That's probably a bit of a sign of the slight tentativeness in the economy. You've had surveys recently which have suggested businesses are more upbeat about the general economy and have stronger expectations that they will both invest and hire more and there's evidence of that but I think everyone's just a bit shy at the start."He said there was a turnaround in tourism that was helping employment in that sector. "It's now in a good space above 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. There does seem to be more consistency in accommodation and food services because you've had lifts in both full-time and part-time work."Accommodation and food services is one of the industries with a much stronger focus on part-time work anyway but that increase in employment seems fairly broad-based. I do wonder if there's an element of Kiwis seem to be spending a bit more on food and food-related items compared to straight-up retail options. You've seen retail employment actually fall a touch."Olsen said people seemed to be spending on groceries and going out to eat a bit more but not as much on physical items.The biggest declines in job numbers were in manufacturing, construction and some transport activity."Construction has seen declines across the board. You've got a nearly 11 percent decline over the last year in part-time construction work, an 8.2 percent decrease in full-time construction work, and that leaves an overall 8.4 percent decline."There's just less to do than what there was a couple of years ago, and so the construction workforce has had to right-size a bit more."Some industries were facing longer-lasting change than others, he said."For construction, I'd find it hard to believe at the moment that construction would make it back to its peak level of employment, just because construction activity levels are likely to remain below peak."So if you needed so many workers to do all the work back in 2022-23 when it was really difficult to find builders, if you don't have quite as much activity, you probably won't see that high level of construction employment again, not necessarily in the short term at least."A lot of those other industries, I'd certainly be expecting as we sort of go through the year a bit more of a transition from that part-time focus to more of a full-time focus. But that will, I guess, for a lot of businesses, again, who are thinking that they're a bit shy about hiring, they will be wanting to see sort of more stronger levels of sales and activity coming through before they commit to that permanent employment."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Milldale housing stages have been approved under the Government’s Fast-track system, one year after the process opened for business.The Milldale Stages 4C and 10 to 13 development is one of nine projects approved nationwide under the Coalition Government’s Fast-track approvals system, which ministers say is already cutting years off infrastructure and housing decisions.RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says Fast-track was designed to address long delays that left major projects stuck in process while costs escalated. He points to the first Fast-track approval, the Ports of Auckland wharf extension, which took 111 days from officials confirming the application was complete to a final decision. Under standard consenting, the same project was expected to take about five years.Bishop says faster approvals are not just procedural wins. He says earlier decisions allow construction to start sooner, bring forward jobs, and deliver infrastructure when it is needed rather than years later.The Fast-track system brings multiple approvals into a single process, with decisions made by independent expert panels and subject to environmental conditions. Ministers say the intent is to apply the same level of environmental scrutiny more efficiently, rather than removing safeguards.Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says the system is already delivering results, despite early criticism. He says companies moving through Fast-track report significant savings in time and cost, which can instead be directed into construction activity and employment.For the Hibiscus Coast, the approval of stages at Milldale represents a direct local outcome. Across all Fast-track approvals so far, the Government estimates close to 2,000 new homes will be delivered over the life of the approved projects.Nationwide, nine projects have been approved, with another nine expected to receive decisions before the end of March. A further 17 projects are currently before expert panels, while 76 projects are progressing through the Fast-track system at various stages. On average, substantive applications have been decided within 128 days once confirmed as complete and in scope.Ministers say more housing, infrastructure, and energy projects are expected to move into construction as further decisions are made in the coming months.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Safer Internet Day will be marked on Tuesday, February 10, with Netsafe leading New Zealand’s national campaign.The annual global day of action takes place each February and promotes collaborative efforts to build a safer, more positive online world.In New Zealand, Netsafe is coordinating the initiative and providing resources for schools, families, and organisations.The 2026 theme is “Together for a better internet”, with a focus on shared responsibility, digital wellbeing, and helping users make safe and responsible choices online.A key focus this year is artificial intelligence, under the message “Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI”.For Hibiscus Coast families and schools, the day is an opportunity to talk with children and young people about how they use technology, including AI tools, and what to do if something goes wrong online.Five simple ideas for Hibiscus Coast localsShare Netsafe’s Safer Internet Day posts on social media or local community groups.Have a 10-minute family chat about apps, AI tools, and what to do if something goes wrong online.Run a short discussion at school, church, sport club, or a youth group using the “Together for a better internet” theme.Add a short online safety note to a school, club, or workplace newsletter, pointing people to saferinternetday.nz.Encourage a Year 10 or 11 student to apply for Netsafe’s Youth Action Squad (YAS).Among the initiatives linked to Safer Internet Day 2026 are applications for the Youth Action Squad, open to students in Years 10 and 11.New Zealand will take part alongside more than 180 countries worldwide in the global campaign.More information and resources are available at saferinternetday.nz.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Australian accountants are still getting paid more than New Zealanders - but the local sector had a bigger pay bump in the past year.That's according to the Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ) remuneration survey released on Wednesday.It showed that members' median pay was up 0.3 percent in Australia for the year, while New Zealand's was up 6 percent.People who were full-time employees in New Zealand were earning a median $153,000 a year. Part-timers were earning a median $98,800.In Australia, full-time employees were getting a median A$160,500 (NZ$185,800) and part-time employees A$138,664 (NZ$161,000).Full-time employees in the United Kingdom were earning a median GBP 133,522 (NZ$303,500).Charlotte Evett, general manager NZ regions at CAANZ, said there had been higher salaries in Australia through the history of the survey."Australia is a powerhouse economy compared to ours... they have the big mining engine in minerals that we don't have. But it's still very, very good pay in New Zealand."She said it was notable that Otago accountants reported a 27 percent pay increase year-on-year."Nelson was up 11 percent, Canterbury was up 7 percent. Even the South Island and West Coast were up 6 percent. If you compare that to Australia, they had some good growth, Queensland was up 10 percent but apart from that ours are certainly standout numbers."She said that was part of the "two-speed economy" that had been seen in other sectors recently as Auckland and Wellington were slower to recover."On top of that I think we'd be remiss not to look at lifestyle... central Otago has got rivers, lakes, mountains, snow, beautiful weather... the story has been New Zealanders are moving to Australia in droves. While that is true, I think the report shows that Kiwis should look at specific regions in New Zealand before considering Australia."In New Zealand, general managers were earning $287,000, chief financial officers $270,400 and directors $215,080.In Australia, CFOs were earning the most, at A$280,800 (NZ$326,000) and directors $231,000 (NZ$268,100).Aucklanders topped the New Zealand table.The largest pay growth was seen in the not-for-profit sector in Australia and corporate New Zealand.The survey showed that while 76 percent of people had received a pay increase, almost a quarter had received 2.5 percent or less.Only 8 percent of New Zealanders had experienced a pay increase of more than 10 percent. But 21 percent of those aged 20 to 29 had received such a lift.New Zealand's gender pay gap remains at 24 percent while Australia's is 14 percent.Artificial intelligence is expected to transform accounting further in the near future, with new tools emerging to assist with tools such as GST returns.Evett said the industry was making the most of it."When you look at accounting back over time, I think it continues to and historically has moved with technology faster than any other profession. When you think of technology as the abacus, the calculators, then we've gone to cloud computing and now AI. So, I think it's very exciting."It's definitely has and continues to reshape accounting, but it's not replacing accountants. Most New Zealand organisations would say they're using AI and report positive results, especially in finance teams."She said it could be used to free accountants up to add value, spend time and build trust. Recent research by Infometrics had shown there would be a shortage of 15,000 accountants over the next five years. "Pretty exciting when you combine that with technology."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Hibiscus Coast homeowners weighing a move away from Auckland now have clearer options, as Trade Me data shows 44 districts with house prices below the national average.The national average asking price now sits at $856,950. Districts tracking under that level are being flagged as more affordable entry points for buyers priced out of larger cities.For Auckland buyers, the choices remain limited. Papakura is the only Auckland district currently below the national average, with an asking price of $781,150.Outside Auckland, affordability improves quickly.Northland offers Far North at $681,000 and Whangarei at $804,500. Waikato and Bay of Plenty feature several sub-$700,000 districts, including South Waikato at $548,000 and Rotorua at $674,950.Some of the sharpest affordability remains in central and lower North Island districts. Ruapehu is the cheapest on the list at $344,700, followed by Tararua at $464,300 and Rangitikei at $466,150.For Hibiscus Coast residents, the pattern is clear. Buyers looking to stay within commuting distance of Auckland have limited relief. Those prepared to relocate further afield will find significantly lower entry prices, especially in regional centres with established services.South Island affordability remains strongest on the West Coast, with Buller at $409,700 and Grey at $554,850. Canterbury also remains accessible, with Christchurch City at $721,350 and Selwyn just under the national average at $854,750.Worth noting, these figures are asking prices, not sale prices.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

That heavy, post-summer sluggish feeling can make “health” sound like another job to do.A new review, recently published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, argues plant-based diets could cut non-communicable disease risk, reduce future pandemic threat, and lessen climate-linked health pressure, with a University of Auckland researcher leading the work.The review was written by 19 authors across medicine, dietetics, and academia, and it frames Covid-19 as proof that reactive healthcare is expensive, while prevention is cheaper and more durable.Lead author Dr Komathi Kolandai says modifiable lifestyle factors matter because managing fallout after disease arrives can be hugely costly, and she notes most Covid diet research is observational, so it cannot prove cause and effect.Beyond Covid, the review points to established evidence linking plant-based eating patterns with lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, and some cancers.It also cites modelling work suggesting large-scale dietary shifts could save billions in healthcare costs and add more than a million quality adjusted life years globally.Dr Komathi Kolandai. Photo: SuppliedThe authors connect diet to spillover risk, pointing to intensive livestock production, wildlife trade, and high demand for animal protein as drivers of zoonotic disease.They argue reducing reliance on animal-based foods could reduce the chance of new pathogens crossing into humans, which is more effective than trying to contain outbreaks later.They also link animal-based foods to more than half of global food-related greenhouse gas emissions, and say plant-forward shifts could cut agricultural emissions substantially, easing climate-related harms like heat stress, respiratory illness, vector-borne disease, and mental health strain.The review flags practical barriers too, limited nutrition training for clinicians, inconsistent definitions of “plant-based” in research, and unequal access to affordable, culturally familiar plant-based foods.For Hibiscus Coast families, the useful idea is modest, realistic shifts supported by access and good advice, so it feels like a workable default rather than a one-off reset.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Trade Me says buyers are hunting for a gold and silver bargain - but there's a warning that jewellery may not be the best way to get an investment slice of the precious metals action.Trade Me spokesperson Millie Silvester said from about mid-January, the site had started to receive significantly more searches for gold and silver.Gold and silver hit record prices in late January, before prices slipped, then rallied."After we saw the historic highs reported in New York last week that's when things really started to pick up on site," Silvester said."'Gold' and 'silver' were the second and third fastest rising search terms in the past week with 'silver bar' and 'silver bullion' also appearing in the top ten."She said searches for silver were up 264 percent year-on-year in January while gold was up 18 percent."Our Antiques & Collectables and Jewellery & Watches categories also saw a spike in activity in the past week. Whether it's an old chain that's seen better days or a collection of silver coins, the current 'metals meltdown' is actually creating a bit of a gold rush on Trade Me. It's a savvy, very Kiwi way of making the most of a global situation."She said people who wanted to sell precious metals should mention the carat and weight in grams to help buyers value them. Using keywords such as authentic and hallmarked would build trust. The listing should provide close-ups of hallmarks or stamps to prove metal purity.But Rich Elliott, from MyGold, said jewellery was not a good way to invest in previous metals."As an investment, jewellery is generally inefficient. You're typically paying a large premium over the gold content for design, brand and labour, and that premium is rarely recovered on resale," he said."There are also practical issues - most people don't have an easy way to verify purity, resale often means dealing privately with strangers or shipping items away, and because jewellery isn't investment-grade purity it's usually subject to GST."By contrast, investment bullion is standardised, easily verified, widely traded, and sold by reputable mints with certifications and guarantees. That makes pricing transparent, resale straightforward, and the market far more liquid."He said he had just returned from Europe where he had been meeting mints officials and precious metal suppliers."What stood out wasn't just the price movement, but the strain on physical supply."Many mints have paused taking new silver orders altogether, others are operating on strict allocations, and in several cases delivery timelines have stretched out by months."Over the past 12 months, silver prices are up roughly 140 percent, with gold up about 62 percent. We've also seen sharp corrections along the way, which underlines just how volatile - and globally significant - this market has become."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Coasties, here’s what the long weekend has in store for us.Friday, 6/2Mainly fine, chance of a shower until afternoon, brisk sou’westerlies.High: 24Low: 17Saturday, 7/2Fine with sun and cloud, fairly breezy sou’westerlies.High: 26Low: 18Sunday, 8/2Partly cloudy, chance of a morning shower, fairly breezy sou’westerlies.High: 27Low: 17Monday, 9/2Fine and mainly sunny, breezy south to sou’westerlies.High: 26Low: 18See the full Weather section in the app for:🌊 Tides🌬️ Wind☔ Rain radar🌞 UV levels🏖️ Safe swimming spots...and more.The Hibiscus Coast App has everything you need for the region, accessible at any time and from any location.

Hibiscus Coast households in early 2026 are seeing a softer Auckland jobs market, while housing costs stay broadly steady in real terms.A February 2026 Auckland Council update says Auckland employment fell compared with a year earlier, marking another quarter of negative annual jobs growth. Unemployment remains high at 6.4 percent, which the update says is the highest level since 2014 and about double the 2021 low.Housing signals are mixed but calmer than the boom years. The median Auckland house price in December 2025 was $1,015,000 in real terms, which the update says is broadly flat over recent months and well below the 2021 peak. Sales have lifted from the 2023 low point, but remain well below the 2021 peak.Rents are not rising in real terms.The update puts Auckland’s average weekly rent in November 2025 at $673 in real terms, down on early 2021 and similar to around a decade ago.There are some early signs of a lift in building. The update says new dwelling consents have been rising since April and are up on a year earlier, though still below the 2022 peak.For Hibiscus Coast residents, the jobs slowdown matters most for people who commute south and for local businesses linked to construction and services.Steadier house prices and rents may reduce pressure on budgets, but job security is the bigger watch-out.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]