Making plans?Three Hibiscus Coast events worth checking out soon.Orewa Lions Big DigSat 17 JanClick here for more details Rodders Beach Festival 2026Fri 23 JanClick here for more detailsOrewa Repair CafeSat 7 Feb Click 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 may feature selected events in next week’s Top Picks.

It could become more expensive to build a house this year.Cotality, formerly known as Corelogic, has released its latest Cordell Construction Cost Index, which shows residential building costs increased by 0.9 percent in the three months to December.The index is made up of 50 percent materials, 40 percent wage costs and 10 percent other expenses such as professional fees and consenting.The annual pace of increase rose to 2.3 percent, but is still below its long-term average of 4.1 percent since 2012.Cotality chief property economist Kelvin Davidson said the pace of growth was constrained."We are certainly not seeing the extreme inflation experienced in the post-Covid phase, when the [index] annual growth rate peaked at more than 10 percent in late 2022."During that period, there were supply chain issues for key materials such as plasterboard and rising wages also drove up costs significantly."However, although they're not rising to any huge degree at present, costs haven't seen significant falls either. Following the previous growth phase, the overall level of cost to build a new dwelling remains elevated even though the growth rate has cooled," he said.He said confidence was returning to the construction sector.The number of dwelling consents has started to rise again, and reached 35,500 on a 12-month basis in October.Davidson said that was a turnaround after a period of stagnation."After peaking at more than 51,000 in the 12 months to May 2022, the number of new dwellings consented dropped to a low point between 33,500 and 34,000. We are now seeing a recovery that aligns with anecdotal evidence that builders are becoming busier again."Activity would probably pick up with interest rates down, and rules such as loan-to-value ratios and debt-to-income rules making new builds more appealing."I don't think we'll necessarily see a big rise [in costs] because wages, the labour market is still relatively softer than it was a couple of years ago."You wouldn't think there'd be large wage increases for the builders, but there might be a wee bit more pressure coming through there. And then materials as well, a wee bit more pressure, but again, not that returning post-Covid."He said activity could generally trend higher this year and cost pressures could return to normal.Brighter outlook for construction firmsThings were looking up for construction firms, he said."There's always going to be individual experiences and distributional effects in here, but what I hear on the ground and from people I talk to in the construction industry, there is a bit more confidence coming through."It takes a while, and it's been a pretty big downturn for sure, and some developers have done it pretty tough, maybe buying land at the absolute peak value and then seeing interest rates go up and demand for that product come down, prices they could eventually sell it for come down… a big squeeze on margins when you've paid top dollar for land, the cost to build has gone up, the eventual selling price has come down. It's been pretty tricky."Some people have obviously done it pretty tough, but I guess the other thing I think you also have to acknowledge is that, yes, it's been a big downturn, but it was coming off an incredibly high base. So, actually, in the long run context, we're still building a decent number of properties compared to what we've done at the previous troughs."So, you know, it's not all doom and gloom, but at the same time acknowledging that it has been tricky for a lot of builders."A period of slower construction cost growth was good for homeowners potentially committing to a build, he said."If you sign up for something off the plans and it's not going to be ready for 12 or 18 months, at least you can kind of have a bit more confidence that it's not going to run away in the meantime. I think that a bit more stability is probably what people have been hoping for."And that is kind of what we've seen in the past sort of year or two… I think a lot of people would probably say it's still expensive to build a house. But the growth rate hasn't been as fast. So, you know, things have stabilised, have plateaued. And I guess, you know, with interest rates coming down, it just does get a bit more affordable."There was a premium for a new build compared to existing houses, he said, but that could reflect the fact that maintenance cost should be lower and the property could be built to higher specifications."It stands to reason that new builds will cost a little bit more than existing properties, but then there are those benefits too."Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

Auckland households felt a bit better about work in the December quarter, even as job hunting stayed tough.Westpac McDermott Miller’s Employment Confidence Index rose 3.9 points to 93.8 in the December quarter 2025, released on Wednesday.A level below 100 still means more households are pessimistic than optimistic.The lift came mainly from views about the year ahead.The expectations index rose 5 points to 104.1, while the current conditions index rose 2 points to 78.3.On current job opportunities, a net 54.5% said it is hard to find a job.Expectations for job opportunities a year ahead were less negative than in the previous quarter.Auckland’s employment confidence rose to 95.6, up 6.1 points over the quarter.Northland also lifted, while Wellington fell and sat at the bottom of the regional rankings.Westpac said the unemployment rate has likely peaked at 5.3%, with only a gradual improvement expected over 2026.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

MetService has a Heavy Rain Watch in place today until 2am tomorrow.There’ll be periods of heavy rain, with thunderstorms and localised downpours possible. Totals could push up near warning levels, and a few spots could tip over. There’s a moderate chance this Watch is upgraded to a Warning.Now, here’s what the next four days have for us.Friday, 16/1Partly cloudy and mostly dry, a brief shower possible, breezy westerlies turning sou’wester.High: 26Low: 17Saturday, 17/1Cloudy with a few showers later, breezy sou’wester shifting to a steady easterly.High: 25Low: 17Sunday, 18/1Morning showers clearing to sun and cloud, fairly breezy easterlies to sou’easterlies.High: 22Low: 16Monday, 19/1Mostly fine with patches of cloud, fairly breezy easterlies through the day.High: 23Low: 17See 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, accessible at any time and from any location.

Do New Zealanders or Australians get a better deal in retirement?Commentators say it depends who you're asking.But how do the two systems compare?Superannuation savingsAustralians probably get a better deal out of their superannuation savings than New Zealanders do from KiwiSaver.From July last year, the contribution rate has been set at 12 percent - and this is contributed by the employer.Contributions are generally taxed at 15 percent but tax is charged on withdrawals when they are made from income before tax was paid on it such as contributions from an employer or salary sacrifice.In New Zealand, our current default rate of 6 percent is split between the employer and employee.It comes from taxed income and returns made by the fund are taxed. Withdrawals are not taxed.Tim Jenkins, superannuation consulting leader at Mercer, said the contributions were a key difference. "In Australia, no one needs to pay a contribution… if you're an employee, it's 12 percent regardless of whether you pay or not."The compulsory nature of the scheme meant that anyone who was employed was developing savings for retirement, whereas in New Zealand people could opt out of the scheme, or stop contributing.He said it was notable that New Zealand had next to no tax concession for savings."In Australia there are substantial tax concessions particularly for the higher end of town and that makes a big difference on incentives and what people choose to do."Jenkins said another difference was that Australian superannuation schemes had life insurance built in, whereas in New Zealand people have to arrange and pay for this cover separatelyPeople can also access their superannuation in Australia when they are 60 if they have left work. In New Zealand, access is tied to the age of eligibility for NZ Super."That's quite important because you have a number of people who cannot continue working to 65 because of the physical jobs, or whatever is going on, or they're unemployed," Jenkins said."This helps with that transition to retirement phase."New Zealand's pension costs about 5.1 percent of GDP, roughly twice what Australia's costs. It is projected to rise to 8 percent by 2065, compared to a projected drop to 2 percent for Australia by 2060.PensionBut it's on the pension that New Zealand comes into its own.In Australia, you need to be 67 to qualify.To receive the full pension amount, you can only earn up to $218 a fortnight as a single person, or $380 as a couple.The cut-off point for a single person to receive anything is $2575.40 a fortnight, and for a couple it is $3934.A single homeowner also cannot have assets more than $321,500 to receive a full pension.In New Zealand, NZ Super is available to anyone over 65 who meets the residency requirement, with no income or means testing.To generate the amount that a single person gets in NZ Super, you'd need to have about $600,000 saved, at a drawdown rate of 4 percent a year.At the moment, the average balance of Australians nearing retirement is about A$400,000.Jenkins said Australian super was replacing the pension for middle Australia, whereas all residents and citizens in New Zealand could access it.Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said, from an individual perspective, New Zealand had a really good system."Everybody just gets free cash… Who would say no to free cash? The problem, of course, is that the overall pension system doesn't make sense."It's literally free money. Essentially working New Zealanders are subsidising the superannuation system. It's working as we designed it to and it's doing exactly what we thought it would. The question is, is it fair?"The cost of the current system was projected to keep rising in an unsustainable way, he said."If you look at the Treasury long-term briefing, there's a really nice chart of New Zealand versus Australia, comparing the total superannuation cost including the subsidies for their savings scheme."Ours goes up forever, and theirs gradually trends down over the next several decades. That's the difference. We have it good for now but it's not going to last."They have it good for those who need it but not so much for those who don't. They have a system that encourages people to save out of their income … it's really around collective versus individual. I think the lens really matters but also generational, so for people who are getting it now this current system in New Zealand is fantastic and it's absolutely terrible for the young people of New Zealand."Pie Funds chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer agreed there were clear differences."I would say Australia is more generous at the front end through compulsory employer contributions and tax breaks. New Zealand is more generous at the back end by guaranteeing a universal pension. They're fundamentally different philosophies rather than one clearly being more generous overall, and different cohorts will benefit from one over the other."Australia's pension is generally tax-free and more generous than New Zealand's, which is also taxed as income.Other differencesJenkins said another difference was that Australia had given more thought to helping people spend their superannuation savings."We're starting to get decumulation options and a focus on how to spend in retirement using your super as opposed to New Zealand, which is really a savings system at this stage… every system has its strengths and its weaknesses and it's the combination of the KiwiSaver or super guarantee alongside the age pension that makes the difference. You've got to look at both together. And then think about not just accumulation but how does decumulation work?"What if you live in one country and want to retire in another?New Zealand has a reciprocal social security agreement with Australia and you can use residence in either country to meet the residency test for the pension in the other.Ministry of Social Development general manager international, disability and generational policy Harry Fenton said if someone relied on time spent in Australia to meet the residency requirements, they would not be able to qualify for NZ Super until they reach the age of entitlement for Australian Age Pension, which is age 67.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

A new AI pilot will co-fund plans for small firms from Monday, January 19.Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Chris Penk says the AI Advisory Pilot is aimed at helping owners overcome barriers to using artificial intelligence tools that “boost productivity and unlock growth”.Minister Chris Penk.Penk says AI is already becoming part of how New Zealanders work, from sorting information and drafting documents, to answering simple customer questions at any hour and handling repetitive digital tasks.He says small business owners want to use AI to clear space in busy schedules, but many are unsure where to start or how to use tools “in a safe and practical way”.Eligible businesses will receive co-funding of up to 50 percent, capped at $15,000, to develop an AI plan tailored to their business, workers, and customers.With support from experienced specialists, participants can then put the plan into action.The pilot will run through the Regional Business Partner Network for existing RBP customers, and will run for at least six months, from Monday, January 19, 2026 to at least Tuesday, June 30, 2026.Participants will be invited to take part from late January.Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti says New Zealand’s Strategy for Artificial Intelligence estimates that adopting generative AI alone could add $76 billion to the economy by 2038, which he says equates to 15 percent of national GDP.The Government says $765,000 has been allocated to the pilot from within existing MBIE appropriations, and it is expected to include a minimum of 51 small-and-medium enterprises.For Hibiscus Coast business owners who are already RBP customers, the key detail is timing, invitations are due from late January.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

How old is too old for a home loan?One woman who argued that she should not have been allowed to take out a mortgage, given her age and that of her husband, has lost her complaint to the Banking Ombudsman - and mortgage advisers say it is not unusual for age to be a hurdle for some borrowers.The Banking Ombudsman said the woman and her husband first applied for a home loan in 2020, when they were aged 56 and 53. In 2022, they agreed to take out loans worth $479,000.But in 2025, the woman's husband died, and she claimed the loan was irresponsible and should not have been approved.She said the bank had not considered her and her husband's ages, and the 30-year loan term.She said they had never intended to work past typical retirement age or to increase their repayments.The ombudsman looked into the case, including the bank's notes from the time, and said the bank had considered the couple's age and future plans, as well as discussing with them how they planned to repay the loan."We also reviewed the bank's affordability assessment. The bank verified income and expenses, applied conservative calculations and included reasonable buffers."There was a reasonable surplus of income over expenses and the bank made inquiries about likely changes to income. We found the bank had reasonable grounds to believe the couple could meet repayments without suffering substantial hardship, having regard to any likely changes in income."The complaint was not upheld.Link Advisory head Glen McLeod said he saw many borrowers in that sort of situation.He said banks and lenders would have different policies for loan terms that would take people past the age of 65."Some set a maximum age of 65, while others may allow terms to extend to 70 or even 75."The key consideration is always the client's exit strategy, which is discussed as part of the lending process. An exit strategy outlines how the loan will be repaid, and provides confidence for both the client and the lender."This could include using KiwiSaver funds at retirement, selling an investment property or downsizing their home."Ensuring clients fully understand what they're borrowing and the long-term implications is an essential part of the Responsible Lending Code. This approach helps protect clients, and ensures lending decisions are made with care and transparency."Another adviser, Jeremy Andrews from Key Mortgages, said banks could not discriminate based on age, but agreed they had to follow responsible lending rules."Often we see banks declining first-home buyers nearing retirement age loans that are similar or sometimes even lower than their rent payments."He said that was because, if someone needed a longer-loan term to make the loan affordable, they may have to stay in full-time work for the duration."That said, there are plenty of mitigants that banks can consider case by case, which are referred to as exit strategies."As part of a client's affordability analysis, lenders and mortgage advisers should investigate and consider whether clients are in sedentary jobs and able to continue work beyond retirement age. Some banks can then consider up to 70 years of age, others longer."He said other things borrowers could think about were whether they could increase payments once dependents left home or clear other debts to increase their ability to pay off the home loan.Loan Market adviser Karen Tatterson said lenders and advisers had a responsibility to ensure a client had repaid their loans by the time they retired, or that they had an exit strategy."As a general rule of thumb, banks consider 70 years of age as the end date to a loan term," she said. "There are other considerations too - KiwiSaver, overseas superannuations and pensions, and the impact these will have in terms of repaying the loan, once they are able to access these funds."I understand, in many instances, the longer loan term is requested by clients for the purpose of keeping the loan repayments at a lower value for affordability reasons, but the risk of this must be discussed."The other consideration here is whether the clients received any advice regarding the risk of taking out a mortgage at their age, and were offered any income protection, mortgage protection or life insurance.'In my mind, this is an important aspect of the process and, in this instance, if the male partner had some life cover, this may have gone a long way to paying off all or part of the home loan."This would have made the ongoing home loan repayment affordable for the surviving partner."What you need to know if you're applying for a home loan as an older borrowerHave a plan - will you work until the loan is repaid or do you have another way to pay it off?Be prepared to have a shorter loan termDifferent lenders may have different approachesKnow something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

If you picked up pâté for an easy platter, it’s worth doing a quick fridge check.The Ministry for Primary Industries says L'Authentique brand Chicken & Duck Parfait is being recalled due to a failure of food safety controls, and the affected product should not be consumed.The recall applies only to L'Authentique Chicken & Duck Parfait in a 100g glass jar with a ‘Use by’ date of Monday, August 24, 2026, shown on the lid.It was sold at supermarkets and retailers throughout New Zealand, so it could be sitting in Hibiscus Coast homes even if it was bought during a normal grocery run.No other L'Authentique products are affected.There have been no reports of associated illness, but if you have eaten it and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice.If you have the affected jar, return it to the retailer you bought it from for a full refund.If you have questions, contact Charcuterie du Pacifique Sud Limited on 09 303 2444 or [email protected] something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

EB Games is shutting down its New Zealand business and closing all its stores at the end of the month.In a letter sent to employees last week, EB Games Australia & New Zealand managing director Shane Stockwell said the company was proposing to close all remaining EB Games New Zealand stores and the New Zealand Distribution Centre.Silverdale Store Faces ClosureAnother letter sent on Wednesday confirmed that EB Games will close its New Zealand operation on 31 January. The remaining stores will close on that day, with the distribution centre permanently closing on 28 February.Stockwell said the company had "numerous" third parties approach the company after it was revealed it was considering shutting down, but "these parties did not present any proposals or solutions about how to keep the New Zealand business sustainable".EB Games is an Australian-based video game and pop culture merchandise retailer, owned by GameStop since 2005.There are currently 38 stores in New Zealand, according to GameStop's latest annual report, and 336 in Australia.It is uncertain how many jobs would be lost, and the letter to NZ employees did not mention anything about the future of the Australian stores.The chain has been facing stress for some time, including closures of stores in both Australia and New Zealand.In the earlier letter, Stockwell described the New Zealand business as no longer commercially viable, with a "multi-million dollar loss during the 2024 fiscal year".He said the retail market continued to be sluggish and the company was not confident its performance would improve."We are saddened to be in this position having already made significant and repeated efforts to turn the business around," Stockwell wrote.The company said that there may be opportunities for New Zealand employees to relocate and take up work in the Australian EB Games operations.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

More than 500 newly graduated doctors have started work across New Zealand this week, as wait times bite at some Hibiscus Coast medical centres.Health Minister Simeon Brown says 531 Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) doctors are beginning their careers, with most starting this week. The 2026 cohort will work as House Officers in hospitals and health services across the country, providing frontline care as part of multi-disciplinary teams.Mr Brown says the health system needs a steady flow of New Zealand-trained clinicians, backed by supervision and training.“We are focused on investing in the next generation of doctors, because every additional clinician means better access to care for patients and their families,” Mr Brown says.The Government says it is increasing medical school places to grow the workforce over time.Mr Brown says medical school placements have already increased by 75 places each year during the term of this Government. From this year, a further 25 places a year are being added, taking the total increase to 100 extra places. He says this lifts the cap on first-year medical school enrolments to 639 a year.For Hibiscus Coast patients who are struggling to get timely appointments, the hope is that a bigger pipeline starts to ease pressure as these new doctors move through training and into longer-term roles.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Auckland Transport is offering free bus travel from 2pm for ticket-holders going to Ed Sheeran at Go Media Stadium on Friday and Saturday night.Extra bus services will run to help concertgoers get to the stadium and home again.“If you have a ticket to the gigs, you’ll be able to ride any of our buses for free, including NX services, starting from 2pm until the end of daily services,” says Todd Hurley, Event Planning Lead at Auckland Transport Operations Centre.“Simply show your ticket to the driver when boarding and remember to keep your event ticket for the journey home.”Hurley says people should expect longer wait times after the gigs.Roads will be busy, and demand for Ubers, taxis, and other rideshare services is likely to be high, so allow extra time if you are getting dropped off or picked up.The concerts run from 5.15pm to 10:45pm, with gates opening at 4pm.Special event buses will run at least every 10 minutes between 3:30pm and 7pm from Auckland City Centre at 120 Quay Street to a temporary stop on Station Road.They will also run for one hour after the event, or until queues are cleared, back to Auckland City Centre at Customs St West opposite H&M.For people travelling from the Hibiscus Coast, Auckland Transport says the best option is to take an NX bus service into the City Centre, then connect to the special event buses.Ambassadors will be on lower Albert Street where NX services terminate, to direct people to the temporary stop.Additional NX services will be running to meet demand.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

Auckland is still losing residents to other parts of New Zealand, but the net losses have eased, according to a January 2026 insights paper from Auckland Council’s Chief Economist Unit by economist James Stewart.The paper says Auckland has had net internal migration outflows to all regions across nearly all age groups.Census 2023 data shows a net outflow of 51,600 people over the five years to March 2023, with the largest net losses to Waikato, Northland and Bay of Plenty.Stewart says the core driver is trade-offs.Households weigh the incomes they can earn against housing and transport costs, plus the lifestyle and amenities they want.Auckland’s persistent net outflows suggest housing and transport costs are high relative to the combined incomes and amenities available.Age patterns back that up.Auckland still gained people aged 20–24 from other regions, but shifted to a net outflow for those aged 25–29.Adults aged 30 and over have had a persistent net outflow, suggesting other regions “stack up better” once people are established in the workforce.The paper says the recent moderation may link to improved housing affordability, more modest house price growth, and more flexible working arrangements.It notes remote work can let people live outside Auckland while employed in Auckland-based jobs, while also reducing some travel costs for those who stay.For Hibiscus Coast residents, the implications are practical.If housing and transport costs keep driving decisions, Auckland risks losing skilled workers, which the paper says may constrain the region’s economic potential.It argues Auckland Council’s land use and transport policy settings are central to lifting living standards by shaping costs, access, and the ability to support well-paying jobs.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

For decades, we have heard a familiar story about why New Zealand's firms choose to stay small. Business owners prefer comfort, control and lifestyle over ambition, summed up in the old notion of the "bach, boat and BMW" being the height of aspiration.The statistics show this pattern clearly. New Zealand's productivity has lagged other advanced economies for years, with output per hour worked sitting below the OECD average.This gap is often blamed on the fact that nearly 97 percent of local businesses employ fewer than 20 people and many stay small their entire life cycle. Yet a fast emerging global trend suggests smallness is no longer a drawback.Across software, design, digital media and specialist manufacturing, a growing number of international firms are choosing to stay small. Their aim is not to avoid ambition, but to preserve quality, identity and resilience in a transformed economic environment.This year, that shift may offer important lessons - and opportunities - for tackling New Zealand's productivity challenge.When scaling up stops being the defaultAfter the global surge in venture capital in 2021, investment contracted sharply. Startup funding fell in both 2022 and 2023, with the latter being the weakest since 2018.While signs suggest activity has stabilised at a lower level, capital is now far more selective, prompting questions about the sustainability of the traditional "growth-at-all-costs" model. Strategies that depend on continual boosts in external funding today face a more challenging environment.Artificial intelligence (AI) is also reshaping what small teams can achieve. AI systems can now automate or accelerate tasks across coding, design, analysis, writing and administration.A small team equipped with advanced tools can generate output once associated with much larger organisations. This has expanded the viability of small, highly productive firms focused on specialised software, creative content or digital services.These AI-enabled small firms can reach international markets with minimal headcount, often profitably. At the same time, climate disruptions and supply chain fragility have exposed the weaknesses of centralised, high-volume business models.Events from the COVID pandemic to recent extreme weather have highlighted the risks of tightly optimised global logistics, while nimbler, modular operations with shorter supply chains can be more adaptable.For these firms, staying small is proving a strategy for resilience in the face of environmental and geopolitical volatility.Taken together, these trends point to an emerging form of entrepreneurship that diverges sharply from our traditional lifestyle-oriented businesses that serve a local market, employ a handful of staff and rarely invest in technology.Instead of avoiding ambition, these new "anti-scale" entrepreneurs are redefining it, building firms that maximise productivity, specialisation and resilience rather than staff numbers.Why strategic smallness suits NZSmallness can be a strategic choice that protects quality, speeds up innovation, reduces overheads and fosters closer relationships with customers. In digital markets especially, depth of expertise and precision often matter more than organisational size.This matters for New Zealand because the country's productivity problem does not stem from being small, but from being small without specialisation or technological leverage.Many of its firms operate as generalist service providers in a thin domestic market, face limited incentives to innovate and remain focused on local clientele.Productivity, however, is measured per worker, not per firm. A two-person, AI-enabled venture serving global customers can, in principle, generate far more value than a 20-person domestic service firm competing in a crowded local market.International comparisons reinforce this point. Small but highly productive economies such as Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands thrive by specialising in what they do best, integrating into global value chains and developing capabilities that compete internationally.This is an encouraging pattern for New Zealand, which faces similar structural constraints. Anti-scale entrepreneurship aligns far more closely with the success of these small economies than with Silicon Valley's emphasis on rapid organisational expansion. It represents a form of ambition that suits small countries.Rethinking how we support ambitious small firmsResearch on entrepreneurial ecosystems also suggests ventures perform best when their strategies match the realities of their environment. New Zealand's conditions can favour small, highly productive firms that rely on expertise, identity and digital reach.If these ventures adopt AI early, stay export oriented and build distinctive capabilities, they can compete internationally without becoming organisationally large.To realise this potential, New Zealand's institutions will need to adjust some long-standing assumptions. Policies that treat firm size as the primary marker of entrepreneurial success risk overlooking ventures that are small yet highly productive.Export programmes, innovation grants and skills initiatives could be better aligned with small firms that specialise deeply and use technology to amplify their output. Education, likewise, could focus on helping entrepreneurs design firms for an optimal size.Ultimately, New Zealand's productivity challenge will not be solved by any single idea. But the rise of anti-scale entrepreneurship suggests ambition may take a different form from the one policymakers expect.Some of the most innovative and resilient firms of 2026 may be those that remain deliberately small, use AI to expand their capabilities and build reputations in tightly defined global niches.The question for New Zealand is not whether its firms can grow larger, but whether they can grow better.Author: Rod McNaughton is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of AucklandThis story was originally published on The Conversation.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

If you’re job hunting, keep this list handy. If you’re not, there’s a good chance someone in your circle is. These two roles are local, current, and worth a look.MetlifecarePosition: Village ManagerLocation: Red BeachHighlights:Lead day-to-day village operations with resident-first leadership and strong stakeholder engagement.Own P&L and drive quality, safety, and continuous improvement across services and systems.View the full listing & applyAuckland CouncilPosition: Animal Shelter OfficerLocation: Silverdale Highlights:Provide daily care and safe handling of impounded dogs, supporting welfare and shelter operations.Assist with veterinary procedures including euthanasia, requiring strong resilience and H&S focus.View the full listing & applyHiring on the Hibiscus Coast?If you need to fill a role quickly, get in front of thousands of locals who already use the Hibiscus Coast App. Post your job here today.

Surf lifeguards worked 21,585 hours in New Zealand from Monday, January 5 to Sunday, January 11 as beaches filled up in hot, peak-summer conditions.Across that week, lifeguards carried out 61 rescues, assisted 145 people, ran 17 searches, and completed 6,062 preventative actions. Peak headcounts topped 76,000 people nationally, with Saturday and Sunday the busiest days.Surf Life Saving says rescues and serious medical responses stayed steady across all regions. It is urging beachgoers to keep safety front of mind before getting in the water.Lifeguards are on patrol at 92 beaches every day over summer. The red and yellow flags mark the safest place to swim.People can also check SafeSwim for patrol times, hazards, safety warnings, conditions, and tides.If you choose an unpatrolled beach, Surf Life Saving says you need to know your own limits and follow its five Beach Safety Messages:Know how to floatFind the safest place to swimIf in doubt, stay outTake care of othersKnow how to get helpThe service also wants people to understand rips. It says rips pull water away from shore and can look smooth, darker, and deeper, but can be hard to spot.If you are caught in a rip, it says follow the 3 Rs: Relax, Ride, Raise. Relax and float to save energy, raise your hand to signal for help, and ride the rip until it stops or you can swim parallel to shore to escape. It says not to swim directly against the rip.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

You don’t always realise how much a place matters until it is about to close.Paraoa Brewing Co, the gastropub and events venue on Whangaparāoa Road in Whangaparāoa, says it will close on Monday, January 26 after nearly five years.Owner Zenice Gujarathi, known as Zen, said: “we had the ladder up the wrong tree, with increasing challenges and no growth despite efforts.”Five years ago, he transformed the former Eddie Law Appliances building into a 700-square metre venue designed to seat up to 450 people, with a goal of bringing food, wine, beer and live entertainment to the Hibiscus Coast at affordable prices.Zen says: “we've had an international brand offer to buy us out, and we've accepted the ‘offer we cannot refuse.’”Via their Facebook page, the Paraoa Brewing Co team thanked patrons, the community, suppliers, and the musicians who supported the venue.For the next two weeks, Zen said it will be “happy hour” all day long, and locals can drop by to take photos, pick up a t-shirt as a souvenir, and help them clear out stock.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

Supplier costs to Foodstuffs supermarkets rose 2.4% in December 2025, shaping what ends up on shelves.That’s from the Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Grocery Supplier Cost Index (GSCI), commissioned by Foodstuffs New Zealand and reported by Infometrics.“December’s result was in line with the rise seen in November,” said Infometrics Chief Executive and Principal Economist Brad Olsen.Infometrics said the usual summer cost change moratorium limits the number of cost changes in December and January, with more seasonal and perishable items seeing movement.Higher seasonal supply saw some produce costs fall, while costs rose for some specific items including potatoes and kiwifruit. Limited protein supply globally has continued to keep meat and seafood costs higher. Rising global milk supply has helped lower costs for milk, butter, and other dairy items.Brad Olsen, Chief Executive and Principal Economist at Infometrics.For Hibiscus Coast households watching the grocery bill, the index tracks what it costs supermarkets to buy goods to put on the shelf. Previous analysis referenced with the index says supplier costs are a major component of supermarket prices, representing two-thirds of the on-shelf price.Supplier costs rose across all but one department in December, year on year, with a slight annual decline in service deli costs overall. Seafood and butchery costs rose the most, up 4.6%pa over 2025. A pull-back in dairy costs moderated the rise in chilled foods to 2.5%pa. Produce department costs were up 2.0%pa, driven by higher costs for items including potatoes, grapes, kiwifruit, and salads.Month on month, just over 1,800 products increased in cost from November to December 2025.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

New Zealand universities are now accepting English tests taken through learning company Duolingo.Otago, Massey, Canterbury and Victoria are among the institutions accepting the online proficiency results from international students.Duolingo said it used computer vision, AI and 'online proctors' to catch cheats, and to verify test-takers' identities.It was part of a global trend - by last year, all eight Ivy League universities in the United States were using Duolingo scores.Several New Zealand schools were also using Duolingo tests to assess students' English abilities.The company said it was the fastest-growing English test for study abroad, allowing students to get results in two days with no appointments needed.People from 219 countries and 148 first languages took the Duolingo English Test last year. Asia accounted for 55 percent of all test sessions.Immigration authorities still used international certifications such as IELTS to decide on language abilities for visa applications.Most dedicated learnersDuolingo is the world's most downloaded education app and has more than 50 million daily active users.Its statistics showed New Zealanders were more likely to learn Spanish than any other language, one of only 26 countries worldwide where English was not the top choice. Second on Aotearoa's list was French.Across the Tasman, Australia had possibly unexpected bragging rights - it was second only to Japan for the number of Duolingo users learning at least three languages. It overtook polyglots in Finland, Germany and the UK to take the linguistic podium in 2025.An expansion to the app's capabilities last year had also prompted more people to take up Japanese and Korean - which were now in fourth and sixth place respectively in the worldwide most learned languages, nudging German and Italian down the list.The languages which attracted the most serious learners - based on average time spent learning - were more eclectic than the common classroom choices, with Welsh and Norwegian coming in fourth and fifth places. A te reo Māori course was being developed in 2020, but the initiative had not yet eventuated.Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese were among the fastest-growing languages, with Chinese making the greatest strides in Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia and South Korea.Portuguese ranked number one among fastest-growing languages in China and India, perhaps for economic reasons, as Brazil's economic and cultural influence continued to expand.Beyond languages, Duolingo had now added chess to the maths and music courses available for free on the app, which combined gamification, league tables and spaced repetition - as well as streaks and a fearsome owl - to keep users on track and boost progress.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected]

Ed Sheeran opens his Loop Tour in Auckland on Friday, January 16, with two shows at GO Media Stadium.The global superstar is launching his new tour run in New Zealand this week, with a second Auckland date on Saturday, January 17.Sheeran is known for playing stadiums solo, using loop pedals to build songs live. His shows are billed as big in scale, but still personal in feel.Fans can expect a career-spanning set. The setlist is set to include new music from his 2025 album Play, including recent singles ‘Azizam’, ‘Sapphire’ and ‘Camera’.It will also pull from his back catalogue, including ‘Shape Of You’, ‘Thinking Out Loud’, ‘Castle On The Hill’, ‘Perfect’, ‘Bad Habits’ and ‘Shivers’, plus more.Support across the Australia and New Zealand leg includes Vance Joy and Melbourne artist Mia Wray. An all-female Irish collective, BIIRD, is also on the bill for the New Zealand shows.For Hibiscus Coast locals weighing up a mid-January night out, seats are still available for both Auckland shows.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]