Auckland’s economy grew only slightly in the year to December 2025, with GDP rising 0.1%.Auckland Council’s Social and Economic Research and Evaluation team says several indicators show gradual improvement while remaining weak compared with earlier years.Real GDP for the year ended December 2025 was 0.1% higher than the previous year, while the rest of New Zealand recorded a 0.5% rise.Real retail sales increased 0.4% over the same period, while the rest of New Zealand saw a 0.7% lift.The report notes growth remains low and has not returned to the pre-Covid pattern of increases of at least 2%.Housing indicators show mixed conditions.The median house price in January 2026 was $950,000, similar to a year earlier and continuing a three-year mild decline.Prices are 39% below the 2021 peak.Sales activity is recovering slowly.A total of 23,968 homes were sold in the year to January 2026, 31% above the May 2023 low but still 34% below the 2021 peak.Average weekly rent in December 2025 was $668.That level has stayed similar for several months and sits 14% below February 2021 in real terms.Construction activity has lifted from recent lows.A total of 15,779 new dwellings were consented in the year to January 2026.That is 13% higher than a year earlier but still 28% below the September 2022 peak.The real value of new non-residential building consents reached $2,662 million in the year to January 2026.That figure is 5% higher than a year earlier but remains below earlier peaks.Trade activity has increased gradually.Imports through Auckland seaports reached $32.3 billion for the year ended January 2026, up 4.8% over the past year and 21% above the 2020 Covid low.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

A new briefing says fire smoke poses a growing public health risk in New Zealand.The latest Briefing from the Public Health Communication Centre examines current public health advice and looks at how new monitoring tools could better protect communities when paired with coordinated response plans. Lead author Dr Guy Coulson said the health risks from smoke pollution are often missed. “Smoke from both landscape and urban fires, which can travel vast distances, contains fine particles and toxic gases that can harm respiratory and cardiovascular health. Infants and children, older adults, people with asthma and those who are pregnant are particularly vulnerable,” he said.Over the past 30 years, the annual number of wildfires in New Zealand has risen from around 3,000 to nearly 5,000. The fire season is projected to lengthen by the end of the century due to climate change. The Briefing says smoke plumes can shift quickly with wind changes, creating local spikes in air pollution. It also says regional council monitoring stations are limited in number and often do not provide real-time data, while health warnings are not currently triggered by air quality monitoring.Dr Coulson said low-cost internet-connected sensors, online maps, weather forecasting and smoke dispersion modelling could support more timely health advice. The authors also say portable air cleaners and HEPA filters can reduce indoor particle levels, though access and public understanding remain issues. They call for expanded real-time monitoring networks, links between citizen-sourced data and alert systems, a national smoke incident response plan with defined roles, and more research.What this means for locals is that smoke from major fires can become a fast-changing health risk, and the authors say better planning, monitoring and public guidance are needed before the next major event. “The next major fire event is not a matter of if, but when,” Dr Coulson said.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

Fuel prices across New Zealand have begun climbing quickly after global oil markets reacted to rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz in early March. Crude prices jumped about 7 to 13 percent as the US-Israel-Iran conflict escalated and shipments through the key Middle East shipping route faced disruption risks. New Zealand imports refined fuel priced off Singapore benchmarks, and those benchmark prices have surged over the past week, lifting import costs for local fuel companies.Industry commentary notes pump prices can move within days when costs rise, with little structural delay beyond fuel already sitting in terminals or station tanks. Across the country the change is already showing up on forecourt boards, where the numbers roll over overnight as new deliveries arrive. Gaspy data today (10/3)Unleaded 91: $2.645, up 7.22c over 28 days, +2.81%Diesel: $2.096, up 22.69c over 28 days, +12.14%Unleaded 95: $2.824, up 8.47c over 28 days, +3.09%Unleaded 98: $3.004, up 10.6c over 28 days, +3.66%Some South Island stations have already pushed 95 octane above $3 per litre, with retailers linking the jump directly to higher refined fuel and shipping costs tied to the Middle East situation. Analysts say if crude prices remain elevated, or if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz faces longer disruption, further pump increases could appear over the next week or two. For the Hibiscus Coast, where many residents commute daily into Auckland, those global movements are now showing up in the price displayed at local forecourts as the international oil market feeds directly into what drivers pay at the pump.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

Principals of two Auckland schools say they've had to hire counsellors specifically for dealing with the harm caused to children by social media.The principal of East Auckland's Riverina Primary School, Bryce Mills told Checkpoint children as young as eight were being exposed to extreme online content.He said his school hired a counsellor to help deal with the damage and he was not the only one.Whangaparāoa College had hired the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media, it said.It's prompted calls to push through a ban on social media for under-16s.It comes days after Parliament's Education and Workforce Committee released its final report on the inquiry into the harm social media causes for young people, offering recommendations including banning under-16 year olds from social media.Saasha Jolley is a teacher at Riverina Primary School and she regularly heard students talk about scrolling Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat as well as gaming online the night before.Primary school children were using social media apps like Instagram and Tiktok, a teacher said. (File photo) Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly"Roblox in particular is a big one at the moment, in terms of the chatter that happens, the games they have access to."I know that it's both a platform for kids and adults, they can both access it, they can create the games on there, so I guess that makes it a lot more open."What the students see and hear online at night arrived with them at school the next day, she said, and they didn't always understand what they were repeating."They heard it from their friend or they heard it from this person online, so they thought that it was okay to say."Last year, research from Te Mana Whakaatu the Classification Office, found young people don't generally go looking for objectionable content.But it could be hard to avoid when it came up on social media, in group chats, or was shown around in person.Some examples of this included pornography and real-world violence.Riverina Primary School principal Bryce Mills said similar content was being seen by children as young as eight at his school."There is the odd occasion unfortunately where you do hear some of that sexual stuff coming through as well," he said.The school of 150 students was self-funding its own online security system, which costed them $3000 each year.But Mills said the school couldn't control what the students saw once they went home for the day."I had a parent the other day say to me, that they got up at one in the morning to go to the bathroom and they could see a glowing light from a bedroom.A child using the Roblox app. (File photo) Photo: MARIJAN MURAT"Their daughter had gone out and got the phone off the dining room table and was on their phone."If they hadn't gone up to go to the bathroom, they wouldn't have known that. It [happens] behind those closed doors."The situation was similar at Whangaparāoa College.Principal Steve McCracken said he had to hire the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media.It was costing the school hundreds of thousands of dollars."I think that it is largely driven by social media and what they see is cool, the people that they see online with rich backgrounds and fast cars and all the bling."Last year, Australia became the first country to implement a social media ban for under 16's, blocking access to sites like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.Where to get help:Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reasonLifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friendsDepression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202Samaritans: 0800 726 666Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email [email protected]'s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-oldsAsian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254Healthline: 0800 611 116Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155OUTLine: 0800 688 5463Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

University of Auckland started Semester One on Monday, March 2 with 47,033 students enrolled.That was up 3,622 students, or 8.3 percent, on the same point in 2025. Total EFTS rose from 30,601 to 33,395, up 9.1 percent. Undergraduate enrolments saw the biggest jump, with EFTS up 11.4 percent and headcount up 10.4 percent. First-year EFTS rose 15.7 percent, with domestic first-year EFTS up 17.5 percent and international first-year EFTS up 10 percent.Professor Sarah Young said growth in international students may reflect new trans-national agreements, changes to student settings in other countries, and favourable settings in New Zealand. She said domestic growth may reflect a tighter job market, a larger school-leaver population, and more immigrants with university-aged children entering the wider Auckland region.Professor Sarah Young, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education. Photo: Richard NgEnrolments also rose across postgraduate study and UoA Online. Pacific undergraduate enrolments were up 14 percent and postgraduate up 9 percent. Māori undergraduate enrolments were up around 14 percent and postgraduate up 3 percent. The University said it may bring on more staff in some areas where required, and expects overall enrolment numbers to grow further by the end of the year.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

Oil costs are contributing to "off the charts" freight prices and it is only a matter of time before it flows on to consumers, a logistics boss says.The war in Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route carrying about 20 percent of the world's oil and gas.The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said, as of Sunday, New Zealand had 25 days' supply of diesel in country and 29 days more on its way.Mainfreight managing director Don Braid told Morning Report that New Zealanders could expect price increases to petrol, diesel, freight and international travel in coming weeks.He said he expected to see an impact in fuel pricing soon which would flow through to freight, passenger air travel and anything that has fuel attached to it.There had been significant disruptions to air and sea freight, he said."In terms of sea freight, whilst ports are operating within the area we're not seeing any vessels transiting through there ... so that's adding time to transit and in terms of cost as well."Not so much as you would think for New Zealand and Australian exporters because we can rout across Asia or for that matter across the USA, it's for that freight that has to transit via the Middle East."The situation it was "just a part of every day life in logistics" as they had to deal with issues such as earthquakes, wars and floods, he said.Braid said he had already seen diesel prices lift."We are being told to expect further increases in terms of diesel and that will be impacting our operations around the world, unfortunately we will have to pass that through."The longer term worry would be if this war did not end quickly, he said.Asked whether he had confidence in New Zealand's fuel supply situation, Braid said the closing of Marsden Point refinery meant New Zealand had to rely on other countries."Jet fuel I think is 24 days that is being held currently, those are the things we wouldn't want to see become an issue. So yes it worries us, but we've been able to get through all sorts of other catastrophes and events of late, so we'll have our fingers crossed and just get on and do the job," he said."We are being told by those fuel companies that we shouldn't worry about supplies, so therefore I don't see a need for panic but I do expect us to see an increase in pricing."Any price increases would flow through to freight, passenger air travel and anything that had fuel attached, he said.Follow local news, updates, and community stories.Corrections, tips, or photos: [email protected]

Happy Sunday, Coasties! Grab a hot drink and settle in. This is your essential 5-minute download of the week's most read Hibiscus Coast news and updates.Dairy Flat Surf Park Reveals 2030 Development PlanRead more → Waiwera Wastewater Upgrade Ends Estuary DischargesRead more → Auckland Spending Growth Hits Two Year HighRead more → Auckland Mayor Objects to Housing Plan RequestRead more → Steinlager Ultra Beer Recalled Over Label ErrorRead 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.

New overseas investment approvals will be decided in as little as five working days under law changes starting today.Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says many decisions under the Overseas Investment Act must now be made within 15 working days, with a five-day target. The change follows the introduction of a two-track system that separates low-risk and higher-risk investment applications.“These changes build on major success speeding up consenting under the old law. Since our Government was elected, we’ve reduced the average processing time by 60 per cent, from 71 working days to 28,” Mr Seymour said.He said $7.82 billion worth of investment applications were processed in the past year. The new system allows lower-risk applications to move through a faster pathway, while higher-risk proposals receive closer scrutiny.“The law says decisions on all investments except residential land, farmland and fishing quota must be made within 15 working days, unless there is a potential national interest concern, but the target is five working days,” Mr Seymour said.Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said interest in the Active Investor Plus visa was rising. She said 589 applications from high-value investors could deliver nearly $3.5 billion in investment.“Following our changes to the golden visa, we’ve had an enormous jump in applications, and over $3 billion in investment set to be delivered,” Ms Stanford said.The Government says the changes aim to get capital into businesses faster and support economic growth through overseas investment.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Worldline NZ says February spending rose, led by Auckland/Northland’s biggest annual lift in nearly two years.Figures released on Tuesday show consumer spending through Core Retail merchants in Worldline NZ’s payments network reached $3.686B in February 2026. That was up 2.2% on February 2025, after adjustments for merchants coming and going from the network.The Auckland/Northland region recorded a 2.8% lift in spending compared with February last year. Worldline NZ Chief Sales Officer Bruce Proffit said, “While the annual growth rate is relatively low and spending did not increase across all sectors and regions, it’s still heartening to see that total spending is up at this point of the year, and, most notably, up in New Zealand’s largest region,” he said.Proffit said spending in Auckland/Northland and Wellington declined in February last year, down 0.5% and 1.8% respectively. He said Wellington spending is still below year-ago levels, while Waikato remains one of the fastest growth regions and has now exceeded Wellington’s spending level for the third month in a row.Annual Core Retail spending growth in February 2026 was highest in Palmerston North at 4.5%, Otago at 3.8% and Waikato at 3.7%. The biggest percentage declines were in Wairarapa at minus 2.3% and Gisborne at minus 1.7%.Spending on flowers and jewellery rose in the days before and including Valentine’s Day, but was down on last year. Worldline NZ said wet weather was likely a factor, with total spending through florist and watch or jewellery merchants at $4.8m over the two days ending Saturday, February 14, down 14.5% on the same two days in 2025.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Latest house sales data indicates there is a shortage of ultra-luxury housing to meet the requirements of high-net-worth immigrants.Changes to the Active Investor Plus visa, which take effect next week, limit house-buying immigrants to homes priced over $5 million.Data collected by sales portal realestate.co.nz indicates the tightest house supply constraints were emerging well above that level, with only 142 properties listed above $10m available nationwide.International premium-grade homes priced more than $20m were scarce.A luxury house in Remuera, Auckland. Photo: SuppliedRealestate.co.nz chief executive Sarah Wood said the top end of New Zealand's residential property market was relatively immature by global standards."The AIP visa programme effectively introduces a positive demand shock into this segment of the market overnight, however, the supply has not had a chance to grow organically over time. The result is significant pressure on the supply of houses valued in the tens of millions."Realestate.co.nz chief executive Sarah Wood. Photo: SuppliedData supplied by Immigration NZ indicates nearly 590 people from 33 countries have so far applied for residency under the AIP visa programme.Agents reported a growing segment of applicants who were only interested in property priced more than $20m, with demand outstripping supply by about five times.Portal data indicated there had been 36,000 overseas-based searches for homes price over $5m over the past year, with North America and UK making up over a third (34 percent)."The United States accounts for around a fifth (19 percent) of international $5 million-plus searches, followed by the United Kingdom at 9 percent and Canada at 4 percent. That profile reflects demand from established wealth markets rather than speculative traffic."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Coasties, here’s what the next four days have for us.Friday, 6/3Mainly fine with morning and afternoon cloud, sou’westerlies developing in the afternoon.High: 24Low: 15Saturday, 7/3Partly cloudy with a slight chance of a morning shower, southerlies easing before dawn.High: 24Low: 16Sunday, 8/3A mix of sun and cloud, light winds.High: 23Low: 16Monday, 9/3Partly cloudy, sou’westerlies developing in the afternoon.High: 24Low: 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 for the region, accessible at any time and from any location.

New Zealand property values rose 0.2% in February, the strongest monthly increase since October last year.Cotality NZ’s Home Value Index shows the national median value reached $806,697 in February.That is 1.2% lower than a year ago and 17.3% below the early-2022 peak of $975,540.Hamilton and Dunedin recorded the largest monthly increases at 0.9%, while most other main centres rose between 0.4% and 0.6%.Auckland’s rise was smaller at 0.1%.Cotality NZ chief property economist Kelvin Davidson said the latest results could signal a shift, though it remains early.“With sales activity trending upwards for some time now, mortgage rates down, and the economy showing signs of a pick-up, a re-emergence of modest gains in property values this year would not be a surprise.”Across Auckland, all sub-markets were flat or slightly higher in February.Rodney, Waitakere and Auckland City avoided falls, while North Shore, Manukau and Franklin each rose by 0.1%.Papakura increased by 0.2%, making it the only Auckland sub-market where values are slightly higher than three months earlier.Davidson said improved affordability in Auckland may support prices over time after recent value declines.“With affordability conditions better, and as listing numbers continue to fall, a modest lift in Auckland property values over the medium term wouldn’t be a surprise.”Looking ahead, Davidson said borrowing conditions and interest rate expectations remain a key influence.“Anyone with large debts will no doubt be pleased to see the Reserve Bank pushing back slightly on the suggestion that the OCR could rise sooner rather than later.”Activity in the housing market may increase this year, which could reduce the number of listings and place some upward pressure on prices.Debt-to-income lending limits and the recent rise in housing supply relative to population may restrain stronger price growth.Davidson said the balanced outlook is still for only modest growth in property values this year.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

New Zealand Food Safety has issued a recall for a specific batch of Steinlager Ultra Low Carb beer.The recall relates to Steinlager Ultra Low Carb 24 Pack (24 x 330ml) with a best before date of 21/10/26.New Zealand Food Safety said some bottles inside the packs were incorrectly labelled as alcohol-free, even though the beer contains 4.2% alcohol.“The concern with these beers is that although the box says the beers contain 4.2% alcohol, some of the bottles in the box have been incorrectly labelled as alcohol-free,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.“I am very mindful that this recall will be concerning for a range of consumers who have medical, cultural, or lifestyle reasons why they select non-alcoholic beverages.“People avoiding alcohol should not consume this product. They can return it to the place of purchase for a refund.”The affected products were sold at retailers and hospitality businesses nationwide.The products have been removed from store shelves and have not been exported.People who have consumed the product and are concerned about their health are advised to contact a health professional or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.“As is our usual practice, New Zealand Food Safety will work with Lion NZ (LION) Limited to understand how this happened and prevent it recurring,” Arbuckle says.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

New Zealand exports rose to $29.2b in the December quarter, up $2.2b on the same period last year.The figures, released yesterday, also show two-way trade increased to $61.2b for the quarter. Trade and Investment Minister Hon Todd McClay said, “New Zealand exporters are winning in highly competitive global markets,” and said the results were a “testament” to farmers and growers.Of the top exports, dairy was up 10%, tourism was up 9.4%, and meat was up 21.4% compared with the same period last year. One in four New Zealand jobs is linked to trade.McClay said the Government is focused on backing exporters, reducing barriers at the border, strengthening its network of free trade agreements, and ensuring businesses have the confidence and capability to succeed internationally.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Women are being told to take more risk with their KiwiSaver to help close the gap between their average balance and those of men.Westpac said while the gender gap had narrowed from 17 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2025, men were contributing and saving more even though women live longer on average.In the Westpac KiwiSaver funds, men had higher average balances in all age groups once people were over 18. The biggest gap was in the 30 to 39-year-old age group, where men had an average balance of $28,992 compared to $21,740 for women.Westpac general manager of product, sustainability and marketing Sarah Hearn said part of the difference was the gender pay gap and time out of the workforce. But women were also more likely to be in less risky funds.Men had 37 percent of their total balances invested in growth and high-growth funds, compared to 32 percent for women, who hold more of their KiwiSaver in moderate or conservative funds.Higher-risk funds should deliver higher returns over time.Morningstar data shows that aggressive funds have returned an average 9.5 percent a year over 10 years compared to 4.2 percent for conservative.Hearn said women taking a more defensive strategy early in life could miss out on tens of thousands of dollars over the decades.Earlier, Westpac estimated that the gap in outcomes between someone in a conservative fund and someone in a growth fund over 30 years could be more than $225,000 for a median earner on a total 6 percent contribution."Historically women have made more conservative fund choices, but if they're saving for the long term - at least 13 years - and are comfortable seeing larger up-and-down movements in their balance over time, I'd encourage them to consider what type of fund they're in," Hearn said.She urged women to talk about their financial decisions. "We know men are really much more comfortable taking about numbers and money than women are… I think there's a great opportunity where we could be talking more about our KiwiSaver balances, our returns, the types of funds we're in and just having more conversations about money."She said people should check the type of KiwiSaver fund they were in and make sure it was right for them."Make sure it's in line with your risk appetite and also the timeframe. I think that's the most important thing. we know that balances can go up and down over time. There can be volatility, but this is the long haul. We're all looking forward to retirement one day but in most cases it's a couple of decades a way. It's definitely the right time to take on a little bit more risk so that we can have our money working harder for us."Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

The wait is over.New Zealand Rugby has appointed Dave Rennie as All Blacks head coach through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.NZR said Rennie is of Cook Islands descent through his mother from Titikaveka, Rarotonga, and is the first All Blacks head coach with Pasifika heritage.Chair David Kirk said Rennie has a proven track record as a successful head coach.“On behalf of the Board, I’d like to congratulate Dave on his appointment as All Blacks Head Coach. He is a world-class coach who has consistently shown he can build strong performance environments and win.“Dave understands what it means to coach the All Blacks and play a style of rugby that reflects who we are as New Zealanders. He has a deep understanding of rugby in New Zealand and the role the All Blacks play in shaping our national identity and bringing communities together.”Rennie said it was a privilege to be appointed head coach.“Coaching the All Blacks is an incredible honour. I’m extremely proud to have been entrusted with this role and understand the expectations that come with it.“I’m really clear on the way I want the All Blacks to play and I look forward to working with the players, management team, and the rugby community. We have a lot of talent here and we will be working extremely hard to make the country proud.”NZR said Rennie will honour his commitments with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan until the Japan Rugby League One competition ends.He will then return to New Zealand to prepare the All Blacks for the July home series against France, Italy and Ireland.A live “Meet the Head Coach” interview is scheduled for 2pm today on the All Blacks YouTube channel.NZR said it will confirm the wider All Blacks coaching and management team in the coming weeks.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Auckland Council has less than two weeks to respond to a letter from the government wanting the council to outline its plan for housing intensification.But mayor Wayne Brown says the council is already spending millions on the project and the request is too costly.In February, Minister for Housing and RMA Reform Chris Bishop announced that Cabinet agreed to reduce the city's minimum housing capacity requirement from 2.08 million to 1.6 million.In a letter to Brown dated 24 February, Bishop asked for an outline of the approach the mayor intended to take to review the plan, and of what areas or suburbs may be affected by the change.Brown refused. "We've spent $10 million on Plan Change 78, and by Christmas we'd blown another $3 million on Plan Change 120, as well as having 50 staff reading 10,000 submissions... so this is expensive," he told a planning committee meeting on Tuesday."Preparing maps requires investing significant time and money. It's not as simple as pushing a button. In this organisation you're lucky to get a lift by pushing a button. We'll be telling the government what Aucklanders want, not the other way around."What's important is for Auckland to lead the process from here, not producing maps to see if some ministers worried about their jobs might like them."A spokesperson from Chris Bishop's office later clarified to RNZ that the minister had never asked Brown for a map.Brown was adament that Auckland Council would not invest any more resources."I'm reluctant to commission a hell of a lot of expenditure, which may not meet an unknown criteria from an unknown number of Cabinet Ministers. Most of them don't live in Auckland."That's just stupid. I'm not going to do that. I'm the mayor of Auckland. If they want to be the mayor of Auckland, have a crack at me."Bishop asked Brown to respond to the letter by 17 March.Councillor Shane Henderson agrees with the mayor's approach saying the council should not provide an outline until feedback from the public had been considered, and accused the government of "political desperation in an election year".Councillor Sarah Paterson-Hamlin was concerned Aucklanders would have to be consulted again."I'm really conscious that we asked a lot of Aucklanders," she said."We asked them for feedback on a really complicated thing over Christmas and they came to the party, 10,000 submissions is a lot for a process like that. I don't know how we can go back out in good faith, and how we communicate to those 10,000-plus people that they will be heard."However, deputy mayor Desley Simpson did not understand why it would be too difficult."Respectfully it does seem pretty obvious, for me, for a layman, surely if you just up-zoned along the major transport corridors and around the stations added the city centre you'd get a number."Why can't you just tell us straight away what those suburbs would look like going up and the suburbs that would look like going down? That seems like, from a layman, quite a logical thing to ask."Auckland Council chief of strategy Megan Tyler responded that it would be too time-consuming."It's not simple. If it was a button, I would happily show you the button. You can press the button yourself. There isn't one."Housing Minister Chris Bishop told Morning Report he wanted to crack on with the process and hadn't asked the council for any "onerous obligation"."We haven't asked for detailed maps that take weeks or sometimes months to produce - we've just asked for a summary."I think the council can produce that, and I'm encouraging them to do that."He said it wasn't election year politics but a "bunch of people in a difficult situation getting on with the job"."This is not an issue in which people are placing their own person priorities ahead of the national interest."Bishop said he wouldn't "die in a ditch" over getting a reply by the 17 March deadline."I understand where he's [Brown] coming from. He's pretty brassed off about it which I can appreciate at the end of the day but I think everyone wants a solution for Auckland."Asked if it was helpful for ACT leader David Seymour to have written a column saying the council can produce maps almost at the press of a button, he said it was written in his capacity as the MP for Epsom.Auckland Council will meet again on 10 March, where Bishop's letter will be on the agenda.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Split Enz have announced arena shows in Wellington and Auckland this May following their first performance in 18 years. The band played their 1,000th gig at Electric Avenue Festival in Christchurch last Friday in front of 45,000 fans.Live Nation confirmed the Forever Enz Tour will include a show at Spark Arena on Saturday, May 9.Presale tickets are on sale now, with general public tickets available from Thursday, March 5 at 12pm.“Aotearoa, rugged individual!” said Tim Finn. “We’re looking forward to climbing into our new Noel Crombie suits and seeing you all soon. The songs are sounding shiny and new… if music be the food of love, Split Enz are the silverware!”The live line-up features Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Eddie Rayner and Noel Crombie, plus Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass. The band last performed in New Zealand in March 2008 at Vector Arena, now called Spark Arena.Split Enz live. Photo: SuppliedFormed in New Zealand in 1972 before relocating to Australia in 1975, Split Enz were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005. Their 1980 album “True Colours” reached number one and achieved multiple-platinum status in New Zealand, and was certified five times platinum in Australia with sales of more than 250,000 copies.This year marks the 51st anniversary of their debut album “Mental Notes”. That album and the band’s catalogue are part of the Enzyclopedia re-release series, first released in November 2025 via Chrysalis Records globally and Warner Music locally in Australia and New Zealand.The May shows mark a return to arena stages for the band, with tickets now available for fans keen to see the reunion live.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]

Government officials and major fuel retailer Z Energy are moving to ease any concerns about the country's fuel reserves.The US and Israel-led air campaign in Iran has seen the country fire missiles and drones at its Middle East neighbours and threaten to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 million barrels - a fifth of the world's traded oil - moves each day.Iranian strikes have also prompted Qatar - one of the world's largest gas exporters - to halt production at key facilities, sending European natural gas prices surging by 50 percent in a single night.The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and fuel company Z Energy, said New Zealand had sufficient fuel reserves to withstand any disruption to global supplies.MBIE said as a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA), New Zealand must hold at least 90 days of oil stocks.The total was met through a combination of onshore stockholdings held by fuel importers and "oil tickets" - agreements with the governments of the United States, United Kingdom and Japan that allowed oil held overseas to count towards New Zealand's IEA commitment.MBIE said the Minimum Stockholding Obligation (MSO) - which came into force on 1 January 2025 - also required fuel importers to hold 21 days of diesel, 24 days of jet fuel and 28 days of petrol within New Zealand, including shipments already in transit within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone."Our data shows that fuel importers routinely hold more than what's required - and while these figures are commercially sensitive, we can say that we have healthy stock levels and that importers have further ships planned and on their way to New Zealand," an MBIE spokesperson said.Diesel holdings would have to rise to 28 days by 2028.Together, the MSO and overseas "ticket" contracts gave New Zealand more than 90 days of effective cover, meeting its full IEA obligations.Importers were required to report stock levels regularly to MBIE to ensure sufficient reserves are available at short notice.Z Energy said it was closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, but there was no impact on its ability to source fuel."Customers can continue to fill up as normal at any Z station across the country," a spokesperson said.The company said it would continue to monitor developments and provide updates as needed.Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]