Government

The first Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for use in NZ

The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has been provisionally approved by Medsafe for use in New Zealand. 

It is the first Covid-19 vaccine to get sign off in New…

New law makes it harder to overturn Māori wards

New legislation has been announced that would give councils more power to establish and protect Māori wards.

The change was announced by Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta…

Drug checking will be made legal in NZ in time for festivals this summer

Drug checking allows people to safely find out what's really in their pills.

Covid-19 Live Updates

The key facts you need to know about Covid-19 in Aotearoa.Monday 1 October

Auckland will move to level 1 this Wednesday at 11.59pm.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made…

The six-month Covid rent freeze ends today, but rents are already going up. A lot.

The six-month Covid rent freeze ends today, and some landlords are putting up rent as fast as possible. Others tried to illegally raise rents during the…

I don't know anything about politics: how did the election just get moved?

Just how exactly was the election day moved, and what does "dissolution of Parliament" even mean?

I don't know anything about politics: what’s the deal with minor parties?

New Zealand has 14 registered political parties, can you name them all? I couldn’t.

Explainer: here's what you need to know about new National leader Judith Collins

We’ve all seen the gun photo and heard the phrase “Crusher Collins”, but what does she stand for?

Covid-19 Live Updates: two new cases

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.  

1:30pm Sunday 21 June

Today there are two new cases.…

Covid-19 Live Updates: First day at level 1

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.  

1:00pm Tuesday 9 June - day one at alert…

New Zealand’s made it to zero Covid cases, but our contact tracing apps had little to do with it

New Zealand is now Covid-19 free. 

To keep us here the government has asked us to put our trust in an out-of-sight solution. An app that’s still…

For six months, cops in NZ had guns - campaigners say it can't continue

For six months, cops in New Zealand had guns. Campaigners say we can’t allow it to continue.

New Zealanders tell us why they marched with the Black Lives Matter movement

On June 1, New Zealanders marched in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Here's why.

Covid proved having no access to internet is dangerous in NZ

The internet is what made eight weeks in lockdown bearable for most of us. But for the estimated 20% of Kiwis who experience digital exclusion, not…

New Zealanders seem to hate beneficiaries. Is there hope that Covid will change that?

Covid has meant nearly 40,000 people have accessed the jobseeker benefit, nearly half of them for the first time. One million New Zealanders have been given…

How to rebuild a more sustainable New Zealand after Covid-19

Lockdown has shown we can take bold action that would have previously been unthinkable.

Covid-19 Live Updates: Day 13 of level 3

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.1:00pm Sunday 10 May - day 13 at alert…

Explainer: the cannabis referendum that could make weed legal in New Zealand

At this year’s election, as well as voting on who we want to be in government, we will also be asked this question: Do you support the…

Future essential workers are expected to live in poverty to get qualified

Covid-19 has made life harder for many New Zealanders, but students remain the only group whose support package is just more debt. Re: spoke with eight…

Covid-19 Live Updates: our last day at alert level 4

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. 1:00pm Monday 27 April - day 33 of lockdown,…

What life looks like at each of the Covid alert levels

New Zealand will move to alert level 3 at 11.59pm on Monday April 27. We’ve broken down what each alert level means, along with illustrations by…

Covid-19 Live Updates: day 22 of lockdown

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.  

2pm, Thursday 16 April - Day 22 of lockdown

Here…

Students are fuming at the government's Covid-19 tertiary support package

Yesterday the government announced a Covid-19 tertiary support package, but the allowances can’t be spent on essentials like rent and food. Students say the government is…

Covid-19 Live Updates: New Zealand experiences its second death

Check in here for the key, verified facts on how New Zealand is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. We update this several times a day.1:00pm, Friday…

A young person’s guide to money in the days of Covid-19

Young people might feel like Covid won’t hurt them. But Ministry of Health data shows people in their 20s have the highest rates of the virus,…

Covid-19 Live Updates: Day 11 of Lockdown

If you're looking for just the key, verified facts, check in here for rolling live updates.1:00pm, Sunday 5 April

Today there are 89 new cases, and no…

Covid-19 Live Updates: Day 7 of Lockdown

We're now a week into our nationwide lockdown. If you're looking for just the key, verified facts, check in here for rolling live updates.This live updates…

How are New Zealanders going to get high during lockdown?

With lockdown now in full effect, drug stock is drying up around the country. We spoke to three New Zealanders to find out how they’re getting…

Covid-19 Live Updates: Our First Weekend in Lockdown

It's the first weekend of our 4-week nationwide lockdown. If you're looking for just the key, verified facts, check in here for rolling live updates. 

1:00pm Sunday,…

Supermarket workers tell us about being on the front line of Covid-19

Supermarket workers are risking their health to keep us fed. Re: asked three workers how they’re coping and what they need from us to help them…