This week’s Budget confirmed what most New Zealanders already suspected. The government’s finances are tight, the deficit persists, and there is no pot of money waiting to be spent on the country’s problems. Dr Oliver Hartwich | Executive Director | oliver.hartwich@nzinitiative.org.nz · Just as well, because government spending never delivers growth or prosperity. The question is, what will? · While the reformers of the mid-1980s faced an…

Source: Kiwibank Economics · ▪ Budget 2026 delivered no real surprises. As expected, set on the backdrop of a global uncertainty, the Budget revealed a short-term downgrade to the economic outlook. · ▪ A more uncertain global outlook didn’t seem to hinder longer term growth in Treasury’s forecasts. Indeed, a rebound is predicted that falls outside our own expectations. Inflation is forecast to peak at 4.0% in the June quarter of 2026, lower…

The Free Speech Union is calling on Parliament to narrow the Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill, warning it hands police open-ended discretion to move people on, and prosecute them, for peaceful conduct in a public place. The Bill lets an officer order anyone aged 14 or over to leave a public place for 24 hours on grounds as vague as “disorderly” or “disruptive” behaviour, or for begging. Whatever you think about begging, the Free…

The following article is an opinion piece and the views expressed are those of the author. · You may well ask what the heck he is on about. · Well it is either there is a current practice of the government bureaucracy adding sections into legislation without approval from the coalition government or the coalition government is adding these sections in against their express promises from prior to the 2023 election. The latest example is seen in…

By Mike Hosking · I asked for the surplus to arrive sooner than previously forecast and, as though she was listening this time yesterday, the first words out of Nicola Willis' mouth were it will be a year ahead of schedule. · You can't ask for more than that. · That’s not an election year lolly, but I'm increasingly of the belief that a growing number of New Zealanders have got the message. · A growing number of us have been shaken into the…

After several weeks of irregular movements and tighter scheduling windows, the latest shipping activity is starting to resemble a more stable and normal fuel distribution pattern around New Zealand. What stands out in this latest update is the clear reappearance of two separate but co-joined distribution routes moving product around the country. That is generally how a healthy import-based fuel network should operate. · The northern route…

Fuel prices have rapidly climbed into one of the biggest political and economic concerns facing New Zealanders, according to a new Ipsos Issues Monitor survey that paints an increasingly uneasy picture of household confidence heading into the next election cycle. By elocal Political Desk · Fuel prices have rapidly climbed into one of the biggest political and economic concerns facing New Zealanders, according to a new Ipsos Issues Monitor…

A Duncan Garner podcast interview with investigator and publicist Aly Cook has reignited questions surrounding New Zealand's COVID-era decision making, transparency and what senior ministers knew during the rollout of COVID vaccinations for 12 to 15-year-olds. By elocal New Zealand Desk · Source: Duncan Garner Podcast interview with Aly Cook, 26 May 2026 · Cook outlined a document trail she says links senior ministers to a key August 2021…

At Acacia Cove Village, life doesn’t get smaller. It gets easier, more social, and a whole lot more enjoyable. With the day-to-day taken care of, your time becomes your own again. That means: · • more time to do what you enjoy • more opportunities to connect • more freedom to actually live · And then there’s the lifestyle. · As Bruce Cullington explains: · “Another really popular reason that people go to villages is because they offer…

For buyers looking to secure a position in one of Auckland’s most active growth areas, this is a timely opportunity. Why Drury Is Moving · Drury is rapidly transforming into a major residential and commercial hub in South Auckland. · Significant investment is already underway, including: · New schools and education facilities Transport upgrades and planned rail connections Expanding retail and commercial centres Community infrastructure…

It happens in a split second. · A crunch. · A scrape. · That sinking “Uh ohh…” feeling in your stomach. · Whether it’s a car park mishap or a serious collision, the stress can be overwhelming. But in Pukekohe, there’s one simple piece of advice: · Keep calm and call the experts. · For more than 30 years, Classic Auto Body Panel & Paint Ltd has been the trusted name in collision repair across Pukekohe and the greater Franklin region. What began…

Fly London · There’s a reason some shoes get worn once… and others become everyday staples. · Fly London sits firmly in the second category. Not because they follow trends but because they solve something most footwear doesn’t: comfort that works in real life, without losing its sense of style. · This season’s standout, the Flymol Brown Zip-Up Leather Knee High Boot, delivers exactly that. Soft leather, a clean, flattering silhouette, and a…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an “objective investigation” into a drone incident in Romania in which two people were injured. Moscow is ready to share its assessment if it is provided with either the debris of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or the data about it, he told journalists on Friday. A drone crashed into an apartment block in the eastern Romanian city of Galati near the Ukrainian border early on Friday. The…

While the country watched the Texas runoff, Barbara and Susan tracked the real story: Iran isn't an Israel war — it's the City of London's last stand. The Abraham Accords are the eviction notice. And the Fed is the same war's home front. By Adam Sturman · Yesterday Trump went 118-for-118 — every single primary he endorsed in 2026. Paxton crushed Cornyn in Texas. And then, two minutes into the show, Barbara told you to ignore all of it. ·…

Vladimir Zelenksy’s decision to name a commando unit after Ukrainian Nazi collaborators is evidence that his country is “not ready to become part of the European family,” Polish President Karol Nawrocki has said. Under a decree signed on Tuesday, Zelensky granted the title ‘Heroes of the UPA’ – the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the armed wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) – to the Special Operations Center North, saying the…

Dr Nicolai Petro, Senior Washington Fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy and Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island, believes the Ukraine conflict has entered a phase where battlefield realities are increasingly shaping the political future of the war. By INR International Desk · Source: Interview with Dr Nicolai Petro on World Affairs In Context hosted by Lena Petrova. · Appearing on World Affairs In Context,…

Last year, in an extensive piece on the Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the XXI Century, published by Russia in Global Affairs, I argued that external interference in the affairs of Eurasian countries has consistently prevented their successful and independent development. I traced this pattern from the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)…

Vladimir Putin blasts mainstream media for ignoring the Starobelsk college massacre coming as the same outlets hail Ukraine’s long-range missile bombardments on Russia instead. · Western powers are using a drone incident in Romania to shift attention away from Kiev's deadly strikes on the Donbass dorm. That's what RT hears exclusively from Moscow's envoy to Bucharest. · Iran slams the ongoing US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz accusing…

Mandatory military conscription of women in Estonia is only a matter of time due to an inevitable shortage of men in the future, the head of the country’s Defense Resources Agency (KRA) has said. NATO’s European members have pursued a major military buildup since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, citing what they describe as a Russian threat – dismissed by Moscow as baseless. Several states have reintroduced a mandatory…

As an inveterate leftie with an irrepressible intuitive sympathy for genuine, decent conservatives – that term excludes, obviously, gutless mainstream centrists – I am always looking for exemplars of this old and venerable political species. For one thing, they are much more fun to talk to than woked-out liberals, washed-out social-democrats, or hysterical warmongers of the German variety of (camouflage) Green. By Tarik Cyril Amar, a historian…

Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 Garaging 2 Floor Area 150.11 m2 Porches 0.9 m2 Total Area 151.01 m2 Description · A Turnkey Fixed-price home & land package offering 4 bedrooms and a rare double garage near the motorway! Stylish standalone home with designer kitchen, open-plan living, walk-in robe & ensuite. In a growing area near new Ngākōroa School (Y1–8), future train station & great access. Includes heat pump and stone benchtop. Act fast! · …

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 Garaging 2 Floor Area 170.4 m2 Porches 3.4 m2 Total Area 173.8 m2 Description · Don’t miss the opportunity to secure your dream home in the fast-growing Drury area. Located within the exciting new Feldspar Crossing development, this community is set to benefit from significant investment and major new infrastructure. Ideal for first-home buyers, families, or investors, this home is part of a vibrant master-planned…

Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 Garaging 1 Floor Area 160 m2 Description · Brand-New Spacious Double-Story Corner 4-Bed Family Home | Hunua Views · Step into this modern 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom double-story home with a single internal-access garage – designed for easy, low-maintenance family living. · Enjoy open-plan living, quality finishes, and landscaped outdoor spaces in a family-focused neighborhood with parks, walkways, and playgrounds. · -…

Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 Garaging 1 Floor Area 128 m2 Total Area 128 m2 Description · Brand-new 4-bedroom home in the fast-growing Hunua Views community. This modern single-level design offers open-plan living, stone benchtop, heat pump and internal access garage, with no rear neighbour backing onto a reserve for added privacy. Close to schools, parks, walkways and future Drury Town Centre. Easy motorway access and strong growth ahead.…