Publication

You, Me & Tuscany

You, Me & Tuscany (PG, 105 mins) Directed by Kat Coiro Reviewed by Graeme Tuckett Agood friend bailed me up at our regular caffeine hang-out last week and told me I’ve been writing too many four-star reviews. And, the truth is, I’ve been thinking the...

Plans for motorways scaled back

Some projects in the Government’s major motorway programme are being scaled back to ensure they can be delivered in “a cost-effective way”, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. The roads of national significance (RoNS) programme originated under the...

Virginia Fallon

I’ve recently been spending a good part of my working days eavesdropping. It’s not the sort of eavesdropping that my mum tends to think I do at work: pressed against the window with a notebook and sense of civic duty, or intruding, ears flapping, on...

New $2.21 Temu tax

It now costs more to import low-value goods, and one retail expert says this is likely to slow down the flow of cheap goods flooding the market from the likes of Temu and Shein. All imported and exported low-value goods worth less than $1000 coming...

Cheers to that

Hospitality operators are welcoming the news that alcohol can now be served as normal over Easter weekend, with one saying his sales had doubled. The Government passed a member’s bill on Thursday, allowing venues to sell alcohol as usual over Easter,...

Good vibes and good beans . . .

Good Fortune Coffee sits inside an old villa on Fitzherbert St – the last remnant of a once-residential East Petone long since swallowed by industry. Inside, a plastic Jesus figurine watches over coffee beans roasting below, while customers sip flat...

'An open wound'

This week’s quashing of David Tamihere’s convictions for murdering two Swedish tourists in 1989 has brought one of New Zealand’s most troubling cases back into the spotlight. But for some, as Mike White reports, the case’s tragic impacts never...

On a screen near you

Acombination of cooler days, longer nights, Easter and school holidays means movie-watching is likely to be high on your agenda this April. Fortunately, there’s a wide selection of new titles heading our way to both Kiwi cinema screens and streaming...

'Slap in the face'

Fire and Emergency’s board members are today getting pay rises of up to 79% amid prolonged industrial action. A departmental briefing, obtained by The Post, recommended Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden approve large increases to board pay...

Ticketing overhaul: ‘Just get on with it’

A scathing report into the $1.3 billion project to allow bank cards and phones as payment on public transport has found the delayed launch dates are still “ambitious”, despite ongoing cost risks. The National Ticketing Solution (NTS) was first signed...

Super-duper CubaDupa dazzles

Cuba St turned into a technicoloured explosion of sound, scent and spectacle over the weekend, as thousands poured into the capital for the annual CubaDupa festival. Once again, CubaDupa cemented its place as one of Wellington’s most vibrant weekends.

How to talk kids about porn

All it takes is one click to confirm you’re over 18. Then you’re in. Within seconds, explicit videos appear on the Pornhub homepage – a woman with a man standing on her neck, teens being gagged, women being slapped and porn stars having gang...

Water entity red alert

It is yet to fix its first leak, but Wellington’s incoming water agency is already poised to open in the red – and may need a ratepayer cash injection as councils load $1.7 billion of debt on to the new entity. Former Wellington City councillor Tim...

Changed man

It was code-hopping All Black Sonny Bill Williams who helped Tana Umaga realise he had to make some important personal changes to become a more effective rugby coach. That frank admission came during a reflective discussion with media at Moana...

Wellington's water shake-up

Long-haul flights at risk

Foreign airlines are warning they may slash long-haul flights to New Zealand if jet-fuel supplies tighten, with industry leaders seeking urgent assurances from the Government. Board of Airline Representatives chief executive Cath O’Brien says carriers...

The Shanghai revelation

Why had I waited so long? I’d written off an entire country after two weeks of chaos 15 years ago. My ATM card died in Beijing. I spent an entire day in a bank, miming my way through failed transactions. I was constantly lost, and the smog never...

Mine of information

Mine of information Division deepens over goldmine plans INSIGHT

Fuel on the fire

As a run on petrol causes some stations to run dry, the Government is planning for the worst with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon bluntly stating yesterday “things could get worse before they actually get better”. While the Government reassured Kiwis...

Trendsetters

WELLINGTON ‘Break-ups are very difficult’

An emotional Chris Hipkins says he will not publicly litigate a series of unsubstantiated personal claims his ex-wife has made about their relationship – including claims of an affair. The Labour Party leader confirmed yesterday that he had sought...

Oscars 2026

New Zealander Kate Hawley has won the Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, while Wellington-headquartered digital visual effects and computer animation company Wētā FX has won the Oscar for Best Visual...

Drug trial in spotlight again

One early morning in May 2024, Danielle Hofmeister sat at the kitchen table trying to paint her young twins’ faces for school “spirit week”. It should have been simple – a few quick brush strokes before the rush of backpacks, lunchboxes and the walk...

Digital delusion

How a fuelrationed NZ might look

Finance Minister Nicola says the Government is working out what New Zealand would look like under fuel rationing for the first time in decades. Willis cautioned that New Zealand is many weeks from potentially needing such measures with about 50 days...

Putting off life’s prickly problems

Last night – or more accurately at some ungodly hour of this morning – a hedgehog wandered into my bedroom. I discovered this because even on carpet hedgehogs are surprisingly noisy. There was snuffling, scrabbling and a sound like someone repeatedly...

‘Considered and appropriate’

The Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic was effective but imperfect, a Royal Commission has found. The second leg of the powerful inquiry – secured in the coalition agreements – interrogated key decisions about vaccine safety and mandates,...

Low-key opening

Wellington mayor Andrew Little has put the kibosh on an extravagant $405,000 knees up to celebrate the opening of the city’s new library. The library – Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui – has been closed for strengthening since 2019 when engineers raised...

Drizzle no match for crowds

A steady drizzle did little to deter tens of thousands of festival-goers from streaming into Newtown for the capital’s most popular street party yesterday. Umbrellas bobbed above the steady flow of people pouring into central Wellington for the 32nd...

PM: ‘Full support of my team’

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is digging in his heels in the face of a dire result from his own pollster. Luxon looked to douse quickly spreading speculation he was “considering his position” following the poll, which had his party at just 28.4%...

Council spending under knife

Wellington deputy mayor Ben McNulty has wielded his scalpel, and today invites Wellington to see his rates-cutting masterpiece – but dissent is already mounting, and there are fears of job cuts. In appointing McNulty as his deputy in October, newly...

Man for the job

Aday before Dave Rennie was announced as the new All Blacks coach, Tony Brown was doing his Springboks media duties in South Africa and fired off a warning to the locals. “Whoever gets the job, I can guarantee you the All Blacks will be very good this...

Castle in the clouds

Some homes are amazing, some memorable – but it’s a rare house that makes your jaw drop in astonishment. It’s even rarer for it to have a rateable value of $7.25 million. But 34 Lookout Rd in Roseneath, Wellington is a landmark glass castle on the...

‘Take shelter’ Kiwis told

At least 1750 Kiwis have found themselves in a conflict zone with no promise of rescue following a US-Israel military strike on Iran during the weekend that is likely to have far reaching implications, including in New Zealand. While embassies are...

Iranians rejoice, mourn MIDDLE EAST CRISIS

Iranian-New Zealanders have expressed their joy, relief, anger and fear following major air strikes against their homeland that have left the Middle East in turmoil. The United States and Israel launched the attack on Saturday, with strikes in the...

Sting shock

In any given town, on any given night, the chances are there’s a grog-vendor willing to sell booze to underage customers, data released under the Official Information Act shows. The multibillion-dollar alcohol industry is in theory heavily regulated,...

Sobering change for hospitality

Hospitality NZ is pleading again for a reduction in excise duty on beer, after official figures showed Kiwis’ alcohol consumption plunged last year. Stats NZ reported that the volume of alcoholic drinks sold and available for sale last year fell 8.3%,...

Transport changes Government proposes new rule for passing cyclists

Safety or compassion – a hard call

As the Government considers new move-on powers for rough sleepers, Wellington faces a difficult balance between safety, compassion and rising street-level pressures. Frances Chin talks to those on both sides of the street.

Bus lanes cash bonanza

People driving in bus lanes are now the Wellington City Council's leading infringement cash cow. The council issued $17.6 million in infringement notices in 2025, of which $5.8m was for unauthorised drivers in bus lanes, according to data released by...

Sewage rules spark alarm

New wastewater standards introduced late last year have alarmed engineers, watchdogs and councils, who warn that they could push plants like Wellington’s Moa Point towards cheaper, simpler treatment reminiscent of 1930s practices. The guidelines,...

What's the magic visitor number?

You can track the pain on Google Maps. At 8.47am, the red snarl-up snake from Lake Hayes into Queenstown extends for 3 kilometres, turning the 14km trip into a 38-minute traffic jam. That’s the commuter hustle – locals who can’t afford to live in the...

Swim spots could be off-limits next summer

Tiaki Wai’s board chairperson, just 90 working days away from inheriting Wellington’s Moa Point fiasco, is making no promises of south coast swimming next summer – and has a surprising claim about the sewagespewing plant. “Moa Point is an operating...

Nats stall, Peters rises

As the election year begins, Labour holds a steady lead while National is struggling to gain traction in government, according to the latest The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll with Infrastructure New Zealand. The ruling coalition could cling to power,...

Cut roads, fix the basics

The Infrastructure Commission, tasked with creating a multi-decade bipartisan infrastructure plan, has released a report pushing New Zealand to massively increase health and energy spending – while cutting back on land transport. The National...

Pop princess joins 50th party

‘So sorry about the mishap earlier. We’re still working out a few kinks.” “Oh, that’s all right. I love a kink.” It’s at that moment you know that not only are the multi-generationally entertaining Muppets back, but they’ve chosen the right guest for...

‘Gosh it’s so cold, isn’t it?

A strong southerly tore through the harbour and straight into the bones of Wellington yesterday morning as thousands descended on Oriental Parade to take part in the Southern Cross Round the Bays and Honda Half Marathon races. Now in its 48th year,...

Record rentals, but no respite for students

After three months of flat hunting with no luck and one week till their impending move-out date, Ellice Lawrie and her friends started putting together “homeless plans”. “We were working out friends we were going to crash with and getting a storage...

Warning sounded for government spending

New Zealand is facing a demographic “silver tsunami” of retirees as the working age population shrinks, health costs rise and towns across the country see population decline. The warning came at the New Zealand Economic Forum hosted by the University...

Water entity lawyers up after plant failure

Wellington Water has called in the lawyers – stopping the flow of information to the public while raw and smelly sewage continues to run freely. As the one-week anniversary of the Moa Point catastrophe passed yesterday, the under-fire water utility...

Water funding gap flagged INFRASTRUCTURE

A six-year-old report shows the Wellington City Council was warned as far back as 2020 about a water infrastructure funding shortfall running into the “hundreds of millions of dollars”. The issue of water infrastructure funding – and who knew what...

Finding “THE ONE” for your skin

Meet the suitors The Palmer’s body oil trio Each Palmer’s body oil brings its own unique personality, charm and skin-loving strengths: the key is finding ‘the one’ that feels right for you and your skin’s needs. • Cocoa Butter Body Oil – the...

South coast remains off-limits

Early water sampling around Wellington’s south coast has delivered mostly encouraging results, but public health officials are keeping beaches closed, saying the risk remains too high as screened but untreated wastewater continues to be discharged into...

A global visionary

When Sir Richard Taylor and wife Tania Rodger won one of their first big accolades, the pair got to travel to Auckland and, for the first time, stay in a hotel. The year was 1990, and the recognition was for best contribution to design for Peter...

Sewage alert

Wellington is facing a long, sunny Waitangi weekend with millions of litres of raw sewage flowing to the sea, closing south coast beaches and ruling out swimming for months. At its peak on Wednesday morning, 3300 litres of water and sewage...

Making her mark

Farmer's blank canvas now a garden oasis

Inquest spend questioned

Wellington City Council spent nearly $200,000 on lawyers and experts for a coroner’s inquest where a spotlight was shone on waterfront safety – only to backtrack on its pledge for significant fencing and lighting improvements. The inquest looked into...

Latest budget blowout LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Wellington City Council’s latest budget blowout has been revealed – a $56 million shortfall between what was budgeted and reality. The second phase of the council’s social housing upgrade programme (Hup2) had plenty of known numbers: A $446m...

Dozens of schools in need

As term one begins, 58 schools remain on a waiting list to receive desperately needed support from a charity to feed and adequately clothe their students. KidsCan already supports 949 schools and if, or when, they manage to get the current schools off...

Restoring trust

On a Hawke’s Bay Facebook page, parents trade school uniforms like others trade furniture – getting more urgent as term 1 looms like an impending moving date. It has nearly 9000 members and during back-to-school season there are continuous pleas for...

Waitangi visit taking shape

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will attend Waitangi next week, The Post understands. Luxon’s attendance or non-attendance at the traditional pōwhiri for politicians ahead of Waitangi Day has become a major topic of discussion in recent weeks, after...

Housing optimism, prices taking time

Nearly three quarters of Kiwis surveyed expect house prices to rise this year, as confidence lifts with New Zealand’s market slowly showing steady signs of recovery. Cotality NZ’s Decoding 2026 report looked at expectations from real estate agents, as...

WELLINGTON Hooray for Hnry

Wellington’s regional stadium will be known from this March as Hnry Stadium, after the sole trader accountancy firm announced it had taken on the naming rights for a five-year term, from broadcaster Sky. The stadium and Hnry, a Wellingtonfounded and...

Cash for regions battered by storms

Cabinet will today be asked to sign off on immediate funds to help the regions damaged in last week’s wild weather to recover. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell will make the request at the Cabinet meeting that will be held ahead of...

Parliament back after storm

The traditional first big day of national politics was overshadowed last Friday as the prime minister skipped Rātana celebrations to visit areas smashed by extreme weather. It’s likely that the damage from this deadly weather event will continue to...

Marty Supreme

FILM REVIEW Marty Supreme (R13, 150 mins) Directed by Josh Safdie Reviewed by Graeme Tuckett ***** We are in New York’s Lower East Side, mostly. The year is 1952, and young Marty Mauser has just returned home from a table tennis tournament in London....

Desperate dig for survivors

Desperate families could only wait and hope as rescuers searched for people, including children, missing after torrential rain and devastating landslides in the upper North Island yesterday. In Tauranga, rescuers were digging in search of survivors...

Decision day

Timing is everything. Christopher Luxon seemed clear on this as he announced November 7 as the election date yesterday, telling media that “every day makes a difference” in the kind of economic recovery we are currently experiencing. In other words,...