TOPIC

/ location

New Zealand

The latest news, analysis and opinion on New Zealand. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Wellington

Head of State

King Charles III

Head of Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon

A departure gate at Western Sydney International Airport. Photo: Reuters

Australia

Inside Australia’s first major new airport in more than 50 years

Western Sydney Airport in Badgerys Creek will operate 24 hours a day, unlike its current counterpart, which is subject to noise regulations.

10 Jun 2026 - 11:45AM

Weather

Storm cuts off New Zealand’s capital as flights and ferries cancelled

9 Jun 2026 - 10:22AM

Environment

New Zealand’s Wellington hit by ‘disgusting’ deluge of faeces after storm

5 Jun 2026 - 11:29AM

Taiwan

Beijing slaps travel ban on New Zealand MPs for ‘crossing red line’ over Taiwan

New Zealand and Australia to lodge formal protests after the four lawmakers were sanctioned for ‘sending the wrong signals’.

4 Jun 2026 - 8:01PMvideocam

New Zealand MPs (from left to right) Laura McClure, Maureen Pugh, Duncan Webb and David Wilson posing for a group photo at the airport in Taoyuan. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

The FBI, MI5 and other agencies say Chinese spies are using such sites to recruit people with access to classified information.

4 Jun 2026 - 7:56AMvideocam

Defence

Is New Zealand a ‘freeloader’? Wellington rebuffs Hegseth’s Shangri-La remark

Analysts say the US defence secretary’s taunts ring hollow given Washington’s own record of undermining alliance obligations.

3 Jun 2026 - 4:44PM

China trade

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:30PM

Farmers look at cattle at a weekly livestock sale in New South Wales, Australia. China is a major export market for Australian beef producers. Photo: AFP

Singapore

Shangri-La Dialogue: can Asia do ‘less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs’?

In response to Hegseth’s call, participants at the Singapore forum say defence spending levels have to factor in different countries’ needs.

31 May 2026 - 11:46PMvideocam

Technology

Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars

Space is not an ordinary, commercial, open market but a strategic domain tied directly to sovereignty, security and industrial policy.

31 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

United States

New Zealand tells US it lacks billions ‘under the couch’ to boost defence

Finance Minister Willis takes a jab at Hegseth, says his demands ‘would be extremely challenging’ for New Zealand.

31 May 2026 - 9:21AM

Troops from New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia and the US pose with their national flags after taking part in the Balikatan drills in the Philippines last month. Photo: Reuters

Singapore

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

1 Jun 2026 - 9:40AM

Singapore

US senator warns of Indo-Pacific risks as Hegseth stresses ‘quiet’ tactics

Hegseth told the Shangri-La Dialogue that the US remained committed to the region as Duckworth criticised his policy and burden-sharing demands.

31 May 2026 - 5:45PMvideocam

US-Asean relations

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

30 May 2026 - 7:30AM

Hong Kong courts

Legal Tales | The evolution of Hong Kong’s independent common law

A recent Court of Final Appeal ruling confirms that the city’s common law is its very own.

28 May 2026 - 9:32AM

The statue of Lady Justice on the roof of the Court of Final Appeal building in Central. Photo: Jelly Tse

South China Sea

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

27 May 2026 - 10:08PMvideocam

A Chinese think tank says a shift in US transits through Taiwan Strait is consistent with broader trends in China-US military interactions since their 2023 leadership summit. Photo:AP

Mergers & Acquisitions

Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4b

The acquisition is one of the investment company’s largest in recent years and follows its Mandarin Oriental buyout in January.

25 May 2026 - 7:59PM

Animals

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

25 May 2026 - 11:48AM

Drones

‘We depend on sea’: NZ to invest in drones, ships for maritime security

The oceans are not a barrier to danger, but a vital national interest that must be actively secured, said Defence Minister Chris Penk.

23 May 2026 - 8:14PM

Tauranga cityscape and beaches viewed from Mount Maunganui in, Tauranga, New Zealand. File photo: via Getty Images

South China Sea

Why the largest-ever US-Philippine drill, and Japan’s role, makes China uneasy

The scale of this year’s Balikatan exercise has been described as part of a trend that will ‘exacerbate regional instability’.

23 May 2026 - 7:53PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Antony Starr, the New Zealand actor who plays Homelander in The Boys

The New Zealand actor was once linked to his co-star Erin Moriarty, and is now said to be dating Sofía Vergara’s cousin, Sandra Vergara.

21 May 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Letters | In medical incident probes, stats and facts are as vital as transparency

Readers discuss the nuanced difference between a medical blunder and a medical complication, AI and mental health, and the IMF’s advice to Hong Kong.

21 May 2026 - 11:30AM

Tuen Mun Hospital in Hong Kong. Photo: Jelly Tse

India

Trump’s H-1B visa squeeze paves way for Indian tech exodus

India’s tech workers helped build Silicon Valley. Now, rising H-1B barriers are sending the next generation elsewhere.

20 May 2026 - 6:00PM

An applicant looks through H-1B visa application documents. Last year, Washington raised the H-1B application fee to US$100,000. Photo: Bay Area News Group/TNS

Accidents and personal safety

New Zealand car crash: how Hongkongers can stay safe when driving abroad

Experts say motorists must be careful when adapting to driving on opposite side of vehicle with unfamiliar road conditions.

16 May 2026 - 11:15PM

Accidents and personal safety

2 Hong Kong tourists killed, 2 injured in New Zealand car crash

Chinese consulate activates emergency response, pledging full support to the victims and their families.

16 May 2026 - 9:56PM

Japan

Japan-South Korea ‘comfort women’ row stoked by statues abroad

The removal of wartime sex slave memorials in Germany and New Zealand has electrified certain LDP hardliners, risking a diplomatic rift.

14 May 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

A former South Korean “comfort woman” holds the hand of a statue symbolising Japan’s wartime sex slaves in Seoul in 2021. Photo: Reuters

China trade

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

13 May 2026 - 4:42PMvideocam

Chi Fulin, president of the China Institute for Reform and Development, speaks at an RCEP forum in Hainan on Saturday. Photo: Handout

Japan

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

9 May 2026 - 10:30AM

China economy

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

8 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

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New Zealand

Inside Australia’s first major new airport in more than 50 years

Western Sydney Airport in Badgerys Creek will operate 24 hours a day, unlike its current counterpart, which is subject to noise regulations.

Storm cuts off New Zealand’s capital as flights and ferries cancelled

New Zealand’s Wellington hit by ‘disgusting’ deluge of faeces after storm

Beijing slaps travel ban on New Zealand MPs for ‘crossing red line’ over Taiwan

New Zealand and Australia to lodge formal protests after the four lawmakers were sanctioned for ‘sending the wrong signals’.

US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

The FBI, MI5 and other agencies say Chinese spies are using such sites to recruit people with access to classified information.

Is New Zealand a ‘freeloader’? Wellington rebuffs Hegseth’s Shangri-La remark

Analysts say the US defence secretary’s taunts ring hollow given Washington’s own record of undermining alliance obligations.

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

Shangri-La Dialogue: can Asia do ‘less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs’?

In response to Hegseth’s call, participants at the Singapore forum say defence spending levels have to factor in different countries’ needs.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars

Space is not an ordinary, commercial, open market but a strategic domain tied directly to sovereignty, security and industrial policy.

New Zealand tells US it lacks billions ‘under the couch’ to boost defence

Finance Minister Willis takes a jab at Hegseth, says his demands ‘would be extremely challenging’ for New Zealand.

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

US senator warns of Indo-Pacific risks as Hegseth stresses ‘quiet’ tactics

Hegseth told the Shangri-La Dialogue that the US remained committed to the region as Duckworth criticised his policy and burden-sharing demands.

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

Legal Tales | The evolution of Hong Kong’s independent common law

A recent Court of Final Appeal ruling confirms that the city’s common law is its very own.

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4b

The acquisition is one of the investment company’s largest in recent years and follows its Mandarin Oriental buyout in January.

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

‘We depend on sea’: NZ to invest in drones, ships for maritime security

The oceans are not a barrier to danger, but a vital national interest that must be actively secured, said Defence Minister Chris Penk.

Why the largest-ever US-Philippine drill, and Japan’s role, makes China uneasy

The scale of this year’s Balikatan exercise has been described as part of a trend that will ‘exacerbate regional instability’.

Meet Antony Starr, the New Zealand actor who plays Homelander in The Boys

The New Zealand actor was once linked to his co-star Erin Moriarty, and is now said to be dating Sofía Vergara’s cousin, Sandra Vergara.

Letters | In medical incident probes, stats and facts are as vital as transparency

Readers discuss the nuanced difference between a medical blunder and a medical complication, AI and mental health, and the IMF’s advice to Hong Kong.

Trump’s H-1B visa squeeze paves way for Indian tech exodus

India’s tech workers helped build Silicon Valley. Now, rising H-1B barriers are sending the next generation elsewhere.

New Zealand car crash: how Hongkongers can stay safe when driving abroad

Experts say motorists must be careful when adapting to driving on opposite side of vehicle with unfamiliar road conditions.

2 Hong Kong tourists killed, 2 injured in New Zealand car crash

Chinese consulate activates emergency response, pledging full support to the victims and their families.

Japan-South Korea ‘comfort women’ row stoked by statues abroad

The removal of wartime sex slave memorials in Germany and New Zealand has electrified certain LDP hardliners, risking a diplomatic rift.

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars