Ask not for whom Libelle tolls; the toll is NZ’s hungry school kids. I've talked to David Seymour, liquidator David Webb, and my kids' school principal Shameen Hayat for this comment. Am I being too harsh about the school lunches? Let me know. Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/12/no-…

Independent brewers are alarmed at news that Aussie-owned Konvoy Kegs, which has a near monopoly on the NZ beer and cider logistics market, has been put into receivership. My article is at Newsroom Pro this morning. newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/13/keg…

Never mind the Gull Effect or the NPD Discount, Z Energy is set to makes its own budget fuel play (perhaps the beginning of the end for NZ’s century-old Caltex). I report the opening of 25 new unstaffed U-Go sites set to be 5c to 15c/L cheaper. Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/19/z-e…

Akld Mayor Wayne Brown wants to lease a pair of pandas from China, for the city's zoo. "I went to Chengdu and I saw pandas, and they reminded me of the people who work in the Ministry of Transport," he tells me. "They sit around doing nothing." Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/21/cou…

How many politicians does it take to change a lightbulb? Just the one; the lightbulb stays still and the opposition finance spokesperson spins … Out from the NowThis Newsroom paywall today, I discover that Labour's reason for opposing PPPs is simply unfounded. newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/19/how…

Akld doctor Sapna Samant is believed to be the first person in Australasia targeted for denaturalisation by India’s conservative Modi administration, I report, for criticising the government’s treatment of Sikhs, Muslims and other minorities. Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/24/kiw…

Liberation Day – or Obliteration Day? There are fears Trump's tariffs, to be announced in the Rose Garden on April 2 (ET), will wipe out many of the economic gains achieved by trade liberalisation in the past decades. Newsroom will report live in depth. newsroom.co.nz

NZ's sacked High Commissioner Phil Goff speaks out, unapologetic, about Trump's 'bullying' and 'deceitful' tariffs on NZ. ‘We have never been afraid to challenge aggressors or to ask questions of our allies,’ he says. @newsroomnz newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/04/phi…

NZ does charge a few high duties on the likes of tobacco. We do sell America more wine than we buy. But the easiest way to wipe out the US trade imbalance would be for Defence and Air NZ to buy more planes. I've crunched the numbers at Newsroom Pro ($). newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/07/tra…

The $2.6b NZ spent on buying American planes and parts last year was what’s saved our exporters from much higher Trump tariffs. Will we buy more? The US has been awaiting NZ's Defence Capability Plan with interest. Now out from the Newsroom paywall. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/07/how…

A top police crisis negotiator endorses Luxon’s decision to hold back from one-on-one negotiations with a volatile trigger-happy brinkman, pumped up on power and aspartame. My editorial at Newsroom. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/08/edi…

Ex-UN special representative David Shearer tells me tariffs row will take time. "People refer in peace negotiations to 'ripe moments' when parties, events coincide. It will inevitably come and NZ in the meantime needs to play the long game." Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/08/edi…

NZ households, businesses and the economy 'can't survive these power price rises', says outgoing Nova Energy boss. Govt should use school, hospital and prison electricity bills to finance new power plants. My Newsroom exclusive is out from the paywall. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/11/nov…

Ministers plan to reduce the role of local government – and they say that will mean restructuring the country’s councils. Ratepayers could vote on slashing the numbers of councils, say local leaders. My article is at Newsroom ($). newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/15/ama…

Shane Jones invited $70k campaign donor Texel Air to his regional summit on the Chatham Islands yesterday. The boss of locally-owned Air Chathams tells me he's dismayed at the ‘showboating’. But which airline had to give way on the tarmac? Newsroom newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/17/nz-…

Swindled suppliers question the failures at the country’s biggest utility that allowed Watercare engineer Shyamal Shah’s offending to continue for nearly a year. “I’d love to f***ing track Shyamal down and talk to him.” My investigation at Newsroom Pro. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/24/wat…

The judges are pleased to announce Mika Hervel as winner of the Rod Oram Memorial Essay Prize. At his wedding, Mika showed he doesn’t just argue for change – he lives for it. ‘Dad would be overjoyed,’ says Celeste Oram. The essay is live at Newsroom . newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/26/win…

UPDATE: Two Watercare suppliers speak out about $1m-plus fake invoicing scam operated out of the offices of NZ's biggest utility. 'You do put a lot of trust in their staff and their processes.' My investigation is now out from the Newsroom paywall. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/24/wat…

The Govt is expected today to grant a concession for a private owner to operate Whakapapa ski field. Ahead of that, paramount chief Sir Tumu te Heuheu has paused Tūwharetoa's agreement to ski infrastructure on Mt Ruapehu. That's exclusive at Newsroom. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/30/wha…

Auckland District Court has released a summary of facts showing Shyamal Shah used his position at Watercare to run no fewer than 40 fake invoices over 16 months, totalling $1.04m. Where were the checks and balances? I broke the story here at Newsroom. newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/24/wat…