3+ week, 4+ day ago (381+ words) Q+A host Jack Tame is TVNZ's new 6pm weekend newsreader. He and TVNZ have been in discussions about him assuming the role left vacant by Melissa Stokes, after her elevation to the weekday newsreading role. Stokes will take over from long-serving newsreader Simon Dallow in three weeks - Dallow's departure, first reported by Media Insider three weeks ago, was confirmed by TVNZ earlier this week. TVNZ presenters, from left, Jack Tame, Melissa Stokes, and Daniel Faitaua. Tame hosts TVNZ's Q+A on Sunday mornings and the state broadcaster is understood to be keen to use more of his talent - he is, arguably, the best TV interviewer in the country. And while newsreading requires a slightly different skillset, he is considered a polished presenter. Another leading contender who will likely continue to be a fill-in newsreader is Daniel Faitaua. Media Insider learned…...

3+ day, 9+ hour ago (460+ words) Newstalk ZB has finished the year as the country's leading commercial radio station, for the 17th year in a row, while The Breeze is New Zealand's top music station." Both NZME and MediaWorks will take heart from the performance of several of their stations in the latest GFK radio ratings, released today." NZME's Newstalk ZB - led by breakfast host Mike Hosking - retains its number one position, with a share of 14.8 - down 0.1 on the previous survey. MediaWorks' The Breeze retains second spot with a share of 9.5 (+0.2)." MediaWorks music stations (The Rock, More FM, Magic/Breeze Classic, Mai and The Sound) hold the next five positions, followed by NZME's Coast, The Hits and ZM rounding out the top 10." Coast - which has undergone a music review and overhaul in recent months - has had the biggest jump in national share, up 0.9 to a share of…...

1+ day, 4+ hour ago (109+ words) Football commentator Jacob Spoonley joined Jason Pine to review yesterday's Wellington Phoenix's game, and preview today's Auckland FC's match. Follow the podcast on Wellington Phoenix have secured a surprise win over Adelaide United, lifting them to 6th in the A-League. An early goal from Alex Rufer and a penalty from Ramy Najjarine helped the team secure a 2-1 victory over the South Australian side. And tonight Auckland FC take on the Newcastle Jets at the Go Media Stadium, where a win would take them to the top of the table. Football commentator Jacob Spoonley joined Jason Pine to review the Phoenix's game, and preview Auckland FC's match....

3+ week, 3+ day ago (510+ words) Australians are bracing for a volatile cyclone season driven by record-breaking ocean temperatures " but could that same threat be heading across the ditch to New Zealand? According to the Tropical Cyclone Outlook released last month, Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) said parts of New Zealand are at a normal and higher-than-normal risk of cyclones for the 2025-26 season. ESNZ is predicting five to nine cyclones could hit the Southwest Pacific region during the season, with nine traditionally being the long-term average. "Once over this threshold, the rate at which tropical cyclones can intensify generally increases with higher ocean temperatures," Domensino said. In some northern Australian regions, ocean temperatures have peaked at 31C, which is in the top 10% of historical records for this time of year. ESNZ's principal scientist Chris Brandolino says New Zealand typically experiences about one ex-tropical cyclone a year. ESNZ's…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (588+ words) One of the country's largest iwi is taking the Government to court over proposed changes to conservation law that it says violate the iwi's Treaty settlement with the Crown." Whenua " land " is a central part of all iwi settlements. Ng'i Tahu's area of interest covers most of the South Island, including two-thirds of the country's conservation estate. This estate includes a wide range of culturally significant sites, species and landmarks that are significant to many New Zealanders, such as Aoraki/Mt Cook." Conservation provisions were a core part of the iwi's 1998 settlement, including guarantees the iwi would be able to participate in environmental area management plans and assurances its conservation estate would be protected." Ng'i Tahu leader Justin Tipa said the proposed changes to the Conservation Act undermined these assurances. The proposals include making more than 60% of public conservation land…...

3+ week, 6+ day ago (602+ words) How is it possible that the Dame Noeline Taurua crisis has actually got worse today?How is it possible that she's got her job back today and this thing has still got worse? I'm getting the impression that Netball New Zealand do not realize how bad this is today. If they don't realize the enormous damage that Dame Noeline has done to them by going on at least three radio interviews and one TV interview and saying repeatedly the same thing - that she does not know how she was stood down, that there was no investigation to clear her before she was brought back - if they don't realize how enormous this is, I can't explain it to them. They're not responding today to Dame Noels' comments and they're not saying if she's right or wrong. All we know is that…...

4+ day, 2+ hour ago (548+ words) The two New Zealand women accused of importing 36kg of methamphetamine, estimated to be worth $37.7 million, into Australia can now be named as Karina Here McGaw and Emily Jade Grindlay. The women, both 22, had their baggage searched after arriving at Melbourne Airport from Malaysia on Monday. Australian Border Force officers allegedly found a white crystalline substance in each of the women's suitcases, totalling about 36kg, which later tested positive for methamphetamine. The case was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), who arrested the women at the airport. Both have been charged with the importation and possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Police estimate the value of the meth is more than A$33 million (NZ$37.7m) and could have been distributed in 360,000 street deals. McGaw and Grindlay appeared in the Melbourne Magistrate's…...

3+ week, 6+ day ago (647+ words) South Islanders will soon have another international destination to fly direct to, with Air New Zealand introducing non-stop flights between Christchurch and Rarotonga next year. House of Travel's chief operating officer Dave Fordyce told the Herald introducing the service is a "smart move by Air New Zealand and one we expect to be very well received. The new seasonal route will begin operations from May 26 " ahead of the July school holidays " and run until October 24, 2026, adding more than 18,000 stopover-free seats from Te Waipounamu to the tropics over winter. Up to three return services will run each week, all departing Christchurch at 3.40pm before returning from Rarotonga that evening. Nikhil Ravishankar, Air NZ's new chief executive, said the announcement is a show of confidence in Christchurch and growing the airline's southern links. "We've seen strong appetite for travel to Rarotonga from our…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (107+ words) Auckland businesses are gearing up for a busy Wednesday next week - as hotel occupancy reaches 100%." Forty thousand are expected from Metallica fans alone, with the rock band set to perform at Eden Park." Meanwhile, nearly 3,800 international delegates are gathering at Aotea Centre for New Zealand's largest ever academic conference, celebrating Indigenous education over five days." Auckland Unlimited Destination Director Annie Dundas told Mike Hosking the city will probably average 80-85% occupancy over the summer." She says these nice big event spikes lift them up for certain parts of the year, giving the accommodation and hospitality sectors a boost. "...

3+ week, 1+ day ago (120+ words) US country singer Jelly Roll says it broke his heart to have to cancel his Auckland show last night due to illness. Follow the podcast on US country singer Jelly Roll says it broke his heart to have to cancel his Auckland show last night due to illness. Some concert-goers - who had travelled from all over New Zealand - were already lining up at Western Springs when the news broke, just hours before it was set to start. Jelly Roll said he's probably missed three shows in the last decade and prides himself on showing up, but he just couldn't do it this time. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall recommended some alternatives for out-of-towners looking for entertainment....