Articles by Azaria Howell
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National
Previously-unseen documents show Chateau Tongariro needs millions in urgent repairs, plus quake work
Thursday, 19 March 2026, 8:57pmChateau Tongariro is in a “poor state of repair” and it will take millions of dollars to bring it up to standard, according...
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National
Tom Phillips inquiry lead being paid a ‘daily fee’ of $1680, documents say including Family Court ‘unwieldy’
Monday, 16 March 2026, 9:14pmThe retired High Court judge who is running the inquiry into the disappearance of Tom Phillips’ children is receiving up...
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National
Royal ranks and weed strains: 2025's most rejected baby names revealed
Monday, 9 March 2026, 9:11pmThe devil, royal titles, and strains of cannabis all feature on the Department of Internal Affairs’ list of declined baby...
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Politics
Taxpayers’ Union slams nearly $1m Ministry of Education Te Tiriti course as ‘unjustifiable’ cost
Thursday, 26 February 2026, 8:56pmThe Ministry of Education is defending an estimated almost million-dollar spend on a Te Tiriti o Waitangi course over three...
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National
'Intolerable risk to life': Crown Manager kept on to oversee $70m Wairoa flood works with two feuding Councils
Wednesday, 25 February 2026, 8:59pmThe Government has intervened after a warning Wairoa residents would be exposed to an “intolerable risk to life” from severe...
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National
Pike River mine disaster: Govt agency targets memorial anniversary completion after talks with families
Monday, 23 February 2026, 9:16pmA memorial for the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine disaster is planned to be finished later this year. The Department...
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Politics
Revealed: Under-fire Andrew Coster’s resignation letter as Social Invesment Agency boss
Thursday, 29 January 2026, 9:00pmFormer top cop Andrew Coster wrote he was “sorry” he wouldn’t be continuing his “journey” at the Social Investment Agency,...
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National
Broadcasting Standards Authority calls for law change to deal with ‘rapidly evolving’ media, expects declining levy revenue
Tuesday, 27 January 2026, 8:02pmA Parliament report on the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) states the agency believes “the boundaries of its jurisdiction...
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Business
Asset sales?: Pāmu Landcorp boss says there are 'conversations' around its future
Sunday, 21 December 2025, 1:26pmPāmu Landcorp chief executive Mark Leslie is admitting conversations around the future of State-Owned Enterprises are “front...
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National
Road cone hotline: Less than 10% of sites visited by authorities have too many road cones
Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 8:53pmOnly 7.5% of sites visited by Road Controlling Authorities, as a result of the Government’s road cone hotline, have been...
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Politics
Potential for $131 million of asset sales with Te Pūkenga de-merger, concerns raised over ‘Going for Growth’ impacts
Wednesday, 15 October 2025, 9:13pmDe-merging Te Pūkenga may negatively affect the Government’s bid to boost economic growth, with asset sales on the cards,...
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Politics
Revealed: How much will the Govt save with the KiwiSaver changes?
Monday, 13 October 2025, 9:07pmChanges to the KiwiSaver scheme are expected to save the Crown a total of $2.467 billion over a four-year period. Major changes...
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Politics
Ministry for Regulation probed ‘needlessly restrictive regulations’ on playgrounds
Sunday, 5 October 2025, 4:13pmThe Ministry for Regulation investigated playground equipment standards, including if regulations were “needlessly restrictive”...
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Politics
PM says Act MP's 'terro dress up' comments on Palestine rally 'unhelpful'
Tuesday, 16 September 2025, 12:10pmThe Prime Minister is weighing in on an Act MP’s suggestion that pro-Palestine protesters play “terro dress up”, following...
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Politics
Shorter voting enrolment deadline: Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has ‘every confidence’ Kiwis can adapt
Monday, 15 September 2025, 9:10pmMinister of Justice Paul Goldsmith is standing by proposals to narrow the voter enrolment deadline, following confirmation...
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Politics
Act stands by MP who said pro-Palestine rally 'playing terro dress-up', Greens say Govt should 'show a spine'
Monday, 15 September 2025, 12:38pmAct leader David Seymour is backing his MP Simon Court over comments that pro-Palestine protestors were “playing terro [sic]...
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National
Union calls out Health NZ for hosting private healthcare job ads on main website
Thursday, 4 September 2025, 5:03pmHealth New Zealand is allowing private employers to post their job advertisements on the agency’s main careers website. Previously,...
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Politics
Revealed: What Ministry staff were told about proposed triple-merger of Ministry for the Environment, Transport, and Housing and Urban Development
Tuesday, 2 September 2025, 8:38pmThe Public Service Commissioner is reiterating all options are on the table when it comes to finding efficiencies in the...
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Politics
Teaching basics brilliantly? Numerous errors found in new Ministry-funded maths resources
Thursday, 7 August 2025, 7:19amEighteen errors have been spotted and fixed in new maths resources funded by the Ministry of Education. Issues include incorrect...
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National
'English-first': Changes confirmed for NZ passport will place English before te reo Māori
Thursday, 24 July 2025, 8:56pmThe Minister for Internal Affairs has confirmed the New Zealand passport is in the process of being changed to have English...
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National
Quran, Bible, Torah among books set to be destroyed by National Library
Wednesday, 16 July 2025, 8:48pmNotable religious and holy texts including the Quran, the Bible and the Torah are proposed to be shredded by the National...
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Politics
Revealed: The Govt departments that pushed back on minister's diversity requirements cull
Sunday, 6 July 2025, 4:21pmPublic Service Minister Judith Collins is expected to report to Cabinet this month to update ministers on her quest to scrap...
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National
A look at the Term 3 school lunches with 73% positive feedback
Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 11:32amChildren under the Government’s cut-price healthy school lunches programme are set to get some new meals, when Term 3 of...
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National
New Zealand Defence Force warned of reputational damage in savings drive
Tuesday, 1 July 2025, 8:57pmUnions are warning of reputational damage to the New Zealand Defence Force and the country as a whole, in the agency’s cost...
