Got a good quiz question? Send your questions to quiz@stuff.co.nzAnd if you’re looking for other quiz challenges, you can find the rest of our quizzes here!

Why are so many of the best places in the country to swim, especially in urban areas, so polluted? And how do we solve the problem? Shanti Mathias investigates. T here’s a place Marnie Prickett returns to often, in her head if not her body. The river is cool and glassy, ...

This week was another productive one for the Prime Minister- The Reserve Bank's dual mandate, the clean car discount scheme and fair pay agreements have all been scrapped. It follows a busy year in the world of politics, with three Prime Ministers and several policy bonfires to keep track of. NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan says this has been the busiest year in politics since 1990. "Not only did we have Labour's sweep of changes and repeals- Labour changed Three Waters - National's coming in and changing them again. It's been a year of more changes than others."

The 19th edition of the Super Smash starts on 19 December 2023 and will run until 28 January 2024. Stags failed to qualify for the knockout stage in the 2022/23 Super Smash. Dane Cleaver will lead the side this season with internationally capped players including Tom Bruce, Will Young, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner, Seth Rance, and Doug Bracewell. The bowling unit, led by Ajaz Patel, seems well-rounded with the combination of Jayden Lennox, Blair Tickner, and Seth Rance. As they enter the 19th edition, the Central Stags, with a rich history and a blend of seasoned players, are determined to vie for their fourth title in the Super Smash.

The 19th edition of the Super Smash is set to get underway on December 19, 2023, and run till January 28, 2024. The Canterbury Kings enter this season as strong contenders, having clinched the title in the inaugural 2005-06 Super Smash season. Heading into the upcoming season, McConchie continues to lead the team. Unfortunately, Matt Henry, who was recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the World Cup, is expected to miss some games for the Canterbury Kings. With a blend of experienced players and promising talent, the Canterbury Kings are poised to make a strong statement in the Super Smash.

Labour sprayed money around but achieved little. As Finance Minister in 2017, I clearly recall being advised that rail-enabled ferries would be a big, expensive mistake in this day and age. With most freight now in containers, getting it from shore to ship and ship to shore is simple and easy. One thing that united the new coalition partners was a nostalgic love for all things heavy rail. They swiftly sent the message to KiwiRail that they wanted rail-enabled ferries, and would pay for them.

Konei has recently opened a flagship shop in Manukau, selling Māori and Pacifica made beauty products, jewellery and gift friendly items like Kāri. They design and create contemporary Māori jewellery, art, and homewares, all of which are beautiful, and none expensive. Iti, based in Rotorua, has a stronger focus on traditional Māori crafts and design, with taonga carved from bone, and harakeke products. If you know someone who loves colourful and intricate patterns, then these gorgeous A3 prints of works by Karere Brown, a Māori artist of Ngāti Porou and Rongowhakaata descent might be a perfect gift. The just launched Z the Great is a Māori owned clothing business for tamariki up to 6 years old.

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The Coalition Government has finished its first proper week in charge of Parliament and has wasted no time pulling apart the legislative legacy of the previous Labour government. These were three signature policies from the 2020 Labour government and the 2017 Labour-led coalition government, and there’s still more to come. Happy losersYou might think the Labour Party, watching all this unfold from the opposition benches, would be distraught. One interpretation may be that the party feels like the Coalition Government is moving too fast and will be overwhelmed by public backlash. Finally, there is the Act Party.

Why are so many of the best places in the country to swim, especially in urban areas, so polluted? And how do we solve the problem? Shanti Mathias investigates. T here’s a place Marnie Prickett returns to often, in her head if not her body. The river is cool and glassy, ...

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Got a good quiz question? Send your questions to quiz@stuff.co.nzAnd if you’re looking for other quiz challenges, you can find the rest of our quizzes here!

The residential real estate industry could be coming back from holiday to a buyer's market in the New Year. On top of that, agents are reporting that there are high numbers of potential vendors ready to put their houses on the market when the market opens up again in the New Year. On the price front, the price gap between average asking prices and median selling prices almost doubled in the second half of this year, rising from $68,000 in July to $131,000 in November. We send it out 3-5 times a week with all of our property-related news, including auction results, interest rate movements and market commentary and analysis. To start receiving them, register here (it's free) and when approved you can select any of our free email newsletters.

Here's our summary of key economic events overnight that affect New Zealand, with news global interest rates are on the move. And American benchmark mortgage interest rates have fallen below 7% for the first time since August. But the Swiss National Bank held its rates unchanged, as did the Bank of England which also conveyed a tough line against price pressures. Although the Aussie jobless rate rose to 3.9% in November, the number of new jobs rose more than expected and most of them were full-time positions. Global container shipping freight rates rose another +4% last week as the world adjusts to the two big canal pressures, mainly on routes out of China.

An ex-cop has been revealed as the contractor who was caught on CCTV not putting insulation into the walls of a Dunedin home. Video / SuppliedA Dunedin man is shocked after a former senior police officer charged him $4700 to insulate his walls, but left half of them empty. Bracegirdle was contracted to retrofit wall insulation, which involves drilling a hole and pumping the product into the cavity, into all walls of the home. CCTV footage supplied by the homeowner shows Bracegirdle drilling into a wall, then filling the holes with putty without installing insulation material. After more insulation was injected during the visits, the homeowner accepted the walls were as good as they could be.