Suzanne Morunga told the court on Wednesday that her son appeared “out of it”. On Sunday, September 8, the pair travelled back to the Pouto Rd address in Pouto Peninsula while Suzanne Morunga went to South Auckland to assist whānau. Suzanne Morunga said she was always in contact with “Jazzy girl” and was tearful describing their relationship. Suzanne Morunga said she was not in a condition to drive after being at the tangi and desperately needed sleep. Under cross‑examination, defence lawyer Arthur Fairley asked Suzanne Morunga whether she knew of her son’s allegations about his children.

John Lomu, the brother of late All Blacks great Jonah Lomu, has admitted aiding a drug-smuggling operation. “The parcels Mr Lomu provided Mr Vaivai, which had recently arrived from overseas, contained controlled drugs as well as sundry other items,” the summary of facts states. “Mr Vaivai would remove the drugs and return them to Mr Lomu for replacement in the Customs facility.”John Lomu, younger brother of Jonah Lomu. John Lomu used his job at the FedEx base in East Tāmaki, Auckland, to help smuggle illegal drugs into New Zealand. “A review of Mr Lomu’s phone revealed four screenshots of WhatsApp messages from Mr Vaivai, with advice on what to say in relation to suspicious money transactions,” court documents outline.

Photo: Gerard O'BrienA Kaitangata man who drowned his baby in a bathtub has been paroled after nearly 20 years behind bars. Kevin Joseph Charles Little, 46, appeared before the Parole Board last month. At last month’s hearing, Little continued to deny the murder. At trial, Little claimed he had slipped while taking the baby for a bath, been knocked unconscious and the baby had been inadvertently submerged. The board heard Little had good support from people who could offer positive approaches to challenges he faced.

“Some of those have a history of aggressive recruiting, dodgy practices, and pressuring, even sometimes harassment.”Alongside the warning, Fox outlined how students could distinguish recognised campus organisations from “one of the dodgy ones”. “That’s actually a very well-known recruitment strategy to come to campuses, especially to target new students,” Richter said. “There’s a specific vulnerability that is just there because you’re in a new environment.”Richter said moving cities, leaving home and starting university can leave students searching for connection and belonging. “They keep you busy.”She encouraged students who feel uneasy to trust their instincts and ask questions. “Everyone can be susceptible.”In 2017, the Herald revealed a secretive Korean “cult” had opened a branch in New Zealand, with University of Auckland students being targeted.

Photo / Tracy NealThe child was central to a case of alleged medical child abuse, in which the mother was accused. The Crown alleged the offending constituted “medical child abuse”, which was a diagnosis from a different doctor when the child was discharged from a North Island hospital in January 2021. Defence case built around ‘medically fragile child’The defence case was built around what was described as a “medically fragile child living with complicated medical devices” and the actions of a desperate mother trying to help her child. “When reflecting in hindsight on a parent’s conduct, when looking at medical child abuse, under- or over-reporting symptoms can be seen as suspicious?” Dyhrberg asked. “We are trained to always have consideration of medical child abuse.

PHOTO: RNZThe British government is now allowing dual nationals to have a lifelong digital stamp in their New Zealand passport instead of buying a new UK one. Thousands of people have already rushed to buy a British passport after being told an alternative certificate of entitlement - costing £589 ($NZ1329) - would last only as long as their current foreign passport. "At the moment certificates of entitlement are stickers (vignettes) placed in a passport. RNZ asked the British High Commission in Wellington if it had sent out a media release about any of the changes. Many British migrants had asked why the passport requirement was introduced, after the United Kingdom government said it was to make their borders more secure.

The Shotover wastewater treatment plant at Frankton. Photo: QLDCDisposing treated wastewater from Queenstown’s troubled Shotover treatment plant over a swathe of the Crown Terrace could cost up to $650 million, a council report says. It concluded that 288ha of land — about 400 rugby fields — would be required to absorb the estimated 2060 peak wet weather flow of 60,000cu m of treated wastewater a day. The land disposal option, which is the strong preference of iwi, was added to the four short-listed options presented to councillors at a December 5 workshop. The disposal field was taken offline when council management invoked emergency powers to begin discharging directly into the Shotover River last March.

Howard Temple in court in December at his sentencing for decades of sex abuse. Defence lawyer Michael Vesty sought a sentence of home detention, saying Temple was an elderly man “of diminishing physical and cognitive health”. “He was someone who was a leader in the community, a community with particular values and hierarchies,” he said. He would ask me if anyone had told me they loved me today,” one woman told the court. On August 12, 2025, it was announced Temple had resigned as Gloriavale’s leader, a position known as the Overseeing Shepherd.

After further comments, Jones referred to himself as “an earthy, humorous, but red-blooded tough New Zealand First politician”. But his leader, Peters, said Jones could have phrased his comments differently. These migrants come from a broad range of countries, including India.”Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said NZ First was “ramping up its racist rhetoric” as it “really, really wants the spotlight”. It also comes after claims Peters made racist remarks in Parliament yesterday, an accusation he has dismissed as “total humbug”. On Wednesday, Peters dismissed comments from the Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand about the FTA as “she’s not a trained lawyer”.

Afternoon Headlines | Prime Minister allays Harbour Bridge toll concerns, and police operation underway in Christchurch | Thursday, February 19, 2026Already a subscriber? Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Person dies after water incident at Dunedin’s St Clair BeachOne person has died after being pulled from the water at a popular Dunedin beach. Emergency services were called to St Clair Beach in South Dunedin shortly before midday. The person was unresponsive when pulled from the water.

A Masterton man says he ran through the house screaming in his underwear after winning a $5.08 million Lotto prize. Three people split the $15 million jackpot on Saturday night, and one of them, a West Coast winner, is yet to claim their prize. Lotto NZ head of corporate communications Will Hine urged West Coast players to check their tickets, for Saturday’s prize and a separate $500,000 Lotto First Division prize from November which was still unclaimed. “Next thing I know, I’m running through the house in my underwear yelling, ‘Oh my god, Dad! The other winner, from Wellington, bought his ticket as part of a regular weekend ritual on the Kāpiti Coast.

Labour MP Kieran McAnulty. Photo: RNZLabour MP Kieran McAnulty was ordered to leave the House during a tense session that included many challenges on the Speaker's rulings. While Brownlee said he undertook his review to Peters' question, he did not refer to Peters directly in his ruling. Shadow Leader of the House McAnulty said at the very least, Peters should have been made to withdraw and apologise. Labour MP Willie Jackson said he took "personal offence" to Peters' comments, to which Brownlee asked why he did not raise that at the time.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop announces sweeping changes to Auckland housing rules. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told the Herald the shift means intensification in the suburbs “should go away”. As a result of the Government’s changes, the Auckland Council will now be asked to review the city’s housing plan and remove suburbs or areas where it does not want blanket intensification to occur. Mayor Wayne Brown (left) and Housing Minister Chris Bishop are on the same page when it comes to intensification in Auckland. Bishop said the intention was to include any additional housing in central Auckland within the lowered 1.6 million-dwelling capacity number.

RCL Homestead Bay Limited lodged the application in June 2025 to construct 2800 residential homes and a commercial retail precinct. ODT GRAPHICA development of thousands of homes in Homestead Bay near Queenstown has been given the green light. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has welcomed the fast-track approval of the application by RCL Homestead Bay Ltd. RCL Homestead Bay Limited lodged the application in June 2025 to construct 2800 residential homes and a commercial retail precinct, which has now been approved by an independent panel. The development had been criticised by some submitters who raised issues around landscape, wastewater and roading.

File photoThe multibillion-dollar sale of dairy co-operative Fonterra's consumer brands business is one step closer, as shareholders overwhelmingly approve another regulatory hurdle to the international deal. More than 98 percent of the co-op's 8000 shareholders voted in favour of the capital return scheme resulting from the divestment of Mainland Group, at a special meeting this morning. Shareholders would receive $3.2 billion once the sale was complete in one lump sum, while up to $1 billion would go back into the co-op. "Your co-op has been working to deliver the proposed capital return as quickly as possible," he said. "We are targeting a tax-free capital return of $2 per share to shareholders and unit holders, equivalent to around $3.2 billion, once the sale is complete."