New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday evening as he tries to bring the message that New Zealand is “open for business” during his five-day China trip. Hipkins said they covered various topics during their approximately 30-minute meeting, including economic, social, and cultural connections. The prime minister…

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has denied accusations that her government has been soft on crime, saying that increased funding for the police had seen an increase in prosecutions. It comes after a 34-year-old worker, Janak Patel, of a local dairy store, otherwise known as a convenience store, was stabbed in an aggravated robbery…

New Zealand National Party Leader Christopher Luxon said COVID-19 was no longer a sufficient reason to explain the country’s truancy crisis. The comments come after the Ministry of Education released its latest attendance indicator report, which found that only 40 percent of students regularly attended school during term two (pdf). This is a fall of…

New Zealand government has shelved its proposal to impose the goods and services tax (GST) on KiwiSaver, New Zealand’s pension fund, less than 24 hours after it was put forward, following strong backlash from the public, the opposition party, and the fund sector. Introduced to parliament on Tuesday evening, the tax was intended to “even…

The New Zealand government has unveiled new powers and tools for police to use in the fight against gang violence and intimidation, which has escalated to a point where some have compared the situation to South Africa. Police Minister Chris Hipkins said the recent brazen gang activities were “totally unacceptable,” and New Zealand residents deserved…

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said arming business owners is not the answer to the recent spate of crimes the small island nation is currently experiencing, including ram raids by youth offenders, gang violence and shootings, and stabbings. Dairy and Business Association Chair Sunny Kaushal said the government needed to acknowledge how serious the…

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said arming business owners is not the answer to the recent spate of crimes the small island nation is currently experiencing, including ram raids by youth offenders, gang violence and shootings, and stabbings. Dairy and Business Association Chair Sunny Kaushal said the government needed to acknowledge how serious the…