HOUSING, FOREIGN BUYERS BAN
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Foreign buyers ban: Changes allowing investors to purchase houses passes, officials’ analysis revealed (paywalled)
Nikki Preston (One Roof): ‘When? What?’: NZ’s top agents surprised as foreign buyer ban quietly reversed
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Homelessness in Auckland more than doubles to 940 people in year to September - survey
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Rents taking 40 percent of average income
1News: NZ’s largest bank increases multiple home loan rates
Tom Hunt (Post): Wellington ‘high and complex’ housing crunch (paywalled)
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): A plea from house-price hell: don’t let the nimbys win
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Would you pay an extra $1m for the right postcode?
Tom Hunt (Post): Whatever housing ‘affordability’ is, Wellington and Auckland officially have it (paywalled)
BONDI SHOOTING
Julia Gabel (Herald): Prime Minister Christopher Luxon due to meet with Jewish community following Sydney terrorist attack
David Fisher (Herald): Bondi massacre: NZ ‘a small millimetre away’ from another mass-casualty event (paywalled)
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Bondi Beach shooting: What it means for New Zealand’s terror threat level
RNZ: Bondi attack ‘an act of antisemitism in all its ugliness and cruelty’ - Luxon
Amy Williams (RNZ): NZ’s Jewish community on edge after Bondi Beach attack
Amelia Wade (Post): ‘We are family’: Bondi attack felt across the Tasman as NZ Jewish community shaken (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Anti-Semitism has always been a sign of a sick society. It is again (paywalled)
Ben Kepes (Press/Post): Bondi terror attack: In the early morning, darkness calls again (paywalled)
Deborah Hart (Herald): ‘Never again’ is now and New Zealand cannot look away (paywalled)
ECONOMY , WILLIS V RICHARDSON, COST OF LIVING
Justin Hu (1News): Govt to open its books today – what to expect from Nicola Willis
Luke Malpass (Post): Treasury set to show just how tough this year has been on Government books
Dave Armstrong (Post): Not a fairy tale: How Wicked Queen Ruth met her match in Snow Willis (paywalled)
Rob Campbell (Newsroom): Economic management should be about economics, not marketing
Liam Dann (Herald): GDP preview: How strong is the economy? September quarter data due (paywalled)
David Hargreaves (Interest): Services sector pours another bucket of cold water on economic recovery hopes
RNZ: Services sector slump gives economic reality check
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Weak BusinessNZ survey dents confidence in the strength of the recovery (paywalled)
RNZ: Labour market shows signs of improvement
Mike Jones: More signs the NZ economy is turning – but risks remain
Maddy Croad (Press): Christchurch budgeting service forced to shut doors after almost 60 years
BANKS, RESERVE BANK, INTEREST RATES
Jason Walls (1News): Exclusive: RBNZ boss – mortgage rate hikes ‘risk dampening NZ economy’
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Reserve Bank Governor Dr Anna Breman finally talks market down, as ANZ the latest to hike mortgage rates
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Reserve Bank governor Anna Breman gives market a nudge in ‘unusual’ move (paywalled)
David Hargreaves (Interest): RBNZ Governor says market conditions have tightened ‘beyond’ what RBNZ intended
David Hargreaves (Interest): RBNZ coming under pressure to correct ‘miscommunication’ around last Official Cash Rate announcement
1News: NZ’s largest bank increases multiple home loan rates
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): NZ’s biggest bank lifts its home loan interest rates
Mandy Te (Interest): Consumer NZ calls for Govt to step in to ensure an independent bank switching service
RNZ: ASB agrees to $6.7 million penalty for anti-money laundering, countering financing terrorism rule breaches
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): RBNZ agrees to $6.73m ASB penalty for anti-money laundering breaches
Rob Stock (Post): ASB faces possible $6.73m penalty for money laundering ‘shortcomings’ (paywalled)
Herald: ASB faces $6.73m penalty for breaching money laundering and terrorism laws
Andy Macdonald (BusinessDesk): ASB cops $6.7m penalty over several law-linked ‘shortcomings’ (paywalled)
Andy Macdonald (BusinessDesk): Fintechs split on ‘hybrid model’ of open banking (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Who owns local government?
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Who Really pays for local politics?
Tom Hunt (Post): An Oscar winner and big bucks: Better Wellington lifts the lid on its funders (paywalled)
Ethan Manera (Herald): Ray Chung’s Better Wellington campaign group reveals big money donors (paywalled)
Grant Miller and Ruby Shaw (ODT): Simms outspends others, fronts team (paywalled)
Crux: Local Election expenses: Glyn Lewers and John Glover compared
Gwynn Compton (Local Aotearoa): Transparency win: Ombudsman says Greater Wellington’s closed workshop practices “unreasonable”
Sinead Gill (Press): Should the government pay full rates? Councillor wants to ask (paywalled)
Mike Yardley (Press): Monumental year of decision-making ahead for councillors (paywalled)
Sue Teodoro (Local Democracy Reporting): South Wairarapa grant funding to support economic development (paywalled)
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Executive assistant resigns over mayor’s ‘disregard for Treaty principles’
Liz McDonald (Press): Still no opening date for Ōtakaro Orchard (paywalled)
PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE, YEAR IN REVIEW
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): All I want for Christmas is a break from you – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s gift to coalition partners (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): The Prime Minister is angry on behalf of Kiwis everywhere
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): David Seymour promises to reignite Treaty principles debate in 2026
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): Judith Collins is pumped about Govt.nz, the new government services app. Is it any good?
Greg Bruce (Spinoff): No one had a bigger year than New Zealand’s road cones
Doug Laing (Hawkes Bay Today): Labour candidate for Napier electorate in next year’s general election named
Rob Stock (Post): FMA records nine personal grievances in latest year (paywalled)
Laura Walters, Marc Daalder and Fox Meyer (Newsroom): The cultural Cabinet’s top picks of 2025
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, TRADE
Chris Trotter (Interest): Be warned New Zealand: An America made great again will have no need of allies – only vassals
Michael Daly (Stuff): Luxon says he’s proud of the progress made on trade in 2025, year’s biggest hurdle was Trump’s tariffs
Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Would you hand over five years of social media posts to visit the US?
RNZ: Defence Force mulling how to improve surveillance of oceans
MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA
Gavin Ellis: JM&D’s media ownership report is another draft of history
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Media Performance of the Year: A surprise audience sensation
RNZ: Tova O’Brien will be the new Breakfast presenter
Shane Currie (Herald): Tova O’Brien to host Breakfast on TVNZ (paywalled)
Shane Currie (Herald): TVNZ bias review - broadcaster releases new discussion points around diversity of perspectives and role of presenters (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On Why The State Wants To Regulate How Children Play
Emma Gleason (Spinoff): What NZ can learn from Australia’s under-16s social media ban
RMA
Jonathan Killick (Post): Tree group ‘appalled’ as Government knocks back protections (paywalled)
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): RIP special character protections, I always hated you
Adam Burns (RNZ): Major Queenstown tourism operator sentenced over landslip that forced evacuations
HEALTH
RNZ: Nearly 5000 children with rotten teeth waiting in pain for surgery
Tim Brown (RNZ): What’s really going on with Canterbury’s water
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Lack of partnership in health sector changes - Iwi Partnership Boards
POLICE, CRIME
Kate Green (RNZ): Disgraced former top cop Jevon McSkimming set to be sentenced
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Tom Phillips filmmakers agreed police could edit documentary
Shayne Currie (Herald): Tom Phillips documentary contract - police have right to preview and demand editorial changes (paywalled)
Sunny Kaushal (Post): The rationale behind clampdown on retail crime (paywalled)
OTHER
Fox Meyer (Newsroom): Who Benefits: How monopoly money bought NZ’s gambling scene
Nik Dirga (RNZ): The 3G shutdown in NZ is starting. Here’s what you need to know
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): How many phones will stop working after New Zealand’s 3G shutdown?
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Over 2000 Samoan people have NZ citizenship restored
Emma Gleason (Spinoff): It’s the last call for New Zealand’s pay phones
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration New Zealand system outage prompts visa woes for travellers, firms and workers
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Couple who were forced to leave son behind in NZ hope for a Christmas miracle
Nikki Macdonald (Post): PhD scholar in immigration limbo awaiting decision on daughter’s health