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Latest Articles

Booksellers and bookworms on their 25 favourite books of 2025

From readable romances to thoughtful collections and turbulent journeys of meaning, these are the new release books and contemporary classics that captured our attention this year.

By Naomi Arnold
29th December 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Police Minister says 36 emails about Jevon McSkimming weren’t shared with him at Police Commissioner order

Police Minister Mark Mitchell’s office received 36 emails containing allegations against former deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming since December 2023. However, Mitchell has told the Herald then-Police Commissioner Andrew Coster directed police staff in the ministerial office to send the emails directly to his own office and not share them

By Jamie Ensor
11th November 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: The potential cost of Govt’s board fee increases – and how much members could get

The Government’s decision to hike the fees Crown board members can be paid could cost around $11 million, according to modelling by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

By Jamie Ensor
5th November 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Govt to remove requirement for school boards to give effect to Treaty of Waitangi

The Government will remove a requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, but will still make clear they should seek to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students.

By Jamie Ensor
3rd November 2025 • NZ Herald

Analysis: Is Luxon an ‘anti-Trump’? How Asian tour revealed their similarities – and differences

Donald Trump's presence could be felt everywhere at both the Asean and Apec summits. So how did Christopher Luxon compare?

By Jamie Ensor
1st November 2025 • NZ Herald

Analysis: Inside the room as Christopher Luxon - and NZ - won big with Donald Trump

New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon has had his first face time with US President Donald Trump on the sideline of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit. The Herald’s Jamie Ensor was in Gyeongju, South Korea as it happened.

By Jamie Ensor
30th October 2025 • NZ Herald

Christopher Luxon interview: ‘We will have different views’ - PM could soon come face-to-face with Trump

Two major international events await Christopher Luxon in Asia this week – but an always unpredictable US President Donald Trump is also on his way, including for what could be a consequential meeting with China’s leader. The Herald will be in Malaysia and South Korea following developments.

By Jamie Ensor
25th October 2025 • NZ Herald

Analysis: Te Pāti Māori internal chaos - How the party collapsed into controversy and infighting

An explosive email sent by Te Pāti Māori detailing allegations against one of its own MPs has brought the party’s private disagreements into the light. It risks sowing more internal trouble just days after the party announced a ‘reset’.

By Jamie Ensor
14th October 2025 • NZ Herald

Whistleblower complaint exposes ACC ‘unreasonably’ excluded costs of exec’s farewell

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has apologised after a whistleblower complaint led a top watchdog to find it had “unreasonably” excluded the costs of a senior executive’s farewell celebration from its response to Official Information Act (OIA) requests.

By Jamie Ensor
13th October 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Agencies warned Govt's board fee increases could impact services, worsen cost pressures

Government agencies warned plans to hike the fees that Crown board members could be paid may have “significant financial implications”, impact the delivery of public services, and exacerbate cost pressures.

By Jamie Ensor
6th October 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Christopher Luxon’s personal letter to Chris Hipkins appealing for ‘bipartisanship’ on key issue dismissed as ‘political stunt’

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has written to Labour leader Chris Hipkins urging him to commit his party to supporting offshore exploration for natural gas for at least the next 10 years, in an effort to achieve a “credible, bipartisan approach”.

By Jamie Ensor
29th September 2025 • NZ Herald

Analysis: NZ First, National at odds on immigration, plus is New Zealand a 'launch pad’ to Aussie?

The National Party and New Zealand First are at odds over a central pillar of immigration policy, a disagreement that will almost certainly turn into a political football at the 2026 election.

By Jamie Ensor
23rd September 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: ‘Things are changing’ - Te Pāti Māori MP speaks after being suddenly removed from role

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi says Te Pāti Māori’s leadership has removed her from the role of party whip despite her enjoying the work.

By Jamie Ensor
11th September 2025 • NZ Herald

Revealed: TPM’s Ferris doubles down on 'racist' post despite party apologising

Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris has doubled down on social media comments he made last week which led to “racist” allegations and an apology from his party.

By Jamie Ensor
9th September 2025 • NZ Herald

Revealed: TPM apologises after MP takes issue with 'Indians, Asians, Black, Pākehā' campaigning in byelection

Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris is under fire for a social media post taking issue with the ethnicity of Labour supporters campaigning for the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection.

By Jamie Ensor
4th September 2025 • NZ Herald

Winston Peters interview: ‘You're not to talk about foreign buyers’ - NZF leader denies loosening ban

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters denies the Government’s announcement to allow foreign investors to purchase homes in NZ reflects a loosening of the foreign buyers ban introduced when he was last in power.

By Jamie Ensor
1st September 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Agencies may need to make more cuts to fund massive board fee rises

The Government is not giving agencies additional money to fund possibly significant increases to Crown board members’ fees, raising concerns pay bumps may come at the expense of services.

By Jamie Ensor
25th August 2025 • NZ Herald

The top author who walked NZ: 'I can't even look at a worm without feeling sick'

What’s one word to sum up your mood right now? Buoyant. Since Northbound was published in April, I’ve been getting at least a couple of messages a day from people who enjoyed reading it or listening to the audiobook and felt moved to tell me. It’s a huge honour and …

By Naomi Arnold
18th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Israeli minister attacks Christopher Luxon's Benjamin Netanyahu 'lost the plot' comments

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has responded to a broadside from a member of the Israeli Government, saying that “they’re entitled to their view, we’re entitled to ours”.

By Jamie Ensor
14th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Labour MP's youth justice meth use, fight clubs claims not backed by officials

Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime’s public claims about fight clubs and “significant” meth use in youth justice facilities couldn’t be substantiated by Oranga Tamariki officials. The Children’s Commission, which independently monitors the facilities, is also unaware of meth in the residences and hasn’t heard of fight clubs occurring since 2023.

By Jamie Ensor
12th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Chlöe Swarbrick interview: Co-leader reckons Greens leading Opposition, only party offering tax ideas

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says her party is the only one proposing solutions to tax issues at a time when communities are crying out for alternatives to the status quo.

By Jamie Ensor
8th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime didn’t respond to, declined NCEA meeting offers

The Government offered Labour multiple opportunities to be briefed on the NCEA change process, but the party’s education spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime initially didn’t respond to these invitations and then flat-out declined them.

By Jamie Ensor
7th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Analysis: What led Government to abolish NCEA – and why we shouldn't be shocked

The Government deciding to abolish NCEA as part of the most radical overhaul of secondary school teaching in decades should not be seen as shocking or even unexpected.

By Jamie Ensor
4th August 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Concerns over NCEA's vocational education pathways as change announcement looms

An announcement on the future of New Zealand’s main secondary school qualification is understood to be imminent, with Education Minister Erica Stanford foreshadowing public consultation on a substantial proposal.

By Jamie Ensor
31st July 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Government agrees to raise Crown board members' pay ranges by up to 80%

The Government has quietly agreed to raise the range of fees board members of Crown bodies could be paid, in some cases by 80%.

By Jamie Ensor
28th July 2025 • NZ Herald

Winston Peters interview: ‘Careless’ immigration ‘transforming cities’, Nigel Farage’s Reform ‘compelling’

Winston Peters is concerned with the number of migrants entering New Zealand and is observing an “alarming development” overseas where “careless immigration policies” are “transforming cities” and “changing centuries of development and social life”.

By Jamie Ensor
26th July 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Winston Peters says foreign buyers ban change to be announced this year, denies 'softening'

Winston Peters expects a change impacting the foreign buyers ban will be announced this year, but the New Zealand First leader denies his party is “softening” its approach.

By Jamie Ensor
22nd July 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Damning NCEA briefing raises alarm as Govt mulls future of national qualification

A damning Government briefing has raised significant concerns about the credibility of New Zealand’s main secondary school qualification.

By Jamie Ensor
19th July 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Finance Minister eyeing tax settings ahead of potential election-year changes

The Finance Minister has quietly asked Inland Revenue to look at the appropriateness of the tax settings being applied to banks.

By Jamie Ensor
6th July 2025 • NZ Herald

Exclusive: Ministers were warned of 'significant uncertainty' over migrant numbers, health system impact

Cabinet ministers were warned there was “significant uncertainty” about the number of migrants who could access the Government’s new five-year parent visa, with potential impacts for New Zealand’s health system and infrastructure.

By Jamie Ensor
2nd July 2025 • NZ Herald