Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Consumer NZ puts these doughy Easter favourites to the test.

As Easter approaches – and many of us prepare to scoff chocolate eggs and hot cross buns over the holiday weekend – Consumer NZ has put a selection of buns to the test.

A panel of willing Consumer staff blind taste-tested a range of traditional spiced hot cross buns, plus two ‘wild cards’.

Buns were purchased from all the major supermarkets. Tasters were then asked to rank them on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being dreadful and 5 being delicious).

Tasters were allowed to apply butter or margarine.

The winner, for the second year in a row for best traditional hot cross bun, was New World; with the top-ranked buns purchased from the bakery of a Wellington New World supermarket.

“Tasters gave this bun a high score of 3.9 out of 5, describing it as packed with fruit and not dry, well spiced and with a lovely citrusy taste,” says Consumer NZ spokesperson Ben Christie.

“Congratulations to New World for taking out the title for the second consecutive year!”

The top of the ‘wild card’ buns was Woolworths’ Indulgent Hot Cross Buns with Cadbury Caramilk Chips.

“These innovative types of hot cross buns really get up the nose of traditionalists, but our tasters enjoyed them,” says Ben Christie.

“Tasters described them as delicious with ‘good moisture levels', although some did reflect they were more like a cake than a hot cross bun.”

The lowest rated hot cross bun came from Pak’nSave due to a strong gas scent and a weird aftertaste.

Consumer purchased the buns at Pak’nSave, New World, Fresh Choice and Woolworths supermarkets around Wellington, plus one variety from Commonsense Organics.

It’s important to note that recipes can vary from store to store for in-house baked buns.

For the full list of buns, the scorecard and reviews head to Consumer.org.nz

About Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

Across the Arctic north, reindeer still follow routes that have shaped Sámi life for generations, tying people to land, culture and identity.

Now University of Auckland Law School Professor Claire Charters is heading to Sápmi to study the Indigenous political institutions that have emerged from that history.

Charters (Ngāti Whakaue, Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi, Tainui) has received a $10,000 Borrin Foundation Travel and Learning Award to examine Sámi governance institutions and what they might offer Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Sámi, who number about 80,000 across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula, are the only recognised Indigenous people in the European Union. In response to pressure on their land, culture and political rights, representative bodies known as Sámi parliaments were established in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Charters will attend sessions of the parliaments, meet parliamentarians and members of the Sámi Council, and connect with experts in Sámi law and governance at the University of Tromsø, the University of Helsinki, and the University of Oulu.

“The Sámi parliaments in Norway, Finland and Sweden are utterly fascinating as mechanisms to realise Indigenous peoples’ self-determination, even if they only do so imperfectly,” says Charters, who co-directs the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre for Indigenous Peoples and the Law.

“There are so many lessons we can learn to apply in Aotearoa. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to undertake research on the parliaments in situ.”

Her research will focus on the relevance of Sámi constitutional arrangements to Indigenous governance in Aotearoa, at a time when questions about Māori political authority, self-determination and constitutional transformation remain central.

Charters says her broader work in Indigenous peoples’ rights, in Aotearoa and internationally, is driven by a passion for justice for Māori and other Indigenous peoples in light of the impact of colonisation, together with consequential structural and socio-economic inequities.

Property values across Aotearoa New Zealand increased by 0.2% in March, matching the same rise seen in February. While this marks a modest lift, it comes against the backdrop of the Iran conflict that began in late February and continues to weigh on business and household confidence.

Cotality NZ’s latest Home Value Index (HVI) also shows that the national median value in March of $802,599 was -1.3% lower than a year ago and still down by -17.1% from the peak in early 2022 – which was $968,333.

Trends across the main centres were a little more divergent in March, with Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington both edging down by -0.1%, while Tauranga and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland were flat. By contrast, Ōtautahi Christchurch was up by 0.6% and Ōtepoti Dunedin by 0.7%.

Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist, Kelvin Davidson said that March’s subtle rise in property values at the national level would pique the interest of those looking for early signs of a market upturn, but he also noted that uncertainty remains high.

“Coming off the back of February’s small gain, the latest rise means we’ve now had two increases in a row, potentially signalling a change in trend.”

“That being said, the increases in national values in the past two months clearly remain small and have only made a minor difference to the drop from early 2022’s peak.”

“The Iran conflict is throwing an extra layer of uncertainty over everything.”

“In the property market, values were already still proving slow to respond to the falls in mortgage rates since mid-2024 and the nascent economic recovery.”

“The missing piece has probably been a confidence factor, and now, in light of the latest conflict and sharply higher fuel prices, it’s difficult to see housing sentiment or property values lifting sharply in the near term.”

“Of course, there are always two sides to the coin, and while some sellers/owners may not be too pleased with current housing conditions, first home buyers are capitalising – provided that they feel secure about their jobs in this current uncertain environment.”

“In a nutshell, both the economy and housing market still face a testing period ahead.”

Index results for March 2026	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland	0.0%	-0.2%	-3.4%	-23.1%	$1,039,955
Kirikiriroa Hamilton	-0.1%	0.6%	-2.1%	-12.5%	$723,721
Tauranga	0.0%	0.1%	2.0%	-14.7%	$917,527
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington*	-0.1%	0.1%	-1.7%	-25.0%	$771,699
Ōtautahi Christchurch	0.6%	1.1%	2.4%	-2.2%	$689,739
Ōtepoti Dunedin	0.7%	1.7%	2.0%	-9.3%	$622,269
Aotearoa New Zealand	0.2%	0.3%	-1.3%	-17.1%	$802,599

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland saw flat property values in March across the market as a whole, but this reflected ups and downs at a more granular level. For example, Manukau saw a 0.3% rise, while North Shore was up by 0.2%. Yet Rodney, Waitakere, and Franklin all dropped by -0.3% or more.

Waitakere and Franklin have also been weaker over a three-month period to start the year (down by -0.8% and -0.9% respectively), while North Shore and Manukau have both edged slightly higher since December.

Mr Davidson said, “Auckland’s housing affordability has improved significantly in recent years as more supply has become available, prices have dropped, and incomes have increased. It’s not cheap as such, but better affordability probably does still set the scene for rising house prices eventually.”

“It’s just that in the meantime, general economic confidence around Auckland still looks subdued and it doesn’t benefit as much from a booming agricultural sector as much as say the Canterbury/Christchurch or Otago/Dunedin areas – where property values lifted again in March.”

“Until we can see more of an improvement in the services sector of the economy, Auckland’s housing market may well remain slow – but favourable for buyers.”

	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Rodney	-0.3%	-0.6%	-2.4%	-21.3%	$1,194,535
Te Raki Paewhenua North Shore	0.2%	0.1%	-0.8%	-17.9%	$1,299,465
Waitakere	-0.3%	-0.8%	-2.7%	-24.9%	$902,907
Auckland City	-0.1%	-0.2%	-4.8%	-24.6%	$1,073,683
Manukau	0.3%	0.3%	-3.8%	-24.5%	$975,458
Papakura	-0.1%	-0.4%	-3.4%	-24.1%	$796,089
Franklin	-0.4%	-0.9%	-3.9%	-23.2%	$916,700
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland	0.0%	-0.2%	-3.4%	-23.1%	$1,039,955

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington

Variability in property values was also on show in the wider Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington area in March, with Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt for example dropping by -0.6%, but Kāpiti Coast and Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt both rising by at least 0.7% over the month.

That being said, Wellington has still broadly been one of the weakest parts of the country over a longer horizon, with all sub-markets down to some degree over the past 12 months and all by more than 20% from the peak.

Mr Davidson noted, “to a degree new housing supply will have been one factor keeping a lid on values lately, especially in the markets outside Wellington City itself. But as we also see in Auckland, economic confidence in the Wellington area remains muted and it clearly also has a lower exposure to growth sectors such as farming. In this environment, it’s no great surprise that Wellington’s property values remain patchy.”

“The Iran conflict may again push this year’s election into the background for a while, but as domestic political uncertainty rises later in 2026 this is also cause for caution around Wellington’s house prices.”

	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Kāpiti Coast	0.7%	1.7%	-2.2%	-21.8%	$786,281
Porirua	-0.1%	-0.5%	-3.0%	-24.2%	$731,942
Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt	0.9%	1.0%	-0.7%	-23.8%	$707,441
Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt	-0.6%	-0.5%	-3.4%	-26.9%	$657,422
Wellington City	0.0%	0.4%	-0.8%	-24.6%	$857,311
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington	-0.1%	0.1%	-1.7%	-25.0%	$771,699

Regional results

March’s data showed a pretty consistent picture of rising property values in the next tier of markets down from the main centres, with areas such as Te Papaioea Palmerston North and Ngāmotu New Plymouth only edging higher (0.1% apiece) but Ahuriri Napier up by 0.7%, Tairāwhiti Gisborne 0.8%, and Waihōpai Invercargill by 1.7%.

“Invercargill continues to outperform most other parts of the country, rising by 7.1% over the past 12 months. Wairoa and Grey Districts are the only other areas to have growth of 7% or more since March last year,” Davidson noted.

“Invercargill also sits alongside Grey, Westland, Ashburton, Timaru, Central Otago, Southland District, and Gore as the only markets where house prices are currently at a new peak. Those are all in the South Island and with a strong farming base.”

“Of course, even in these areas, the Iran conflict puts a new level of uncertainty into the mix, especially around diesel supply for primary production. In other words, housing market activity and prices in most if not all parts of the country are vulnerable to this developing economic shock.”

Region	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Whangārei	0.4%	0.4%	-1.3%	-19.3%	$725,087
Heretaunga Hastings	0.2%	0.6%	-0.5%	-17.9%	$730,431
Te Papaioea Palmerston North	0.1%	0.7%	1.8%	-17.8%	$594,523
Ahuriri Napier	0.7%	1.3%	0.1%	-17.6%	$710,615
Tairāwhiti Gisborne	0.8%	1.4%	4.0%	-13.6%	$608,363
Whakatū Nelson	0.4%	0.7%	-1.1%	-13.3%	$714,059
Rotorua	0.2%	0.6%	-0.8%	-12.2%	$652,298
Whanganui	0.3%	1.3%	2.4%	-9.5%	$497,509
Ngāmotu New Plymouth	0.1%	-0.9%	-1.7%	-6.7%	$698,943
Tāhuna Queenstown	0.3%	2.2%	2.9%	-2.0%	$1,583,378
Waihōpai Invercargill	1.7%	2.6%	7.1%	At peak	$531,571

Property market outlook

Mr Davidson noted that the Reserve Bank remains on high alert and although there won’t necessarily be any knee-jerk official cash rate rises in the short term, it’s important to remember that mortgage rates are driven by a broader range of factors.

“Global uncertainty stemming from the Iran conflict and concerns about wider inflationary pressure have already seen interest rates rise in world money markets, and that’s flowed through to mortgage rate lifts at some NZ banks.”

“Many households will be watching that very closely and recent data shows there’s recently been a strong shift by borrowers towards fixing longer.”

“That will give some sense of security to individuals, but for the wider housing market the risks of higher inflation, rising interest rates, and/or a softening economy both point to headwinds,” Davidson said.

“Indeed, our modelled forecast for property sales to rise from around 90,000 last year to 100,000 this year is starting to look a stretch. In the end, though, everything is a watching brief at the moment when it comes to the economy and housing market.”

How cohorts of students perform in maths tests as teenagers is associated with how these groups fare later in life, according to new research.

The study, published in Economics of Education Review, finds stronger performance in two global assessments is associated with higher levels of education, stronger numeracy skills, and higher incomes in adulthood. (ref. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775725001001 )

University of Auckland economist Dr Sam Stemper combined data on mathematics scores from two international standardised tests and analysed adult outcomes from 18 global surveys.

The assessments, which are both used around the world including in Australia and New Zealand, TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), are often regarded as the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating adolescent numeracy and literacy skills on a global scale.

Stemper compared PISA and TIMSS maths scores with later outcomes among groups of students who took both tests during high school.

“Maths skills play an important role in the academic and economic trajectory of individuals throughout their lives,” says Stemper, whose findings suggest PISA scores have a stronger relationship with education and income in adulthood compared to TIMSS scores.

He says this is significant for two reasons.

First, PISA and TIMSS exams test distinct skills, even within the same subject. TIMSS emphasises curriculum-based knowledge, focusing on material that students learn in school. However, PISA has a focus on measuring students’ ability to apply their knowledge in ‘real-world’ scenarios.

Second, since 2000, PISA and TIMSS scores have moved in opposite directions in many countries. While TIMSS math scores have generally increased, PISA scores have stagnated or declined for most participants.

Stemper says taken alone this is concerning; when considering his findings, it’s even more so.
“The divergence suggests we should pay attention to potential declines in ‘real-world’ problem-solving skills and what that may mean for students later in life,” he says.

“Students may become good at repeating information, but it is important to also focus on how well they can apply their knowledge. This may better support long-term educational and economic outcomes.”