Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Lifestyle – Taylors unveils two limited-edition premium gift boxes for 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse

Source: Taylors Wines

To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse on 17 February 2026, family-owned wine brand Taylors Wines introduces two exclusive Lunar New Year gift boxes featuring wines from its acclaimed St. Andrews collection, each proudly adorned with Taylors bold and iconic seahorse emblem, which was adopted after the discovery of fossilised seahorses on the family estate in Clare Valley in 1969. Today, it symbolises Taylors’ commitment to quality and sustainability.
A symbol of vitality, transformation, and fearless ambition, the Fire Horse occupies a rare and revered place in the lunar calendar — a fitting parallel for the independent vision and pioneering spirit that has defined three generations of Taylors winemaking in the Clare Valley, South Australia.
Within each red and gold collectors’ box is a wine from Taylors esteemed St. Andrews range, renowned for its exceptional complexity, elegance, and outstanding quality. Gift box options include Taylors St. Andrews Shiraz or Taylors St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon.
The packaging features a refined red-and-gold design uniting time-honoured Lunar New Year motifs including golden horses, koi, lanterns, bonsai, all encircling the Taylors signature seahorse placed deliberately at the heart of the artwork.
In Eastern cultures, the seahorse has been regarded as a symbol of fortune, safe passage, and steadfastness; when paired with the revered horse of the lunar zodiac, a sign symbolising speed, intelligence, and prosperity, the emblem becomes a visual expression of strength embraced with grace. 
Together, they capture the intent of the Fire Horse year: to pursue progress with purpose and to celebrate beginnings with courage and optimism.
“We’re proud to introduce our new Lunar New Year gift boxes — a celebration of culture, craftsmanship, and the heritage of our St. Andrews wines,” says Mitchell Taylor, third-generation winemaker and Chairman of Taylors Wines.
“Our seahorse emblem, which features three seahorses grouped together, represents the three generations of Taylor family winemakers, as well as symbolising our origins and our commitment to sustainability and marine conservation.  To see our seahorses proudly represented alongside the symbols of Lunar New Year, especially in the Year of the Fire Horse, is meaningful to us as a family and as winemakers.”
The Taylors St. Andrews Shiraz and Taylors St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon Lunar New Year gift boxes are available now from select bottle stores across New Zealand, with prices beginning from $69.99.
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Auckland welcomes the world as thousands gather

Source: Special Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

 

Auckland will host around 20,000 people this week – including 3,500 delegates from 20 countries—for a major international event that’s set to inject an estimated $20 million into the local economy.

 

The Special Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses (January 9-11) at Eden Park will welcome visitors from places like Britain, the United States, Greece, Colombia, Fiji, Australia, Chile, Korea and Malaysia, for the largest faith-based event in the country in decades.

 

Over the past year, the organisation has hosted more than 6,000 conventions attended by 11 million people worldwide—and now Auckland joins an exclusive group of just 15 cities selected to stage a prestigious international version.

 

“We’re excited to welcome guests to our city and share what makes it truly special—from iconic landmarks and world-class dining to breathtaking landscapes and that unmistakable local vibe you won’t find anywhere else,” says National Spokesperson Victor Ioramo.

 

“The event is also the first time in nearly 50 years that Jehovah’s Witnesses from across New Zealand will unite in one place, returning to Eden Park – the very same venue that hosted our last international event in 1978.”

 

Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says hosting events of this scale is part of the stadium’s DNA. “Large-scale international conventions like this deliver significant economic benefits for both the city and the country, particularly when thousands of visitors are travelling from overseas, staying in hotels and supporting our hospitality, retail and tourism sectors,” he explains.

 

“As New Zealand’s national stadium, Eden Park is proud to showcase Auckland on the world stage—not just through sport and concerts, but through global gatherings like this.”


The three-day Convention is free and open to all and will feature 54 Bible-based videos, live interviews, talks, and real-life experiences designed for all ages to explore why faith still matters today. New episodes from the global series The Good News According to Jesus will also be screened.

 

Every session across the three-day event will be presented simultaneously in English, Chinese Mandarin, New Zealand Sign Language, Samoan, and Tagalog, with feature presentations also available in te reo Māori.

 

More than 7,000 unpaid volunteers will be on hand to support every aspect of the convention, including special tourism activities planned for international delegates throughout the week.

 

“There are no entry fees, no collections, and no tickets required. Everyone is welcome, and you can come and go as you like throughout the sessions,” Victor says.

 

Each day begins at 9:20am, with a lunch break from 12 noon to 1:30pm. Friday concludes at 5pm, Saturday at 4:30pm, and Sunday at 4pm.

 

For more information, visit jw.org or edenpark.co.nz

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Property Market – Rare advantage for property seekers as stock hits 10-year December high – Real Estate NZ

Source: RealEstate.co.nz

  • Stock at its highest December levels since 2014 with more than 30,000 properties for sale on realestate.co.nz 
  • Bay of Plenty, Wellington, and Central North Island buck seasonal slowdown with double-digit growth in new listings
  • National average asking price holds steady at $860,274 but Wellington takes a tumble into the $700,000 price bracket.

Those dreaming of a new home over the Christmas period had plenty to choose from. The end of 2025 saw December stock levels surpass 30,000 for the first time in any December in a decade and capped off a full year of consistently high supply, with more than 30,000 properties on the market every month of 2025.

Latest data from realestate.co.nz shows the number of properties for sale on the site in December was at a 10-year high, with stock levels up 3.1% year-on-year to 30,390. A total of 11 regions recorded year-on-year growth, with Northland (up 11.4%) and Auckland (up 11.0%) leading the way.

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says vendors usually hold off selling during the silly season, but this year, nine of 19 regions bucked the trend with a rise in new listings compared to last year.

“The lift in stock to a 10-year December high suggests that while sellers are feeling confident heading into 2026, buyers are being more considered and benefiting from greater choice,” says Williams.

Bay of Plenty bucks the seasonal slowdown with 22% increase in new listings  

The property market, typically quiet in December, saw a 2.8% year-on-year increase in new listings with 4,900 properties hitting the market. Bay of Plenty led the way with 385 new listings in the region up 22.2% compared to December 2024. Wellington (224 listings) and Central North Island (114 new listings) also recorded double-digit year-on-year growth in new listings, up 18.5% and 12.9% respectively.

“Typically, December is a time when vendors hit pause, so seeing this level of activity tells us many people were motivated to sell and felt confident enough to list – even before their Christmas shopping was finished,” notes Williams.

It was a tale of two Decembers, however, in which Marlborough (77), Nelson & Bays (118), and Gisborne (21) all recorded double-digit declines in new listings, down 25.2%, 24.8% and 19.2% respectively, compared to December 2024.

Meanwhile, Waikato recorded a December all-time low with just 355 new listings, a stark contrast from its position in November 2025, when the region reported over 1,000 listings in a month.

Wellington’s average asking price takes a tumble into the $700,000 bracket

Nationally, the average asking price remained steady with a 1.7% year-on-year increase to $860,274. Just three regions recorded double digit year-on-year growth:

Bay of Plenty’s average asking price increased 13.3% to $931,602
Central Otago/Lakes District’s average asking price increased 13.1% to $1,556,852
Otago’s average asking price increased 11.7% to $614,849

Gisborne, a standout region for 2025, experienced the most significant decline in average asking price, falling 29.1% from December 2024 to $532,314, only the third time the region has recorded an average asking price in the $500,000 bracket this year.

The capital also saw a fall in average asking price, down 9.1% year-on-year to $797,463. This dip saw Wellington’s average asking price fall below $800,000 for the first time since May 2024.

Williams says this drop presents a rare opening for buyers in the capital.

“While average asking prices have held in the $800,000s for much of the year, this softening suggests sellers are meeting the market. For buyers who’ve been waiting on the sidelines, this could be the window they’ve been looking for, especially with more stock on offer.”

Does December set us up for a year of activity in the property market?

“More than 30,000 homes on the market in December is a rarity,” says Williams. “With national prices holding steady and stock at multi-year highs in the final month of the year we could see renewed activity in early 2026, especially if confidence builds over summer.”

About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)

We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996.  

Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. In 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.

Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.  

Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.  

Want more property insights?

Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time.
Sold properties: Switch your search to sold to see the last 12 months of sales and prices.
Valuations: Get a gauge on property prices by browsing sold residential properties, with the latest sale prices and an estimated value in the current market.  

 Glossary of terms:  

Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.  

New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.  

Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.  

Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.  

Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.  

Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.  

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NZ government called on to uphold international law by condemning the US attack on Venezuela – Matt Robson

Source: Hon Matthew Robson, Barrister MA (Hons) LLB (Hons)

Former NZ Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control calls on NZ government to uphold international law by condemning the US attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of its President.

Parliament should be recalled to vote on condemnation of this act of war with sanctions to be placed on the US 05 January 2026 Auckland New Zealand – “New Zealand is a minnow in terms of economic or military strength in the world. But it earned worldwide respect for its morality in defying the US and upholding the UN Charter and international law when it condemned the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“In doing so it was defending the international rule of law not the rule of might ”, said former Associate Foreign Minister in the Helen Clark government, the Hon Matt Robson.

“Now, following on the craven decision of New Zealand to win Washington’s blessings by not opposing the US and Israeli genocide in Gaza and the West Bank and not voting for a Palestinian State , the New Zealand government by noy condemning the US invasion of Venezuela and seizing its President, is complicit in the ripping up of the UN Charter by the Trump administration ” continued the former Minister.

“The NZ government has stripped New Zealand’s credibility to any claim to adherence to international law and the UN Charter by its cowardice in not demanding the release of President Maduro and his wife and an end to the US aggression and the crippling sanctions and illegal seizure of Venezuelan oil.“

“The US ambassador needs to be summonsed and the illegality of the US aggression to be conveyed to the US administration in the strongest terms”.

“It is now over to opposition parties in New Zealand and any coalition MPs with a shred of decency to demand an urgent sitting of Parliament with 4 items on the agenda to vote on:

  1. The call for a special sitting of the UN General Assembly to discuss sanctions on the US for its aggression against Venezuela. 
  2. For NZ to unequivocally condemn the US aggression.
  3. To call for the immediate release of President Maduro and his wife.
  4. For sanctions to be placed on the US by New Zealand until it ends its aggression.
“The Hon Winston Peters as NZ Foreign Minister should place New Zealand on the side of the vast majority of countries supporting international law and condemn the United States for its illegal actions that have ripped up the UN Charter”, concluded the Hon Matt Robson.
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Politics and Health – Minister must confront Govt.’s own role in weakening health IT security – PSA

Source: PSA

The PSA says Health Minister Simeon Brown's review into the ManageMyHealth cyber security breach announced today must confront the Government's own actions in downsizing the very IT workforce responsible for protecting patient data in our public health system.
The breach, which has compromised the private health information of up to 126,000 New Zealanders, is a chilling reminder of what happens when you fail to invest in secure, modern IT systems.
“The Minister talks about 'big wake up calls' and 'highest standards' — but where was his concern when his Government was downsizing the Digital Services team at Health NZ?” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The Minister needs to be open to admitting the Government got this all wrong. There is no shame in that. The stakes are too high.
“The risks are not confined to ManageMyHeatlh – hackers are getting more sophisticated every day and it was only in 2021 that a ransomware attack exposed patient data at Waikato DHB.
“Any review must consider the Government’s own actions in cutting IT staff and failing to invest in digital services to protect patient information managed by Health NZ.
“We know that clinicians are having persistent problems accessing patient portals, and service desks are slow to respond because they are under-resourced. Health NZ has been forced to bring in contractors from Datacom to plug the gaps. All this is evidence of Health NZ’s IT systems under strain and at risk of cyber security attacks.”
The PSA is the union for health IT workers.
“The Minister needs to talk to frontline IT workers in Health NZ who see every day the problems with outdated systems, insufficient resources, and the impossible task of maintaining security when Health NZ has let experts go and is struggling to find replacements.
“The PSA will co-operate fully with Health NZ for the review and as a starting point urges it to reconsider the comprehensive submission it provided, setting out the risks to its proposal to slash the digital services workforce in 2024.
“To date the Government has been more intent on saving money than saving lives as evidenced in the PSA’s analysis released today showing nearly 3000 health workers have been let go over the last two years (see analysis below).
“New Zealanders deserve a health system where their private information is protected. That requires proper investment in IT security and the experts who deliver it — not endless cost-cutting that leaves our systems vulnerable.”
Background
Previous PSA statements on Health NZ IT cuts:
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Weather News – Sunshine, dry weather and rising temperatures – MetService

Source: MetService 

Covering period of Monday 5th – Friday 9th January

  • Summer sunshine 
  • Higher than average forecast temperatures 
  • Minimal risk of significant weather until Friday 

Typical summertime skies are forecast for many (until at least Friday) as high pressure stretched across the country is shielding us from significant weather. For this upcoming week expect a great deal of sunshine and dry weather, albeit the odd afternoon shower here and there. Winds will be light as well with sea breezes around the coast.  

That being said, a few fronts will occasionally move north-eastwards across the South Island, associated with rain at times for the southern and western coasts, but nothing is looking impactful at this stage.  

MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows says, “For those who have had some very wet days in the northeast, such as Gisborne, the warmer and drier conditions forecast for this week will come as a bit of relief for recovery efforts, as well as for those wanting to spend some time at the beach.”

Warmer than average temperatures expected for Thursday and Friday for some eastern regions as a westerly flow establishes across the country, more information in the table attached.  

“It’s going to get hot for Blenheim on Friday with a forecast maximum temperature of 32°C, that’s 7.5°C above average,” advises Burrows.  

MetService issues Heat Alerts to warn people in New Zealand of unusually hot weather. Extreme heat during summer can be draining and have an impact on people’s daily lives – especially their health and wellbeing. If a heat alert is triggered it is recommended to take precautions such as keeping hydrated, seeking shade, checking in with vulnerable people/children and looking after your pets and livestock.

You can keep up to date with the latest forecast at metservice.com.
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Govt Cuts and Health – New data shows Govt axed thousands of critical health roles in middle of crisis – PSA

Source: PSA

PSA calls on political parties to pledge to reverse the cuts at election
Fresh analysis by the PSA reveals that nearly three thousand critical roles across the public health system were axed as a result of the many restructures forced on Health NZ Te Whatu Ora by the Government.
The analysis revealed for the first time today shows that the Government’s funding cuts forced Health NZ to run more than 30 restructures over the past two years. This resulted in around 2,100 full time equivalent roles being cut. In addition, some 640 health workers took voluntary redundancy.
The analysis has been undertaken by the PSA on the basis of the final decisions of change management processes that the PSA has been consulted on by Health NZ. It may underestimate the total full time equivalent roles lost to the public health system.
“These numbers are a damning indictment of the Government’s promise to New Zealanders that it would deliver better health outcomes for patients – this was irresponsible, only serving to deepen the health crisis,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The cuts must be reversed and we urge political parties this election to make that pledge.
“At a time of rising health needs from an ageing and growing population, when every day we see evidence of a public health system under strain, the Government just ignored the evidence, choosing to save money over saving lives.
“Behind these numbers are real human stories – the toll on families devastated by job losses, of lives turned upside down, of people forced to find work in other countries like Australia which better values health workers.
“At the same time, we know from evidence the PSA secured through the Official Information Act that Health NZ is failing to recruit people fast enough to fill vacancies – from medical imaging technologists to IT experts, all adding to a system under severe prressure.
“The people who lost their jobs were all critical to a well-functioning public health system – they provide the oil that drives the whole system.”
The job cuts and failure to fill vacancies fast enough have hit health workers across the system including:
– In-patient and community mental health workers facing increasing pressures, including from the phased withdrawal of police support
– IT experts updating old legacy systems and keeping critical service desks operating 24/7 that clinicians rely on. Contractors are now plugging some gaps.
– Audit experts and fraud investigators ensuring health funds are used appropriately
– Māori and Pacific health experts working with community groups on health promotion strategies
– The National Public Health Service with cuts to roles specialising in emergency management, pandemic preparedness and immunisation programmes
– Various health administration roles that book patients and send results to them
The impacts of these cuts have been laid out in the PSA’s survey of health workers in 2025.
“Health workers sent a strong message to the Government during the mega strike on 23 October that public health needs more investment to ensure patients get the care they need.
“In this election year voters will have a clear choice – make no mistake, the PSA will be campaigning hard to restore health to the health system.”
Previous statements
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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NZ foreign policy group calls for unflinching NZ govt condemnation of US aggression in Venezuela

Source: Te Kuaka

The Trump-led unilateral aggression by the US against Venezuela overnight (NZ time), including bombing of infrastructure and capture of Venezuelan President Maduro, must be unflinchingly condemned by the NZ government, says NZ foreign policy group Te Kuaka.

President Trump has openly spoken about securing Venezuela’s oil supplies through US companies.

“This is a brazen moment that unmasks US imperial aggression,” says Dylan Asafo, spokesperson for Te Kuaka. “The US has interfered militarily in Latin America before, but in recent years it has rarely done this so nakedly and with such open disregard for state sovereignty.”

The recent US National Security Strategy referred to a revival of the ‘Monroe Doctrine’, a nineteenth century doctrine about US control of the Americas as a hemisphere.

“This is not the time for mealy-mouthed fence-sitting,” adds Asafo. “If NZ does anything short of unflinchingly condemning this action, it’s another reminder that strategically aligning with the US – as this Government has done – draws us further into war-mongering and causing international instability.”

A number of countries have called for an urgent convening of the United Nations Security Council following this US act of aggression, and an emergency meeting of that Council will now be held on Monday.

“We support countries coming together to stand against this act of aggression,” says Dylan Asafo of Te Kuaka. “This is a critical moment where NZ must demonstrate that our independent foreign policy has not slipped away.”
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Nurses pay tribute to Dame Poutasi

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

The passing of Dame Karen Poutasi has seen Aotearoa lose one of its foremost health leaders and a woman of high integrity, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says.
“Dame Karen was an extraordinary woman who led from the front. She was principled, devoted and deeply committed to the health and welfare of people and communities,” Ms Nuku says.
“Her decades-long devotion in trying to reduce the significant health inequalities gap that exists among different groups of New Zealanders, especially Māori and Pacific peoples, will always be acknowledged.
“It was her selflessness and deep care for others, no matter who they were, that made her such an amazing leader and person.
“During Dame Poutasi’s brief tenure as Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand chair from 2023 to 2024 at a difficult time, we found her to be very engaging and willing to listen to the nursing profession to make delivery of health services better,” Ms Nuku says.
Her mahi during the implementation of New Zealand’s early response to HIV/Aids and the governance of the Covid-19 vaccination programme will never be forgotten, Ms Nuku says.
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Health privacy breach exposes risk of Govt cutting IT experts in public health – PSA

Source: PSA

The cyber security breach at privately run Manage My Health is a chilling reminder of how the Government blundered in cutting the jobs of many IT experts safeguarding the public health system.
The sensitive personal information of more than 120,000 patients using Manage My Health may have been exposed in the latest ransomware attack on New Zealand’s health system.
“This privacy breach is a wakeup call for the entire health sector in New Zealand,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“We have seen it before in the public health system with the Waikato Hospital ransomware attack in 2021 and yet this government failed to heed that lesson in forcing Health NZ to cut the jobs of experts running digital services.
“The risks are too high to play fast and loose with data systems – it’s a ticking time bomb.
“Like Manage My Health, our hospitals are using outdated systems but have lost experts who understand their complexities and weaknesses.
“Last year the PSA asked the Privacy Commissioner to investigate the impact of cuts to Health NZ’s digital services workforce but he refused.
“We call on him to reconsider this given the Manage My Health data breach.
“Patient information is highly sensitive and private, and New Zealanders should expect it's safely stored and not at risk from cyber security attacks.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.