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University Research – ‘Absolutely huge’ black coral among largest ever seen – VUW

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

 

A massive black coral, measuring 4 metres high and 4.5 metres wide, has been found by researchers exploring the underwater depths of Fiordland.

 

The coral, a protected species, is likely to be 300-400 years old and thought to be among the largest ever seen in the waters around Aotearoa New Zealand.

 

Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, described the coral as “absolutely huge”.

 

“It’s by far the largest black coral I’ve seen in my 25 years as a marine biologist. Most black corals we come across when we’re diving are small, with the bigger ones usually less than two to three metres tall so finding this one was really cool,” he said.

 

The discovery is important as large corals provide vital breeding stock for the species, which is slow to grow.

 

“Pinpointing where large corals occur means we can better protect them by letting people know where not to anchor their boats or drop pots,” Professor Bell said.

 

Richard Kinsey, senior biodiversity ranger at the Department of Conversation, was also on the dive when the coral was discovered. “To see such a large coral looming out of the darkness was pretty special. I’ve been a marine ranger in Fiordland for nearly 20 years and it’s rare to see a coral so big. It’s easily the largest one I can remember seeing,” he said.

 

Victoria University researchers are working with the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Marine Guardians to study and map the distribution of protected coral species in the fiords.

 

“We’d love to receive reports from anyone who knows of particularly large black corals that are greater than 4 m so we can map their distribution and find out how common such large coral colonies are throughout Fiordland,” said Professor Bell.

 

Despite its name, the black coral appears white in colour and only its skeleton is black. The coral is listed as a protected species under the Wildlife Act and it’s illegal to deliberately collect or damage it.

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Dwelling and household estimates: December 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Dwelling and household estimates: December 2025 quarter – information release

 

13 January 2026

National dwelling and household estimates are used for many purposes including planning, policy formation, business decisions, and as ‘bottom lines’ in the calculation of market coverage rates.

Key facts
At 31 December 2025, the estimated number of:

  • private dwellings is 2,141,200
  • households is 2,057,500.

Visit our website to read the full information release:

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Economic snapshot: September 2025 quarter – Stats NZ news story

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Economic snapshot: September 2025 quarter – news story

13 January 2026

Our economic snapshot summarises important economic statistics for the September 2025 quarter.

It uses statistics drawn from key Stats NZ datasets to provide insights into New Zealand’s overall economic performance.

Data sources has more information about the statistics used in this snapshot.

The economy grew in the September 2025 quarter, while unemployment increased

  • New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.1 percent in the September 2025 quarter, following a 1.0 percent decrease in the June 2025 quarter.
  • Business services, up 1.6 percent, was the main contributor to the quarterly rise in GDP. This increase was led by professional, scientific, and technical services, such as computer system design and related services. Manufacturing, up 2.2 percent, also contributed, led by food, beverage, and tobacco manufacturing.
  • New Zealand’s unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in the September 2025 quarter, up from 5.2 percent in the June 2025 quarter and 4.9 percent in the September 2024 quarter.

Visit our website to read the full news story:

 

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Weather News – Hot weather eases with rain on the way – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 12th – Friday 16th January – After a scorching weekend for parts of the country, MetService is forecasting a return to typical summer temperatures for the North Island, while cooler conditions take hold in the South Island. The settled weather lasts for the start of the week before rain arrives from mid-week.

Some notable stats from the hot weekend:

  • Kerikeri had a record high for January on Saturday with 32.3°C which was then surpassed the following day with 32.7°C. This was also their third highest historical temperature recorded for any month.
  • Whitianga equalled their highest January temperature on Sunday with 30.6°C.
  • Napier Airport reached 36.3°C, which was their second highest January temperature on record and an all-time top five temperature for that station.

Parts of Tairāwhiti Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay have remaining heat alerts today (Monday) after overnight temperatures stayed above 20°C, giving little relief from the daytime heat. But for the rest of the North Island, temperatures ease back to more typical January levels this week. Warm spots include inland Waikato and Hawke’s Bay which reach temperatures in the high-20s. Much of the island stays settled apart from a few showers, before rain arrives for some on Wednesday and for most on Thursday to Friday as a low pressure system crosses the country.

The South Island is also largely settled to start the week apart from the odd shower. From the second half Wednesday, rain may arrive over the top of the island, extending to the rest of the island through Thursday and Friday with the low pressure system.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says, “At this early stage, Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and eastern Otago look likely to get the largest share of the rain this week.”

The associated cloud and rain bring a noticeable cool-down over the eastern South Island from Thursday into the weekend, creating a very different feel compared to the past weekend. Temperatures are expected to sit in the mid to upper teens, with places like Ashburton dropping from around 21°C on Wednesday to closer to 16°C for the rest of the week.

“For many people, it’s a return to routine this week, but there are still opportunities to make the most of the long summer afternoons. But with rain on the cards for most of the country later this week, it’ll be worth staying across the forecast as the week unfolds,” Makgabutlane advises.

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Business Tech – Zespri boosts customer trust using SAP to support a streamlined claims process

Source: Botica Butler Raudon

Zespri sets a new industry benchmark for speed, accuracy, and customer trust

NEW ZEALAND, Auckland – 12 January 2026 – SAP today announced that Zespri, the world’s largest marketer of premium-quality kiwifruit, has strengthened its commitment to trust and customer service by launching a fully digitised, customer-first claims platform built on SAP’s integrated cloud technologies. As a result, today, customers benefit from a simple self-service claims process that resolves issues in seconds, while smart automation helps Zespri’s teams deliver fast, consistent outcomes without compromising on quality or control.

While accounting for only one percent of sales, with the company facing more than 40,000 quality claims a year – totaling over NZD $70 million – Zespri wanted to reimage its claims process. Previously slow, manual, and at times, associated with inconsistent decision making – today, new digital tools deliver an intuitive, self-service experience through a centralised claims portal, allowing multi-delivery claims to be created in under 30 seconds, and more than 1,000 deliveries can be processed in under two minutes.

“By combining intelligent automation with human expertise, we’ve built a platform that reinforces our brand promise and sets a new industry standard for service,” said Rahul Badge, Head of In-Market Supply Chain at Zespri. “As a result, we have been able to meet our customers’ need for a simpler, faster, and more transparent experience, and give our assessors the tools to reduce manual input and share expert insights across the business. We now see each claim as a chance to show our commitment to service, quality and openness.”

This transformation has rapidly improved Zespri’s claims process, with 80 percent of claims now benefiting from human-in-the-loop automated recommendations and decision making. This has significantly reduced processing times and errors and freed assessors to focus on complex cases while maintaining Zespri’s strict audit requirements. The new platform also delivers comprehensive, real-time insights, supporting end-to-end visibility throughout Zespri’s global supply chain and unlocking opportunities for preventative action and continuous improvement.

“Zespri has set a new benchmark for customer-centric innovation in the fresh produce industry,” said Adrian Griffin, Managing Director, SAP New Zealand. “By digitising and scaling expert decision-making, Zespri is driving both operational efficiency and customer trust, strengthening its position as a global leader and delivering real value across its network.”

Leveraging SAP Commerce Cloud as the central customer interface, Zespri introduced a seamless digital journey that enables claims to be submitted across multiple deliveries in under 30 seconds. Real-time supply chain data from SAP S/4HANA, integrated with partner solutions, eliminates the need for repetitive data entry and helps prevent human error, while an advanced orchestration layer powered by SAP BTP, alongside partner solutions, automates the application of business rules and embeds human expertise at scale. The introduction of SAP Fiori applications equips Zespri’s assessors to review end-to-end supply chain data and quality inspection reports from partner solutions, keeping expert judgement central to complex claim assessments.

The claims platform, delivered in partnership with Accenture New Zealand and FAIR Consulting Group, is now live across major markets including Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, India, the United States and Europe. Business users have embraced the solution, with senior leaders describing it as “the most business-centric digital project Zespri has ever run.”

Pete Devereux, Accenture Business Architecture Manager, said, “We set out to make things simpler for everyone. The new system is easy to use and gets claims sorted more quickly, which is good news for both customers and Zespri’s teams.”

Christiaan Du Plessis, SAP & Cloud Director at FAIR Consulting Group, added, “It’s been a real pleasure working together. The impact for customers is already obvious, and we’re excited to keep building from here.”

As a result of digitising its claims process and unlocking richer, end-to-end data, Zespri is now positioned to leverage next-generation technologies, including predictive analytics and computer vision, further advancing its goals around quality, sustainability, and customer experience.

About SAP
As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP (NYSE:SAP) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

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Climate News – Richest 1% Blow Carbon Budget in 10 Days, says Oxfam

Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

The richest 1% have exhausted their annual carbon budget – the amount of CO2 that can be emitted while staying within 1.5 degrees of warming – only ten days into the year, according to new analysis from Oxfam. The richest 0.1% already used up their carbon limit on the 3rd January.
This day – named by Oxfam as ‘Pollutocrat Day’ – highlights how the super-rich are disproportionately responsible for driving the climate crisis.
The emissions of the richest 1% generated in one year alone will cause an estimated 1.3 million heat-related deaths by the end of the century. Decades of overconsumption of emissions by the world’s super-rich are also causing significant economic damage to low and lower-middle income countries, which could add up to $44 trillion by 2050.
To stay within the 1.5 degrees limit, the richest 1% would have to slash their emissions by 97% by 2030. Meanwhile, those who have done the least to cause the climate crisis – including communities in poorer and climate-vulnerable countries, Indigenous groups, women and girls – will be the worst impacted.
“Time and time again, the research shows that governments have a very clear and simple route to drastically slash carbon emissions and tackle inequality: by targeting the richest polluters. By cracking down on the gross carbon recklessness of the super-rich, global leaders have an opportunity to put the world back on track for climate targets and unlock net benefits for people and the planet,” said Oxfam’s Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi.
On top of their lifestyle emissions, the super-rich are also investing in the most polluting industries. Oxfam’s research finds that each billionaire carries, on average, an investment portfolio in companies that will produce 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 a year, further locking the world into climate breakdown.
The wealthiest individuals and corporations also hold disproportionate power and influence. The number of lobbyists from fossil fuel companies attending the recent COP summit in Brazil, for example, was more than any delegation apart from the host nation, with 1600 attendees.
“The immense power and wealth of super-rich individuals and corporations have also allowed them to wield unjust influence over policymaking and water down climate negotiations,” Nafkote Dabi added.
Oxfam calls on governments to slash the emissions of the super-rich and make rich polluters pay through:
– Increase taxes on income and wealth of the super-rich and proactively support and engage on the negotiations for the UN Convention of International Tax Cooperation to deliver a fairer global architecture.
– Excess profit taxes on fossil fuel corporations. A Rich Polluter Profits Tax on 585 oil, gas and coal companies could raise up to US $400 billion in its first year, equivalent to the cost of climate damages in the Global South.
– Ban or punitively tax carbon-intensive luxury items like super-yachts and private jets. The carbon footprint of a super-rich European, accumulated from nearly a week of using super yachts and private jets, matches the lifetime carbon footprint of someone in the world’s poorest 1 percent.
– Build an equal economic system that puts people and planet first by rejecting dominant neoliberal economics and moving towards an economy based on sustainability and equality.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2024, the median estimate of emissions level in 2030 consistent with limiting global heating to around 1.5°C is 24 GtCO2e (range: 20-26), which is equivalent to approximately 17.8 GtCO2 based on the 2019 share of CO2 emissions in greenhouse gas emissions (74.1 per cent).
According to the UN, the global population is projected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030. Dividing the 1.5°C compatible 2030 emissions level (17.8 GtCO2) equally by 8.5 billion gives an estimate of an annual carbon budget of 2.1t CO2 per person.
Oxfam’s latest research into climate and inequality, using data from the Stockholm Environment Institute, finds that the richest 1% emit 75.1 tonnes per person per year (using 2023 data, the latest available data), or 0.206 tonnes per person per day, which means that 10.2 days of emissions is enough to use the 2.1t CO2 budget.
Further information about carbon budgets and the data behind Oxfam’s research can be found within this methodology note.
The latest Oxfam report, “ Climate Plunder: How a powerful few are locking the world into disaster”, presents new data which finds that a person from the richest 0.1% produces more carbon pollution in a day than the poorest 50% emit all year. If everyone emitted like the richest 0.1%, the carbon budget would be used up in less than 3 weeks.
Oxfam’s latest briefing paper, How to increase taxes on fossil fuel profits – Oxfam Policy & Practice proposes a Rich Polluter Profit Tax on fossil fuel corporations to help ensure renewable energy investments are always more profitable than fossil fuels. It also proposes an Excess Profit Tax on all other sectors to curb market concentration and accumulation of extreme wealth. These measures could raise over US$1 trillion in their first year.
According to Oxfam’s report, “A planet for the Richest 99%”, the emissions of the super-rich 1% in 2019 were enough to cause 1.3 million deaths due to heat.
Oxfam’s report, “ Climate Inequality Kills”, found that the outsized consumption emissions of the world’s super-rich 1% over four decades (1990-2030) alone are causing significant net economic damage, with low- and lower-middle-income countries being most affected. Between 1990 and 2050, low- and lower-middle-income countries will accrue economic damage totalling $44 trillion.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court, has confirmed that countries have a legal obligation to reduce emissions enough to protect the universal rights to life, food, health, and a clean environment.
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Fire Safety – Extreme caution needed as more districts see fire danger spiking

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

The weather is already heating up as a heat wave passes through Aotearoa New Zealand.
Deputy Chief Executive Prevention, Nick Pyatt says updated weather forecasts now include Mid-South Canterbury and Otago, with parts of both districts set to experience extreme fire risk conditions this weekend.
“This means Northland, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury, Mid-South Canterbury, and Otago will see elevated fire danger in the next two days, especially on Sunday.”
This elevated fire danger is caused by a combination of high temperatures, strong westerly winds, and very low humidity.
“97 percent of wildfires in Aotearoa New Zealand are started by people. This means the public has a significant role to play in how the next few days go,” Nick Pyatt says.
“We are strongly urging the public to not light any fires or carry out any spark/heat generating activities near vegetation.
“Under these extreme conditions, one spark can start a fire that will spread rapidly, be extremely difficult to control, and potentially cause significant damage.”
Nick Pyatt also reminds everyone who has lit a fire in the last two months to physically check it’s extinguished by raking through the ashes.
“Do not leave it to chance. If you’re not sure, apply plenty of water to the area. Reignition of old burns is a common cause of wildfires and is preventable.”
The fire risk is likely to remain very high over coming weeks in the Southern Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa due to continuing strong north-westerly winds and little to no rain forecast.
Visit www.checkitsalright.nz to stay up to date on the conditions and seek safety advice.
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Climate News – Earth Sciences NZ Hotspot Watch 9 Jan 2026

Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand

A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
Recent rainfall and current soil moisture conditions:
In the North Island, rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 mm were observed along interior parts of southern Northland and Auckland, the Waikato, portions of the western Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, northern Hawke’s Bay, the central plateau, with pockets of 50 to 100 mm of rain in the Waikato, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay about Wairoa. Elsewhere, 10 to 30 mm of rain fell in Taranaki, southern Hawke’s Bay, and portions of the Manawatū. The remainder of the North Island generally observed less than 10 mm of rainfall over the past week, with some locations recording no rain. Soil moisture decreased across the Wellington-Wairarapa region, most of the Manawatu, Taranaki, the west and south of Hawke’s Bay, and in the Coromandel Peninsula. Soil moisture increased moderately across Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay north of Napier. Elsewhere, soil moisture either remained the same or saw a slight increase across the North Island. The wettest soils for this time to year across the North Island, when compared to normal, are located in Gisborne and northern Hawke’s Bay. The driest soils, when compared to normal for this time of year, are found in the Far North.
There are currently hotspots in the Far North about Cape Reinga, about Whanganui, in interior southern Hawke’s Bay, and a small hotspot in the Wairarapa in the foothills of the Tararua Range. As of 5 January, the New Zealand Drought Index (NZDI) map shows that abnormally dry conditions are currently found in southern Hawke’s Bay and the Far North.
In the South Island, 25 to 50 mm of rain fell across the lower West Coast and Fiordland, while the remainder of the South Island recorded 25 mm or less of rain over the last seven days, with many locations recording no rainfall. Soil moisture saw moderate decreases across the entire South Island over the past week. The driest soils in the South Island, when compared to normal for this time of the year, are located about Invercargill, while the wettest soils for this time of the year are found in Fiordland and the lower West Coast.
There are currently hotspots in coastal North Otago, about Invercargill and Bluff in Southland, and about Nelson city and Richmond in the Tasman District. As of 5 January, the New Zealand Drought Index (NZDI) map shows that abnormally dry conditions are currently found in small parts of coastal Canterbury.
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Road freight industry warns tolling existing roads will undermine public support

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Road freight association Transporting New Zealand is urging the Government to remove provisions in the Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill that would allow existing roads to be tolled and enable heavy vehicles to be forced onto toll roads. Submissions on the Bill closed this week.
Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says that they support tolling when it helps deliver new infrastructure sooner, but the Bill’s proposed expansion into “corridor tolling” of existing roads risks being seen as double charging.
“Road users have already paid for existing roads through fuel taxes, road user charges, registration fees and general taxation. Tolling existing roads will be seen as double dipping,” Kalasih says.
Transporting New Zealand told the Transport and Infrastructure Committee in its written submission that tolling should be reserved for new roads, where users can see a clear benefit from paying a toll, such as improved travel times, safety and resilience.
“Tolling has an important role to play in delivering safe, modern roading infrastructure. In the past 18 months we have submitted in support of tolling Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass, Ōtaki to North of Levin State Highway Project, Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and Takitimu North Link.”
“However, the current Bill would allow existing roads that have their ‘efficiency enhanced’ by a construction of a new road to be included in a tolling scheme. The drafting is deliberately broad, and leaves Transporting New Zealand with serious concerns about what existing roads we could see proposed for tolling.”
The submission also opposes proposals that would allow the Minister to prohibit heavy vehicles from using alternative routes in favour of tolled roads.
“Freight companies are already highly motivated to use faster, safer routes because time is money. Existing toll roads show that heavy vehicles largely use toll roads without any need for a mandate,” Kalasih says.
“Operators and drivers are in the best position to decide what route to take. There are legitimate reasons why an alternative route may be the better fit for a particular job, including fuel use, gradient, rest and refreshment facilities, and route efficiency.”
The Bill allows for freight deliveries and trucks travelling to premises located on alternative routes to occur. However, Transporting New Zealand says the proposal would create a significant compliance burden and it will be difficult for Police to identify trucks not travelling on those routes for bona fide reasons.
Transporting New Zealand has recommended corridor tolling and the power to restrict heavy vehicles from using alternative routes be removed from the Bill. If the Bill proceeds with route restrictions, Transporting New Zealand says heavy vehicle toll rates should be capped at no more than three times the light vehicle rate, to limit unreasonable fee setting.
While opposing the Bill’s tolling reforms, Transporting New Zealand supports the Bill’s Road User Charges modernisation package, including changes that will enable greater use of technology, more flexible payment options, and the removal of the requirement to display a RUC label.
“These RUC changes will reduce unnecessary administration and compliance costs for transport operators and motorists, and support the transition toward a universal RUC system over time,” Kalasih says.
Transporting New Zealand has asked officials to clarify how the Bill will apply to in-vehicle telematics and whether intermediary service providers are captured within the RUC provider framework.
The Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee will consider submissions ahead of the Bill’s second reading. 
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Fire and Emergency received calls for 22 incidents during today’s strike

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received calls for 22 incidents between 12pm and 1pm today, Friday 9 January, the eighth time the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) has taken strike action.
Of these, 12 incidents were in areas impacted by the strike.
Of these five were fire alarms that did not result in a fire. There were three notifications of fire by members of the public that did not result in a fire and one request from police for assistance which did not require our attendance.
One was a small shed fire that was extinguished by the owner, before volunteer crews arrived to ensure the fire was out. We were also notified of a burn pile that was being safely managed by the landowner.
There was also a significant fire in a commercial premises in Pakuranga. Fire and Emergency were first notified of the fire around 12.07pm.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says, due to the location, it took 30 minutes for the nearest volunteer crews to travel to the incident.
“The nearest paid firefighter station is Mount Wellington. Following the one-hour strike they arrived on scene within four minutes.
“This is exactly why we have repeatedly asked the NZPFU to call off these strikes while we are in the process of facilitation with the Employment Relations Authority.
“As a career firefighter I am appalled to see the NZPFU use someone’s tragedy as a punch line.
“We have previously sought to establish a process to which we can call on paid firefighters for more serious incidents and the NZPFU has rebuffed us.
“The NZPFU is the one gambling with the public’s safety.
“I want to thank our 11,800 volunteers across the country, and their employers, for supporting them to respond over today’s strike hour,” she says.
“I would also like to thank our Operational Commanders and Communication Centre Managers, who contributed to the response.
“We again urge the NZPFU to call off planned one-hour strikes at 12pm on 16 and 23 January.”