Trust in New Zealand news has collapsed, with only 32% of Kiwis saying they trust most news most of the time, down from 53% in 2020 and now below the international average. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

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Briefing for 14 April 2025

Kiwis’ trust in news hits new low amid perceptions of political bias

Trust in New Zealand’s news media has fallen to its lowest level since AUT’s Journalism, Media and Democracy (JMAD) centre began tracking it in 2020.

According to the latest Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report, just 32% – less than one third – of New Zealanders say they trust “most of the news, most of the time.” That’s down from 53% in 2020 and now sits below the international average.

Peters slams ‘hysterical’ talk of trade war, rebukes Luxon for rushing to world leaders

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has dismissed warnings of a “trade war” as “hysterical” and “short-sighted,” taking a thinly veiled swipe at Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent diplomacy over US tariffs.

Speaking from Hawai‘i as part of a Pacific tour, Peters criticised the use of military rhetoric around international trade and said New Zealand must act with “pragmatism” and patience, not panic.

NZ gains from Trump’s global tariffs, but at a global cost

New modelling shows New Zealand stands to benefit from Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on foreign imports despite global economic losses and a sharp hit to the US economy.

Dubbed “Liberation Day” tariffs by the Trump administration, the new trade regime imposes baseline tariffs of 10% on most imports, with higher rates for some countries.

In the modelling, Vietnam faces 46%, China 54% (which seems to change almost daily), and Thailand 36%. New Zealand, by comparison, is assigned a 10% tariff – placing it among the lowest tier of affected nations.

Supreme Court reverses vaccine mandate ruling, orders $30k in costs against former NZDF personnel

The Supreme Court has overturned a Court of Appeal ruling that found the New Zealand Defence Force’s internal COVID vaccine mandate breached the Bill of Rights.

The ruling reinstated the military’s authority to discharge unvaccinated personnel and ordered four former servicemen to pay $30,000 in legal costs.

Government wants to scrap full licence test and reduce vision checks

The Government is proposing to remove New Zealand’s second practical driving test, currently required to move from a restricted to a full licence, in a bid to streamline the process, cut costs, and address licensing bottlenecks.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop says the current process is inefficient and makes New Zealand an international “outlier.”

Polkinghorne blames COVID vaccine for wife’s death

Former Auckland eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne has claimed in a new documentary that the COVID vaccine contributed to the death of his wife, Pauline Hanna, despite a jury acquitting him of her murder last year.

“She had the vaccine the day before [her death],” Polkinghorne said in footage recorded before his trial. “I think she got post-vaccine encephalitis, and she went psychotic overnight. And the literature supports that.”

Waikato-Tainui partners with Brookfield in $1b inland port expansion – details not disclosed

Waikato-Tainui has announced what it says is its largest investment since settling with the Crown 30 years ago.

The iwi entered into a joint venture with global investment firm Brookfield to further develop the Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton. The partnership’s long-term development value is forecast at more than $1 billion.