Auckland desk

Filed from the Auckland desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Sports · 2 October 2026

Warriors Move Merchandise to Manners: The Pitch Tries the Placemate

Craig Pohutukawa, Auckland desk

The NRL club has opened a retail outlet in the country’s largest shopping mall, pivoting from on-field heroics to consumer-grade nostalgia and aggressive localisation.

Business · 2 October 2026

Paws and Profits: New Zealand Farmers Put Working Dogs on the Insurance Books

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

With dairy prices on the rise and farm assets diversifying, New Zealand farmers are now treating working dogs as high‑value property, securing policies that cover everything from herding mishaps to sudden bouts of cani…

Business · 2 October 2026

IV Manufacturers Walk Off the Line, Demanding Higher Pay – Hospitals Left with Empty Syringes

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The union‑led strike by IV manufacturers in Auckland has left hospitals scrambling for supplies, as low wages push workers to pay to travel to the factory, sparking a potential nationwide shortage of essential medical…

Business · 2 October 2026

Auckland Homebuyers Still Blind to Risk: Only 57% Check Natural Hazard Info

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

A new study finds that just over half of Auckland homebuyers ignore natural‑hazard data when buying property – leaving many with a potential future disaster on their doorstep.

Business · 2 October 2026

SolarZero’s Sun‑Shed: Liquidators Blaze a Trail of Debt

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Grant Thornton has opened a court case against four former SolarZero directors to recover an estimated $476 m owed to creditors, casting a long shadow over the company’s once‑glowing future.

Business · 2 October 2026

Foodstuffs Fights Back as Review Calls for Split Model, Milk May Not Be the Only Thing Divided

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

A government review that suggested dividing Foodstuffs into separate regional chains has met fierce opposition from the retailer, sparking a debate over whether a split would actually improve or just complicate the New Z…

Business · 2 October 2026

National's Plan to Turn Kiwibank Into a 'Local‑Money Monster' Stirs Speculation

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The National Party is pushing a new model for Kiwibank that mixes government stakes with private local capital, a scheme that promises a win‑win for the community but may simply become a cash‑cow for investors.

Business · 1 October 2026

Greens' $4.5 B Pay‑Equity Bill Leaves Banks in a Tangled Conundrum

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The Green Party has pledged a $4.5 billion settlement to reinstate pay equity for 65,000 care workers, a move that could ripple through the banking sector and pension funds.

Sports · 1 October 2026

Senator Schmitt’s Perjury Play Turns into a Game of Mis‑Memories

Craig Pohutukawa, Auckland desk

GOP Senator Eric Schmitt tried to expose DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith as a perjurer over a Hawks‑Warriors game attendance claim – but evidence proved the prosecutor had indeed watched the match, turning the senator…