Merry Christmas Comrades – Peace on Earth and goodwill to all pronouns from the Team at The Daily Blog

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau criticized Prime Minister Christopher Luxon for calling the lack of a city or regional deal in the Wellington region "lame," stating that councils are focused on water reform first. Whanau believes Luxon targeted Wellington because the city did not vote for him, and she emphasized the importance of fairness in addressing criticism of the city's actions and decisions. Despite political pressures, Whanau remains committed to delivering a comprehensive regional deal on...

Christopher Luxon, before becoming Prime Minister, emphasized the importance of India as a growing economic and strategic power. As a business executive at Unilever, Luxon spent time in India, which is now the world's most populous country and fifth largest economy, on track to become the third. Luxon's experience in India has likely shaped his understanding and approach towards the country's significance in global affairs. Full Article

An autobiographical theatre show portrays Jodee Mundy's experience as a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) and the challenges she faced navigating a world designed for the hearing. Raised in a deaf family, Mundy often served as an intermediary between her family and the hearing world, noticing the disparities in treatment. Through a combination of live performance and video installation, Mundy effectively communicates her story to both deaf and hearing audiences, shedding light on the unique...

Ford New Zealand introduces the Everest Tremor SUV, expanding its popular lineup with enhanced off-road capabilities, maintaining towing capacity and on-road comfort. The vehicle features a 3.0L V6 turbo diesel engine, Bilstein dampers, General Grabber AT3 tires, Rock Crawl Drive Mode, and rugged exterior design. The interior boasts Tremor-embossed leather seats, ebony accents, and all-weather mats, available in Command Grey, Meteor Grey, Arctic White, and Absolute Black from June 2025. Full Article

Ashburton's mayor stated that the council will not be participating in legal action against the government's speed limit increases, as they are already in discussions with NZTA and making progress on addressing speed limit changes in the district. A safe transport advocacy group, Movement, is seeking an injunction to halt the speed limit reversals and has filed for a judicial review of the Minister of Transport's decision on the Land Transport Rule. NZTA has been...

A crash between two cars and multiple cattle on State Highway 1 near Dunedin has led to traffic being reduced to one lane as emergency services clean up the scene. Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews from Palmerston and Hampden responded to the collision at around 9.10pm, where a car struck cattle on the road before hitting another vehicle. Despite the chaos, no human injuries were reported, and authorities worked to clear the road for...