Brendon McCullum Wins Halberg Leadership Award
Brendon McCullum has been awarded the Halberg Leadership Award. “As a leader, he has inspired a whole deal of pride in his team and has taken his country to unprecedented heights,” writes Rishad Dsouza…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Richie McCaw and Lydia Ko Win New Zealander of Year Awards
Richie McCaw and Lydia Ko have been honoured at the New Zealander of the Year Awards. McCaw was voted ‘New Zealander of the Year’, while golfer Lydia Ko was named ‘Young New Zealander of…
New Zealand Sky-High Trapeze Act in World Record Bid
Anna Cochrane, a New Zealand paramedic, has performed a static trapeze act while suspended on a hot air balloon at an altitude of more than 3,000m, in a bid to break the world record,…
New Zealand Wins ‘Top Country in the World’ Award Voted by British Travellers
With a satisfaction rating of 97 per cent, New Zealand has been ranked as number one country for the second year in succession by 2900 readers of Wanderlust, the UK’s leading travel magazine. “This award…
Meeting Marlon Williams
“It seems as though Marlon Williams is a storyteller, first and foremost. There’s a character who lives within the fluidity of each song he sings, driven by every cord he strums,” writes Daniel Harris…
New Zealand’s Most Beautiful Pools
“New Zealand inspires all those, who want to get away from cold weather to have a nice break from everything,” according to the Austrian travel magazine tip-online. One way to do that is…
Pania of the Reef a Story to Travel
“About 85 per cent of New Zealand’s Maori population live on the country’s North Island, and visitors who want to learn more about the culture of the country’s indigenous people don’t have to look…
Standing Ovation for Gemma New in Ontario
Conductor Gemma New made her long-awaited mainstage debut in Ontario as the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music director, receiving a standing ovation from a huge crowd. Classical music writer for the Hamilton Spectator Leonard Turnevicius…
Owls Do Cry Continues to Astonish 60 Years On
The “modern masterpiece” Owls Do Cry, written by New Zealand author Janet Frame in 1957, “about siblings struggling with money, health and grief still has the power to unnerve and astonish,” writes Claire Hazelton…
Lonely Lingerie Features in the New York Times
New Zealand-based label Lonely Lingerie, which was founded by Helene Morris in 2009, is profiled in the New York Times. Launched as a small partnership between Morris and collaborator Steve Ferguson, Lonely calls itself…
Lydia Ko Wins New Zealand Open
Lydia Ko has won the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open for the third time “on a remarkable day that began with a 5.7 magnitude earthquake rattling Christchurch” and “prevailed playing through what the Ladies…
Gin Wigmore Making Music at Home in California
“There are singers, and there’s Gin Wigmore,” according to Billboard. “The New Zealand-born, Los Angeles-based artist’s raw, bluesy voice is so distinctive, some pundits are convinced it’s only a matter of time before the…
Rob Bryers and Beefy Blake on a Sporting Odyssey
Meet Aucklander Rob Bryers (pictured right) and Welshman Kieren “Beefy” Blake, two blokes crossing the globe to see a different sport for every day of the year, revelling in the Olympic Games as much…
iZombie Star Rose McIver a Role Model for Fans
Rose McIver, the New Zealand actress who plays crime-solving zombie, Liv Moore, says the character has become an unlikely role model for many fans, which may explain why iZombie has been ratings gold for…
Finola Dwyer Wins Bafta
Irish emigrant saga Brooklyn, which was produced by New Zealander Finola Dwyer, was named best British picture on Sunday at the British Academy Film Awards. “The British awards, known as BAFTAs, are considered a portent…
Banking Boss Ross McEwan Still up for the Fight
The Royal Bank of Scotland boss, New Zealander Ross McEwan tells the Telegraph about how the bank is helping UK’s small businesses and why trust is important. Opening a new business start-up “hub” on the…
Guardian Rates Uplifting Marlon Williams Debut
Marlon Williams’ self-titled debut album is described as “delicious, oddly uplifting misery”, in a review written by Michael Hann for the Guardian. “It’s hard to work out quite how the album from the young New…
Kim Casali’s Love Is An Inspiration
Auckland-born Kim Casali created the syndicated cartoon feature Love Is…, originally as notes to her future husband, in the late 1960s. As well, in one of the world’s first cases, Casali gave birth to…
Francis Upritchard Opens Her East London Home
In the commune-esque home of New Zealand-born artist Francis Upritchard and her husband, Italian designer Martino Gamper, the colourful trappings of life and work are uniquely integrated. The New York Times is invited into…
NZ Happy Chickens Farm Video Goes Viral
“A video from a farm in New Zealand, Otaika Valley Free Range Eggs, has been making the rounds on social media in recent days, and it’s easy to see why,” writes Stephen Messenger…
A Conversation with Simon Denny
Simon Denny has had a stellar year. The Berlin-based artist had his first significant United States museum solo show with MoMA PS1 presenting The Innovator’s Dilemma, he represented New Zealand at the 56th Venice Biennale…
New Zealand Movie at 2016 Berlin Film Festival
The New Zealand movie Mahana/The Patriarch is one of the ten movies at the 66th Berlin Film Festival The Guardian is most looking forward to. The Patriarch, set in the 1960s, was shot…
Mesmerising Drone Footage of New Zealand Sheep
An aerial photographer and qualified pilot has captured some truly mesmerising footage of hundreds of sheep being herded in New Zealand as reported in The Daily Mail. The video shows hordes of sheep…
3 Epic Walks Anyone Can Do
New Zealand has an array of spectacular multi-day walks. Many of the famous tracks like Routeburn, the Rees-Dart track, the Abel-Tasman coastal track or the Milford Track need to be booked in advance, which is…
A Touch of Baz
“Few teams are having as much fun playing cricket as New Zealand, and it’s thanks in large part to Brendon McCullum,” writes Dylan Cleaver in Cricket Monthly. During McCullum’s time as a captain the team…
A Love Of All New Zealand Movies
“To the unaware, movie titles like Whale Rider and Once Were Warriors are well-made, entertaining yarns about Maoris. But to Charles Eggen, 78, they rank among his favorites — not just because they’re good…
Kakapo Genome Sequencing a Whole Lot of Help
A group of kakapo will have their genomes sequenced in the hope it will improve the birds’ genetic diversity. There are only 125 kakapo left and every one of them will have their genetic…
Stylist Lesley Martin Trims her Fashion Budget
Invercargill-born Lesley Martin, 61, who is a network stylist for Australia’s SBS, set herself a task to spend nothing on clothes for a year and record her 365 days of outfits, posting the images…
Drone Captures Beautiful New Zealand Views
An Emirates and Boeing-sponsored video series filmed by drones has captured beautiful footage of Milford Sound, our spectacular mountain ranges and Wellington’s harbour. As well as the islands’ increasingly famous natural scenery, those who wish…
Finola Dwyer Building on Success of Brooklyn
Celebrating six BAFTA nominations and three Oscar nominations, Wildgaze Films duo Wellington-born Finola Dwyer and Briton Amanda Posey look back at Brooklyn’s journey and ahead to their future slate and ambitions. Brooklyn was launched at…
Introducing Food Creative Frankie de Vorms
With a background in fine art, New Zealand-born Frankie de Vorms’ sweet treats not only taste divine – they’re objects of beauty, according to journalist Alice Ryan who calls into de Vorms’ Cambridge kitchen…
Michael Anderson Takes a Fresh Look at Buffalo
New Zealand-born architect Michael Anderson never thought he would call Buffalo, in New York State home, but after four years at university there in the late 90s, something started to grow on him. At 6’8,…
Michael Long Wins Vic Open with Magic Shot
Cromwell-born former PGA Tour professional Michael Long said he could not have hit the incredible chip shot that won him this year’s Vic Open if he had another 99 tries. Long admitted he thought he…
Megan Gale a Model Tourism NZ Cycling Ambassador
Australian model, actor and television presenter Megan Gale, 40, once helped promote Australia to Italy on travel show Getaway, now she will use her Maori heritage to help endear New Zealand to the world. Gale…
Two Great Reasons to Visit Martinborough
New Zealand’s most expensive wine, Marie Zelie Reserve Pinot Noir 2010 is one good reason to visit Martinborough Vineyards, Wharekauhau Lodge is another, says the Telegraph’s Victoria Moore. “Price alone wouldn’t be enough to make…
Jane Carter Makes University of Illinois History
Aucklander Jane Carter is the Great Lakes Valley Conference Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Year, which is, according to the State Journal-Register, “perhaps the greatest individual accomplishment in the seven-year National Collegiate Athletic Association…
Marlon Williams Brings Honey Back to the Bees
“If there’s anyone who proves that singer-songwriters don’t need a Nashville or Memphis address to make authentic, arresting country music, it’s 25-year-old crooner Marlon Williams,” Village Voice music editor Lindsey Rhoades says. “Growing…
New Zealand More Popular Than Ever For Visitors
New data shows that more people than ever are visiting New Zealand, as reported on ExpatForum.com. In December 2015 visitor arrivals reached 444,900 – 3.13 million in the December 2015 year. Australia contributed 1.33 million…
Iconic New Zealand Lodge Introduces ‘Estate to Plate’ Culinary Safari
Rotorua’s iconic wilderness luxury lodge Treetops Estate is promoting a new premium food experience styled as ‘The Estate to Plate Safari’, as reported in an article on Robb Report. The safari begins with…
New Zealand Unemployment Drops to 6-Year Low
New Zealand’s unemployment rate has plummeted to 5.3% – in the fourth quarter of the year – which is a six-year low. “Although the number of employed people has risen, there was also growth in…
New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay Boasts Fine Dining, Wines
“Napier is home to restaurants that rival some of Europe’s finest and to robust reds and complex chardonnays that have put New Zealand on the world’s wine map,” writes Liza Weisstuch, who travelled through…
New Zealand One of The World’s Most Generous Nations
New Zealand is the country with the second highest rate of charitable donations as a percentage gross domestic product (GDP) according to a new report released by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). Charitable giving by…
More People Moving from Australia to New Zealand Than Vice Versa
The long-existing friendly rivalry between Australia and New Zealand was complicated over the past few decades “by the fact that many New Zealanders moved to Australia in search of jobs and other opportunities”, writes Adam…
5 Must-Visit Places in New Zealand
“New Zealand has proven a popular destination for Malaysians be it making a Lord of the Rings pilgrimage to Hobbiton or getting an adrenaline rush from a variety of adventure sports”, according to an…
New Zealand Top Women’s World Rankings
New Zealand’s Black Ferns have been ranked #1 on the first rankings for women’s Test rugby. “It’s a positive step for one of the fastest growing team sports in the world, as it brings parity…
Auckland Ranked World’s #4 Most Cosmopolitan City
Auckland has been identified as the world’s fourth most cosmopolitan city in the 2015 World Migration Report from the International Organisation for Migration. Only Dubai (83%), Brussels (62%) and Toronto (46%) have larger…
David Farrier’s Doco Tickled a Hit with Critics
New investigative documentary, the “engrossing” Tickled, co-directed by New Zealanders David Farrier and Dylan Reeve, has received rave reviews from critics and punters after its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Farrier and Dylan Reeve’s…
Decorated WWII Fighter Pilot Keith Thiele
Squadron Leader Keith Thiele, who has died in Sydney aged 94, was decorated four times as a bomber and a fighter pilot and was one of only four New Zealand-born airmen to earn three…
First Things First in Planet’s Adventure Mecca
Braving the 16-hour flight from Los Angeles to New Zealand is easy, according to Outside Magazine, but the hard part is sorting through the overwhelming number of possibilities crammed into the two islands. Outside…
Ukulele Orchestra Strums up Fans in US
Andy Morley-Hall is a member of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, an eight-piece band that combines high-energy ukulele covers of classic pop and rock songs by the likes of Blondie, Cyndi Lauper and Salt-N-Pepa…
Thor director Taika Waititi an Indie Powerhouse
“As a director, got an impeccable ability to balance painful earnestness with biting humour,” Angela Watercutter writes for WIRED. “And as a comedy writer and actor, he produces jokes that land…
Photographer Robin Hammond Speaks on Conflict
New Zealand-born Robin Hammond is one of six photographers featured in a series called Conflict, which explores the testimonies of professional conflict photographers and looks at how they engage with and seek to understand…
Queen of Eyewear Karen Walker Spearheads New Range
“The reigning queen of cult eyewear, Karen Walker, is back with another sunglasses collection, and yes – the lookbook is just as adorable and the styles are just as lustworthy as we’ve come to…
Matt Jenke Google Maps the Great Walks
Aucklander Matt Jenke has helped put some of the country’s top tramping tracks on the Google map, completing seven of the nine Great Walks wearing a Google Street View Trekker, a wearable backpack outfitted…
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is Perfectly Balanced
Taika Waititi’s film adaptation of Barry Crump’s Wild Pork and Watercress, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, is a “deliciously good time at the movies,” according to…
New Zealand: Best of South Island
“It was a dream come true,” writes Lynette Tan in a post about her 3-week trip around the South Island of New Zealand. “New Zealand is an exceptional place to travel to for…
