New Zealand (NZ) stories
Insurers in Australia and New Zealand may gain tools for fraud checks, customer communication and injury recovery after DXC picked three startups.
Outages are detected quickly in Australia and New Zealand, but fragmented monitoring leaves teams slower to restore services across APAC.
Hundreds of educators could spend less time on paperwork as the new system automates family updates and other childcare admin tasks.
Small employers risk Fair Work disputes if AI-written policies omit key protections, BrightHR said, urging legal review before use.
Farming customers could see faster fixes as the system now handles alert triage and code changes, saving more than 215 engineering hours.
Only 15% of New Zealand businesses have an AI strategy, leaving most unable to measure returns or prepare for the next wave of tools.
Advertisers face tighter scrutiny of green claims as New Zealand's standards body sets a standalone environmental principle from February 2027.
Utilities will gain earlier warning of voltage issues and outages as Australia prepares for smart-meter rules from late 2028.
The grant will help equip a new Bell Block office for antenatal wānanga that say they are helping reduce suicide risk among new māmā.
The upgrade is expected to divert up to 8,000 tonnes of waste a year as Taupō weighs a future beyond the Mt Tauhara dump.
Up to GBP £500,000 has been set aside for an 18-month overhaul after a landslide review found warning signs were missed for years.
Homes and businesses in Awatoto should be better protected from more common floods after a 3.6km stopbank upgrade got under way.
Amberley's growing population is pushing planners to consider a community hub, bigger library and more room for businesses.
Worker trust is overtaking brand recognition as New Zealanders reward employers that offer strong leadership, fair treatment and career growth.
The telecoms group's annual revenue climbed 5.5% to USD $1.46 billion as integration costs eased and enterprise wins lifted growth.
Many New Zealanders are sharing sensitive data with chatbots despite fearing AI fakes, leaving them exposed to scams and data leaks.
The move is likely to keep rents steadier and has eased fears investors would face higher costs under Labour's tax plan.
A Dunedin man was deceived out of more than NZD $525,000 over 18 years by an Auckland woman posing as an Australian police recruit.
A second Waitematā crossing could still go ahead, though ministers have more work to do before choosing between a tunnel, bridge or other option.
The review says delayed tightening helped drive inflation to 7.3 percent, forcing sharper rate rises and weighing on growth and jobs.