62,000 Kiwis Are Earning Income That Doesn't Fit Any Official Category
A mystery income stream affecting 62,000 New Zealanders has collapsed by 61% since 2019. The taxable earnings that don't fit Stats NZ's classifications tell a story about gig work, side hustles, and what we've lost in five years.
Youth Court Just Doubled Its Use of Rehab Programs — But They're Still Rare
While politicians argue over whether to be tougher or softer on young offenders, Youth Court judges quietly increased rehabilitation orders by 75% in 2024. The catch? They're still only using them in 84 cases nationwide.
Rotorua's Food Prices Just Halved Overnight — At Least on Paper
While the government unveils its first infrastructure plan, Stats NZ data shows Rotorua's food price index dropped from 15,317 to 7,683 in a single year. The catch? It's a measurement change, not a miracle.
Someone Dies at Work in New Zealand Every 28 Hours
While storm cleanup crews work around the clock in Wairarapa and Rangitikei, workplace death data shows what puts responders — and all workers — at risk. Fatal injuries have barely budged in five years.
Why Are Wages Growing Fastest in the Industry We All Thought Was Dying?
While Contact Energy posts record profits and tourism rebounds, the real wage story is hiding in plain sight: information and telecommunications workers are earning more than ever — but inflation tells a darker truth.
Why Are We Sentencing More Young People as Adults Than Ever Before?
While politicians debate court processes, youth court data reveals a stark reality: we're now handing down 111% more adult sentences to young offenders than before COVID. The question nobody's asking is why.
Families in Rural North Island Are Paying $15,443 a Year for Food — Here's Why It Hurts More Than the Cities
While the country debates infrastructure spending, households outside the main centres are quietly bearing the highest cost-of-living burden. The latest grocery data reveals what policy announcements don't mention.
ACC Claims Hit Record High While Storm-Hit Communities Wait for Help
As Wairarapa and Rangitikei struggle with storm damage, ACC data reveals a darker backdrop: serious workplace injuries reached 400,836 last year — the highest in 24 years of records. Seven years of consecutive increases, and no signs of slowing.
One Million Kiwis Now Get ACC Payments — Double What It Was a Generation Ago
In 2000, half a million New Zealanders received ACC income support. Today it's 1.1 million — and that's before adjusting for inflation. Here's what two decades of injury data reveals about how we work and live.
Youth Homicide Cases Doubled in 2024 — And Nobody's Talking About It
While the government unveils its infrastructure plan, youth court data shows homicide and related offences at their highest level in 27 years. The 246 cases in 2024 represent a surge nobody saw coming.
South Island Food Bills Hit $15,305 — But Inflation Means You're Actually Spending Less
While the government unveils its infrastructure plan, South Island households face a confusing reality: grocery bills have jumped $2,796 since 2020, yet adjusted for inflation, families are actually buying less food than they were five years ago.
Māori Workplace Injuries Dropped 55% Since 2021 — Here's What Changed
While storms devastate communities, a quieter shift has been happening in workplaces. Serious injuries to Māori workers have plummeted from 75,000 three years ago to under 33,000 today.
New Zealand's Peak Earning Years Are Paying $100k Less Than They Used To
While Contact Energy posts record profits, data reveals that Kiwis aged 45-49 — traditionally the highest earners — saw their total taxable income drop by $100 million in a year. The generation that should be at its financial peak is sliding backwards.
Youth Sexual Assault Cases Drop to 30-Year Low While Crime Panic Peaks
Sexual assault and related offences in youth court fell to 351 cases in 2024 — the lowest since 1994. It's a 28% drop in four years, even as politicians campaign on youth crime spiralling out of control.
Auckland Families Spend $15,553 a Year on Groceries — But That Buys Less Than Ever
The average Auckland household now spends over $15,500 annually on food. But with inflation running at 20-25% since 2019, that money doesn't go nearly as far as the raw numbers suggest.
The Quiet Epidemic: Why 10,000 Kiwi Workers Now Develop Compression Injuries Every Year
While storms dominate headlines, a slower disaster is unfolding in New Zealand workplaces. Compression syndrome cases have jumped 40% since 2020 — and nobody's talking about it.
Business Deaths Just Hit an All-Time High — 836,000 in a Single Year
While tourists pour back in and energy companies report record profits, New Zealand businesses are closing at the fastest rate ever recorded. In 2025, more than 836,000 businesses died — up 56,000 from last year.
Youth Traffic Offences Just Hit Their Lowest Point in Three Decades
While politicians debate infrastructure investment, youth court data reveals something nobody's talking about: young people are committing fewer traffic offences than at any point since records began in 1992.
Whanganui's Food Prices Appear to Halve — But Something's Wrong with the Numbers
While communities across New Zealand battle storm damage and infrastructure gaps, Stats NZ data shows Whanganui's food price index inexplicably plummeting from 15,641 to 7,798 in a single year. The numbers don't match reality.
New Zealand's Oldest Workers Are Now Three Times Safer Than a Decade Ago
Serious workplace injuries among workers aged 90 and over have plummeted from 28,491 in 2021 to 12,225 in 2024. It's the lowest level in 19 years — but the drop reveals something unexpected about who's still working in their tenth decade.
Self-Employment Hit a Four-Year High — Then Collapsed by 100,000 in One Year
While Parliament debates employment law changes, the data shows something dramatic already happened: New Zealand lost nearly 100,000 self-employed workers between 2023 and 2024 — the sharpest drop since records began.
Why Are Youth Drug Offences Down 50% While Court Cases Make Headlines?
While an 18-year romance scam dominates the courts today, youth drug offences have quietly collapsed to their lowest level in decades. The numbers tell a story nobody's shouting about.
The Rest of the South Island Just Spent $15,380 on Groceries — Five Years Ago It Was $12,464
In five years, the average household outside Canterbury and Otago has seen food costs jump 23%. But adjust for inflation, and families are actually buying less food than they were before COVID.
The Youngest Workers Had the Worst Safety Record — Until Now
While storms dominate headlines, workplace injury data reveals something remarkable: young Kiwis aged 15-29 are now safer at work than they've been in 24 years. The number of serious injuries has dropped 63% since 2020.
Someone Opened a Business in New Zealand Every 10 Minutes Last Year
While Contact Energy reported record profits and tourists flooded back in, 914,266 new businesses launched across NZ in 2025 — the lowest number in five years. Here's what that drop really means.
Courts Are Fining Young Offenders Less Than Ever — Here's Why That Matters
While politicians debate youth crime policy, one court response has quietly collapsed. Monetary penalties for young offenders have fallen 40% in four years — the lowest in three decades.
Timaru's Food Costs Halved Overnight — But the Data Tells a Different Story
While the government unveils its infrastructure plan, Stats NZ data shows Timaru's food price index plummeting from 15,445 to 7,836 in a single year. The explanation reveals how tricky official numbers can be.
Kiwis Approaching Retirement Are Half as Likely to Get Seriously Hurt at Work
While storms batter communities and headlines fixate on crises, workplace safety data tells a quieter story: serious injuries among workers aged 55-59 have plummeted 54% since 2020. For a generation that can't afford to stop working, that's the good news nobody's talking about.
Why Are Wellington Families Spending $15,246 on Food When Wages Aren't Keeping Up?
Wellington households now spend $15,246 annually on groceries — up 23% in just four years. But with inflation running at 20-25% since 2019, this isn't just expensive. It's a pay cut disguised as a price rise.
Why Are Young Kiwis Getting Hurt at Work Half as Often as Four Years Ago?
While storm-hit communities wait for help, one crisis has been quietly disappearing. Serious workplace injuries among under-30s have dropped 59% since 2020 — the lowest rate in a generation.