Stories by Phil Pennington

Not all public agencies are sure if the algorithms they are increasingly using to make vital decisions are biased or not, according to a new review.

London's 5Rights Foundation says small countries like New Zealand should follow the likes of the Netherlands, and look to curb education technology that spies on children.

The Deputy Privacy Commissioner says crime-fighting will not be impeded by stopping police taking masses of photos of people unlawfully.

A truck driver closing his cab door was probably all it took to dislodge a dodgy handbrake, sending the vehicle down Ngauranga Gorge and fatally striking a road worker.

Despite a damning investigation, the police have not been given a directive to stop taking photos of adults in public, and they question where the line on unlawful practices has been drawn.

Documents show Waka Kotahi believed it was well placed to step into the country's $100 million-plus bitumen market in a big way.

The Transport Agency is looking at introducing a digital driver's licence people would keep on their phones.

A candid-camera style TV show from tech giant Amazon using footage from smart doorbells is raising hackles in America and raising eyebrows in New Zealand.

Briefing documents show seven foreign firms and three local ones have queued to meet the Digital Economy and Communications Minister since late 2021.

New Zealanders are paying over the odds for radiology scans compared to Australia, the UK and some other countries.

Police have been providing unreliable information to Parliament about spending of tens of millions of dollars on contractors and consultants.

Government health reforms are one reason for the rapid expansion in radiology services in Aotearoa.

A new report warns protections to stop tech companies spying on schoolchildren appear far too weak.

Rich and powerful interests in healthcare are clashing, with each side accusing the other of putting money ahead of patient welfare.

Microsoft's three new datacentres in New Zealand will be powered by certified carbon-zero power electricity as industry leaders rush to show off their green credentials.

That "greatly undermine" their effectiveness here "particularly, the ability to achieve the necessary level of general deterrence", the report said.

Documents say the country's speed cameras were already a few years old when police put them in - and are now so ineffective they miss catching a lot of drivers.

The Transport Agency expects new speed cameras to triple the number of drivers caught, increasing from 1 million to 3 million offences a year.

Transport Agency documents say law changes could allow them to be used against more offences including tailgating, and seeing inside a car to spot drivers using cellphones or not belted in.

More than $1 billion of spending by Oranga Tamariki has been cleared by a review.

A Wellington cloud services provider says Google's claim it will offer New Zealanders complete control over their own data is not true.

New Zealand has almost 100 earthquake-prone hospital buildings, with 35 in high-risk seismic zones.

The Ministry of Transport has sent the government its advice on changing penalties and fines for motorists. There's speculation there could be more use of demerit points, or fine sizes being linked to…

The company that ran a criminal history check on him says on its website it is connected to government databases, uses facial recognition technology and can share it with recipients in the US.

Waka Kotahi is looking at whether to reconsider a trial of making space on Auckland Harbour Bridge for walkers and cyclists.