Stories by Ruth Hill
News
'I was given all these envelopes, I didn't know what was in them'
The secretive, cult-like church says its members volunteer their time to contribute to society, but an RNZ investigation has found hundreds of thousands of dollars were sent every year to a Sydney…
New Zealand gangsters forging global networks - Customs warns
New Zealand Customs says local gangs are exploiting global networks and a security expert is warning authorities should pay heed to the warning.
Ban the bottle: 100,000 people sign petition
Environmental activists have presented a petition to ban single-use plastic bottles to Parliament today, with the backing of 100,000 signatures.
Consumer advocates call for smart-meters as power network shows signs of fragility
Following today's grid emergency, consumer advocates are calling on electricity companies to put power in the hands of the people and roll out smart-meters to avoid future outages. Audio
Nearly one in three nursing students drop out before qualifying
Financial pressure, family responsibilities and other factors made worse by Covid-19 are having an impact on whether students complete their courses.
Hutt Hospital patients, nurses say local health service vital
Patients and staff could start moving out of Hutt Hospital's quake-prone main block within weeks, according to Minister of Health Andrew Little.
Fee hike for land of 'no use to anyone else' angers Wellingtonians
Wellington residents and business owners who have to pay to use their own garages are furious at the city council's proposal to double their fees.
'An open prison': Report on asylum seekers' limbo
Asylum seekers are being set up to fail by denying them access to the same rights and supports available to other refugees, advocates say.
Slavery-free chocolate won't leave bad taste in your mouth this Easter
Thousands of New Zealand kids will enjoy Easter egg hunts this weekend without knowing that many of those treats were produced by other children working in the most punishing conditions.
'It's a system failing' - report exposes crisis in literacy
Nearly one in five 15-year-olds are not meeting the lowest benchmark for reading, and a further 20 percent are only achieving at the most basic level.
'Chance for a re-set': Expert pushes for sustainable tourism
International visitors could soon be pouring across the border in similar numbers to pre-pandemic times - but that might not be a good thing, according to one tourism expert.
Most surgery deferred in capital as rising numbers of staff hit by Covid-19
Most non-urgent operations in the Wellington region have been cancelled this week due to high numbers of hospital staff falling sick with Covid-19 or being forced to isolate.
'People are really tired': Hutt Hospital faces influx of Covid patients amid staff shortages
Up to one in three patients coming through Hutt Hospital's emergency department have Covid-19, as the region's three hospitals suffer staff shortages. .
No freedom yet for Covid-19 'bunker babies'
They are known as "bunker babies" - children born during the pandemic who have spent their short lives in and out of lockdown.
Refugee sponsorship scheme sees Kiwis volunteer to help settle migrants
New Zealanders are putting their hands up to take on the job of settling refugees, through a new programme that is on top of the annual quota.
Airline passengers call for consistent policing of vaccine passes, mask use
Airline passengers fear the ad hoc approach to vaccine pass checks and inconsistent policing of mask wearing are undermining the government protection framework.
Sick, alone, far from home - Starship patients struggle in lockdown
While families who have travelled to Starship Hospital for their children's specialist treatment deal with an added stress, doctors worry about the kids missing out.
'Catch-up' surgery impossible and should be 'deleted from vocabulary' - surgeon
Orthopaedic surgeons say it may be impossible to ever "catch up" on all the operations delayed due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
'Everyone is quite clear our system is broken'
New guidelines from the WHO calling for an end to compulsory treatment for mental illness should be a wake-up call for New Zealand, mental health experts say.
Dream ticket: Surrealist masterpieces going on show at Te Papa
Te Papa is hosting New Zealand's first major exhibition of surrealist art in nearly half a century, with 180 masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen on show from Saturday.
Court ruling may call into question thousands of police warnings
Police are appealing a High Court ruling that may call into question the legal basis for more than 20,000 formal written warnings issued over the last decade.
Covid-19 vaccine: DHB launches campaign with 'Pasifika feel to it'
Capital and Coast District Health Board is on a charm offensive to combat any vaccine reluctance among the Pacific community.
'There are some pretty nasty stories' - Ex-Exclusive Brethren accuse church of tearing families apart
Former members of the Exclusive Brethren allege the secretive sect is breaking up families, putting members in isolation and attacking their livelihoods in order to maintain control.
Ex-ACT staffer says party created fake grassroots groups
Political pundits and media experts are warning that artificial grassroots organisations - nicknamed "astroturfs" - are being used to manipulate and mobilise public opinion for political gain.
Astroturfing more difficult to track down with social media - academic
Weeding out fake news and misinformation is becoming increasingly difficult in the new media environment where social media rules, an academic says.