New Zealand small businesses say they have run out of options a year after a government minister intervened to help firms wrongly suspended from Meta's platforms. Owners report that getting a fair, transparent appeal from the company remains difficult despite that intervention. The complaints add to global frustration with Big Tech's opaque account-suspension and appeals processes.

Residents in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia are organizing against a proposed artificial intelligence data centre, drawing backing from opposition political parties. Locals say they intend to pursue every legal avenue available to block a formal development application. The dispute reflects growing community pushback worldwide over the land, water and power demands of new AI infrastructure.

New Zealand's Bathurst Resources has resubmitted its application to expand coal mining on the Denniston Plateau through the government's fast-track approvals process, after an earlier bid was rejected. The company says it has addressed concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Authority.

Western Australian police say new details about the prime suspect in the 1994 murder of Perth jeweller Pamela Lawrence have prompted United Kingdom detectives to reopen several cold cases. Simon Rochford has long been named as the suspect. British authorities are now examining whether he is linked to unsolved killings there.

New Zealand fund manager Milford has lost its top ranking among KiwiSaver growth funds after a decade at the top, as a global sell-off in technology stocks weighed on its performance. The shift reflects broader market jitters over high valuations in artificial intelligence-related shares. Rival providers with lighter tech exposure moved up the latest performance tables.

Australia's Queensland Land Court has approved Whitehaven Coal's proposed $1 billion mine expansion, rejecting a legal challenge from a conservation group. The ruling clears a major regulatory hurdle for the project in the state's coal-rich Bowen Basin. Whitehaven can now proceed toward final government approvals.

Westpac New Zealand cut one of its fixed-term home loan rates, joining a wider retreat in mortgage pricing among the country's major banks.

New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra lifted its farmgate milk price forecast midpoint by 25 cents, citing firmer global demand for milk powder.

New Greens leader David Shoebridge told the National Press Club he would pursue a weekly tax cut worth 21 dollars plus a welfare boost, funded partly by higher returns from the resources sector.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to raise its official cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.0 percent, despite earlier signalling a pause. It would mark a third straight increase and the highest level in a year.

New Zealand start-ups are attracting larger investments during a period of record growth, according to the Young Company Finance report. Early-stage deals at the proof-of-concept and pre-seed stages are also rebounding.

Australian energy company Woodside is exiting its stake in the long-delayed Greater Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea. An analyst says China is well placed to step in and help Timor-Leste develop the field.

Sunergise has bought engineering firm Infratec from Hamilton-based lines company WEL Networks, aiming to take on larger renewable energy projects.

A national gas reservation bill before Australia's federal parliament could let the biggest driver of high domestic prices escape its restrictions, experts warn.

Defence personnel at Sydney's historic Victoria Barracks are preparing for a Christmas eviction as NSW's premier urges the sale to be reversed.

Australian small businesses are falling further behind on payments as inflation, high interest rates and new regulations collide.

Safety investigators say controller fatigue was a risk factor in a Sydney Airport near-miss between Virgin and Qantas jets.

The airline's Auckland service becomes the first international flight to touch down at Sydney's new western airport ahead of its full opening.

South Australia's premier has referred the state's largest infrastructure project, the AU$15 billion Torrens upgrade, to the state's anti-corruption watchdog over fears outlaw motorcycle gangs may have infiltrated its contracting. The referral puts fresh scrutiny on oversight of major public works spending.

NEXTDC's chief executive will forgo his entire fiscal 2027 bonus after the Australian data-centre operator cut its earnings guidance and delayed a facility expansion. The move comes as operators building capacity for the AI boom face rising costs and execution pressure.