New Zealand Daily, Auckland (2026)

05/06/2026

ACCUSATIONS: Kiwi clothing brand Huffer is under fire after being accused of using AI to recreate the likenesses of former models in a new advertising campaign.

The controversy emerged after model Elijah Timmins-Scanlon claimed AI-generated images used by the brand closely resembled him despite him not participating in the campaign.

“I first came across the images when I was scrolling through Instagram ... and then I see an ad pop up of an image that looked like me,” he said.

He said he thought the image could be him, or his brother, also a model. The model says he zoomed in, thought it was neither of them and then began to suspect it was AI-generated.

Timmins-Scanlon told the NZ Herald the images were “pretty clearly” based on his appearance, raising questions about consent and use of AI in advertising.

Other models have come forward and alleged the campaign featured AI-generated characters that appeared to replicate the faces and features of people who had previously worked with the company.

Huffer managing director Kate Berry denies that the image, highlighted by Timmins-Scanlon, was generated using the model’s likeness.

“No faces of our models have been changed other than in normal computer-assisted design.

05/06/2026

WAGE GAP: Minimum wage full-time workers in Australia will soon be making $13,000 more than minimum wage full-time workers in New Zealand, with their wage increasing to $63,000 a year.

From July the minimum wage in Australia will rise to A$26.44 an hour (NZ$32.02), and minimum award workers will get a 4.75 per cent pay increase under the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review.

The pay increase significantly trumps New Zealand’s minimum wage which rose 1.9 per cent to $23.95 an hour on April 1 ($49,816 a year).

This comes as more Kiwis decide to leave home shores to cross the ditch with the lure of higher wages, more opportunities and better weather.

Most recent figures show 48,000 Kiwis moved to Australia in the year ending June 2025.

04/06/2026

SPILT THE TEA: Two women, aged 21 and 22 have been charged after Customs officers allegedly seized 39kg of m**h disguised as tea.

The pair were flagged at Wellington Airport over the weekend after they arrived on a flight from Malaysia.

A luggage search found 18 foil packets of branded tea, individually vacuum sealed and wrapped in towels.

Tests returned a positive result for m**hamphetamine.

Customs said the seizure had an estimated street value of $13 million.

Central and Southern Airports manager Brittany Small said the case showed how young Kiwis were being “lured and exploited into dangerous criminal activity”.

“This is not a shortcut to riches. This is a surefire way to change the trajectory of your life – risking your freedom, your future, and to end up spending your best years in jail,” she said.

04/06/2026

ICONIC MEET UP: All Whites defender and new World Cup icon Tim Payne has finally met the influencer behind his new found viral fame.

Payne is now the second-most followed Kiwi athlete on Instagram only behind former UFC champion Israel Adesanya.

The 32-year-old went viral after Argentine football content creator El Scarso, whose real name is Valen Scarsini, posted a video about the defender wanting to make him the “main character” of this year’s Fifa World Cup.

At the time, Payne only 4000 but after just a week and a half, Payne is close to hitting the five million mark.

Payne and Scarsini met in Miami, following New Zealand’s 4-0 defeat to Haiti.

“My friend!” Scarsini said as he rushed in to give Payne a hug.

“Thank you for everything,” Payne said.

The pair then discussed Payne’s newfound fame and the impact Scarsini has had on New Zealand football.

“I didn’t know what to feel, you know? Because it’s so foreign to me,” Payne said.

“Like, still processing, you know? But it’s amazing and I appreciate you doing it for me,” he added.

“It’s obviously good for myself and New Zealand football too, you know?

“So it puts a light on us, which is a positive thing, but at the same time, for me, I don’t change.

Payne also congratulated Scarsini on hitting one million followers on Instagram before both suggested they could visit Argentina and New Zealand at some point.

03/06/2026

SUS: Police are treating a fire at Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s electorate office as suspicious.

Emergency services were called to the office on Millhouse Drive in Northpark, Auckland, early on Wednesday after reports of a fire at the rear of the building.

Detective Inspector Karen Bright, of Counties Manukau CIB, said emergency services responded to reports of a small fire at the rear of the electoral office.

“The fire was extinguished quickly by Fire and Emergency New Zealand,” Bright said.

“We are treating the circumstances as suspicious, and investigations will be ongoing.”

02/06/2026

CREEPY CRAWLY: A biosecurity investigation has been prompted after a video showing what appears to be a live scorpion was posted online.

The creature was found at a property in Waimauku, northwest of Auckland, with the homeowner capturing footage and photographs before reporting the discovery.

The Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed it was investigating the sighting and working to identify the animal to determine whether it is an exotic species.

In a statement, Nick Ward, MPI Manager Biosecurity Surveillance (plant health) said scorpions occasionally enter New Zealand as “hitch-hiker pests” and are considered a low biosecurity risk.

The homeowner said he initially believed the animal was a large spider before noticing its pincers and distinctive curved tail.

Sightings of scorpions in New Zealand are rare. In 2002, a dead scorpion was found on the floor of a Hamilton hotel, while in 2014, a live scorpion was found in the luggage of a person entering New Zealand at Auckland Airport.

28/05/2026

MR WORLDWIDE: An Argentine influencer has made All Whites Defender Tim Payne one of the most popular footballers on the planet.

The New Zealand and Wellington Phoenix defender has gone from 4,700 Instagram followers to over a million in just 48 hours.

The viral surge in Payne’s popularity was due to a TikTok video posted by influencer El Scarso, about Payne and trying to make him the “hero” of this year’s Fifa World Cup.

In the video spoken in Spanish, Scarsini said he wanted to make the “least-known footballer” at the tournament famous.

“I looked at all the teams that play the World Cup for the least-known player and, after analysing one by one, I found it,” Scarsini said.

“Within group G, in New Zealand, is Tim Payne.

Payne’s sudden fame has been supported by many Spanish-speaking personalities, including comedian Javier Ibarreche, who has 12.6 million followers on TikTok, and sports journalist Iker Ruiz del Barco, who has nearly 14 million followers across his social media accounts.

Payne now has the biggest following for any New Zealand-related football account.

Video Credit:

28/05/2026

NEW LEVELS: Homelessness in New Zealand has reached its highest-recorded level according to a new report from Community Housing Aotearoa.

The report found growing numbers of people are living without secure housing, with demand for social and affordable homes continuing to outsweigh supply.

Chief executive Paul Gilberd said New Zealand had the “programmes and the capacity” to end homelessness if there was political will to do so.

“We can solve it as a nation here in New Zealand. It really is a political choice,” he said.

Stats NZ data estimated 112,496 people were experiencing severe housing deprivation in 2023, up from 99,462 in 2018, representing 2.3 percent of the population.

Housing advocates say New Zealand lacks enough social housing, with Community Housing Aotearoa noting social homes make up just 3.8 percent of the country’s housing stock.

Māori continue to be disproportionately affected, accounting for around 31 percent of people experiencing severe housing deprivation despite making up about 17 percent of the population.

The sector is calling for significant investment in social and affordable housing, warning homelessness is rising faster than solutions are being delivered.

27/05/2026

SAFETY: New Zealand has been ranked the 10th safest country in the world for women in the latest Women, Peace and Security Index produced by the Georgetown Institute for Women.

The global rankings assessed over 180 countries measuring indicators such as women’s inclusion, justice and security, including education, financial access, political representation, legal protections and safety from violence.

New Zealand scored strongly across multiple metrics including, democratic stability, low corruption, legal equality and high levels of personal freedom compared with many countries around the world.

The report also highlighted strong performance in women’s political participation and access to education, with NZ consistently ranking highly in global gender equality measures.

Despite this however, the report also highlighted weaknesses, mainly high rates of family violence and abuse particularly against Māori and Pasifika women.

Police receive a family harm call roughly every four minutes, while domestic violence remains one of the country’s most persistent social issues despite decades of reform efforts.

Despite this, New Zealand still remains ahead of many other countries around the world.

New Zealand is only non-european country on the rankings behind the likes of Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Austria and Belgium.

27/05/2026

KAI MOANA: Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones caused a stir in parliament yesterday after arriving with a live crayfish.

The New Zealand First minister carried the crayfish through Parliament’s lobby while speaking to reporters about politics, fisheries and the government’s upcoming Budget.

When journalists asked whether the crayfish was alive, Jones replied: “As you can see, it’s still moving,” before saying he will not take it into the house and joked that Gerry Brownlee might confiscate it and eat it.

Jones said the freshwater crayfish had been gifted to him by members of Ngāi Tahu and would later be eaten on Budget night.

The unusual stunt briefly interrupted another media conference and quickly spread online, with footage of the minister carrying the cray attracting international attention.

New Zealand Daily

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