Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

It was a weekend of huge victories, heartbreaking losses and unforgettable sporting moments across Aotearoa and Australia — but for many Kiwi fans, the biggest story belonged to the Warriors.

The New Zealand Warriors delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season, crushing the Brisbane Broncos 42-12 during NRL Magic Round at a packed Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The emphatic seven-try victory extended the Warriors’ winning streak and further cemented their place among the NRL’s top contenders in 2026.

RNZ reported the Warriors overwhelmed Brisbane through disciplined defence, relentless forward dominance and explosive attacking play, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scoring a double while Erin Clark, Wayde Egan, Kurt Capewell, Ali Leiataua and Te Maire Martin also crossed the line.

The performance came in front of tens of thousands of fans who transformed Magic Round into a sea of Warriors colours and chants, with Kiwi supporters travelling in huge numbers to Brisbane.

Sports commentators Ken Laban and Dale Husband said the Warriors’ performance showed the club has matured into a genuine premiership threat, praising the team’s composure, physicality and belief.

Laban said the Warriors looked like one of the most complete sides in the competition, while Husband highlighted the emotional energy and support Kiwi fans brought to Magic Round, describing the atmosphere as another example of the club’s growing cultural impact on both sides of the Tasman.

RNZ also described the Warriors supporter presence in Brisbane as a “wild, swirling outpouring of energy,” with fans dominating Caxton Street and Suncorp Stadium throughout the weekend.

Despite the celebrations, the Warriors suffered a setback with concerns over an injury to halfback Tanah Boyd during the match.

Across the wider sporting landscape, the weekend delivered major moments for New Zealand athletes and teams in rugby league, rugby union and netball, with strong performances continuing to build momentum heading deeper into the winter sporting calendar.

But it was the Warriors who captured the spotlight — producing a statement win that has fans and commentators daring to believe 2026 could become one of the club’s greatest seasons yet.

The post #hakinakina: Warriors Magic Stuns Brisbane as Massive Weekend Lights Up NZ Sport appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Here’s your Waatea First@5am roundup from across the network.

Kapa haka is leading the morning agenda, with Tāmaki Makaurau groups battling for places at Te Matatini 2027. Angitu, Ngā Tūmanako, Te Waka Huia, Te Rōpū Manutaki, Te Taha Tū and Te Poho o Hinekahukura were named among the top qualifiers from the Spark Arena regional competition.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/te-matatini-fever-builds-as-tamaki-makaurau-hosts-high-stakes-kapa-haka-qualifiers/

In regional news, emergency services have responded to a helicopter crash in Mt Aspiring National Park, while Wellington and the Hutt Valley are now linked by the major Te Ara Tupua coastal walking and cycling route. Auckland communities are also expressing outrage after hundreds of ceramic poppies were stolen from veterans’ graves.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/helicopter-crash-sparks-major-emergency-response-in-mt-aspiring-national-park/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/regional-te-ara-tupua-opens-linking-wellington-and-hutt-valley-in-major-coastal-project/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/outrage-after-hundreds-of-ceramic-poppies-stolen-from-veterans-graves-in-auckland/

Te Tiriti remains a major political flashpoint. Te Pāti Māori is condemning Government moves to weaken Treaty clauses across legislation, while a Waitangi Tribunal report has intensified criticism of the Government’s handling of Māori-Crown relations.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/national-te-pati-maori-condemns-government-treaty-clause-changes-as-constitutional-vandalism/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/national-tribunal-report-sparks-fresh-criticism-of-governments-maori-crown-relationship/

Waatea also looks at practical issues affecting whānau, including New Zealand Food Safety’s warning for people buying kai online, rising living costs pushing vulnerable households to breaking point, and improving Māori immunisation rates, with coverage for Māori tamariki at 24 months rising to 71.5 percent.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/think-before-you-click-nz-food-safety-warns-online-food-buyers/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/cost-of-survival-rising-living-costs-push-vulnerable-kiwis-to-breaking-point/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/maori-immunisation-rates-climb-as-gap-begins-to-narrow/

Across the Tasman and the wider region, Waatea covers debate over gender law following an Australian court ruling, concerns that Northern Territory child protection changes could harm First Nations children, and a First Nations father helping revive the Gudjal language for the next generation.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/17/debate-intensifies-over-gender-law-clarity-after-australian-court-ruling/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/indigenous-leaders-fear-nt-child-protection-shake-up-could-harm-first-nations-children/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/father-revives-ancient-gudjal-language-for-the-next-generation/

In analysis, Matthew Tukaki examines what the Trump-Xi meeting could mean for Aotearoa, especially trade, security and Pacific geopolitics, while investor confidence in New Zealand has taken another hit amid global tensions.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/superpower-summit-what-the-trump-xi-meeting-could-mean-for-aotearoa/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/investor-confidence-slumps-as-global-tensions-shake-kiwi-sentiment/

In sport, Auckland FC have stormed into a historic A-League Grand Final, while the Blues have launched their Hall of Fame with Sean Fitzpatrick, Zinzan Brooke and Carlos Spencer named as inaugural inductees.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/hakinakina-auckland-fc-storm-into-historic-a-league-grand-final/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/blues-legends-enter-hall-of-fame-in-historic-first-for-franchise/

Also on Waatea, Te Kaupapa investigates the billion-dollar cost of incarcerating Māori, Ngāti Ruanui calls on the Governor-General to intervene over Shane Jones’ remarks, mana whenua help shape four new neighbourhood parks, and Tarawera and Ōkātaina tracks receive a $1 million boost.
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/tekaupapa-investigates-locked-up-the-billion-dollar-cost-of-incarcerating-maori-in-aotearoa/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/ngati-ruanui-calls-on-governor-general-to-intervene-over-shane-jones-remarks/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/mana-whenua-and-communities-shape-four-new-neighbourhood-parks/
https://waateanews.com/2026/05/16/regional-1-million-boost-for-tarawera-and-okataina-tracks/

The post #First@5am: Te Matatini Fever, Treaty Tensions and Big Stories Across Waatea appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kua whakaurua e te Pāti Kākāriki o Aotearoa New Zealand ngā kaitono Pasifika tokowhā ki roto i tōna rārangi 30 o runga mō te kōwhiringa pōti 2026, ā, ko Teanau Tuiono kei te tūranga tuatoru.

Hei tā Tuiono, he tohu tēnei e hāngai ana te tokomaha o ngā whānau Pasifika ki ngā uara me ngā mātāpono o te rōpū Kākāriki, i a rātou e whakapakari ana i tō rātou hononga ki ngā hapori Pasifika i mua i te kōwhiringa pōti.

The post Teanau Tuiono | Te tautoko nui a ngā whānau Pasifica i te Rōpū Kākāriki appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

E māharahara ana a Shane Wikaira, he kainoho nō Whirinaki, he uri hoki nō te hapū o Te Hikutū, mēnā ka anga whakamua te mahere a te kaunihera ki te hiki i te hapori o Whirinaki ki ngā whenua teitei ake, ka ahatia aua whenua, ā, ka riro i a wai te mana whakahaere i aua whenua hoki.

Kei te wānanga tonu te kaunihera me ngā kainoho o te takiwā i taua whakaaro nā te nui o ngā waipuke kua pā mai i ngā tau kua hori. Hai tā ētahi, e rite ana rātou ki te neke, engari e ai ki te nuinga o ngā kainoho Māori, nā te mataku kei motu rātou i ō rātou whenua, ka noho tonu rātou.

The post Shane Wikaira | Kei motukia mātou i ō mātou anō whenua, ka noho tonu. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Ka whakakore te Kāwanatanga i te kaupapa fees-free i ngā whare wānanga i te tahua Pūtea 2026.

E ai ki te Pirimia a Christopher Luxon nā te kore whai hua o taua kaupapa i whakatau te kāwanatanga kia whakakorehia.

E ai ki te kaiārahi o te rōpū Kākāriki a Marama Davidson, ka pākia kinotia ngā tauira e whai nei i ngā ara mātauranga ki ōna keokeotanga.

The post Marama Davidson | Nā wai i nui, kātahi ka nui kē atu ngā utu ako e utaina ana ki ngā tauira. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kua wehe te mema pāremata o Te Tai Tokerau, a Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, i Te Pāti Māori, ā, kua whakatūria he rōpū hou e kīia ana ko te Te Tai Tokerau Party.

E ai ki a ia, ko te aronga mātuatua o tēnei pāti ko te oranga o Te Taitokerau me ōnā āpitihanga huhua.

E ai ki Te Pāti Māori ka whakataetae tonu rātou i ngā tūru Māori katoa.

Hai tā Shane Jones o NZ First, ko te painga nui o tēnei, he nui ake ngā kōwhiringa mā ngā whānau.

Ka tū te rōpū hou i te pōtitanga e haere ake nei.

The post Shane Jones | Ka nui ake ngā kōwhiringa mā ngā whānau o Te Tai Tokerau i te whakatūnga o te pāti hou. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kua hono atu a Ngāpuhi ki tētahi rōpū hī ika Māori, ā, 19 ngā iwi kei roto i tēnei tira, hei whakarahi ake i ngā hua ka puta mō ngā whānau me ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi.

Mā tēnei hononga ka taea e ngā iwi te mahi tahi, te whakawhiti mātauranga, me te whakawhānui i ngā whai wāhitanga i roto i te ahumahi kaimoana o Aotearoa, ā, ki tāwāhi hoki.

E ai ki te Heamana o Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi o Ngāpuhi, ki a Mane Tahere, ko tēnei te wā ki te whakapakari ake i ngā rautaki whakaputa hua mō te iwi.

The post Mane Tahere | E ara ana a Ngāpuhi i te ahumahi Kaimoana. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

E ai ki a Toka Tū Ake arā a Natural Hazards Commission, kei te nui haere te mōrea o ngā horonga whenua ki ngā hapori huri noa i Aotearoa. Nā taua āhuatanga, kua piki ake ngā kerēme e pā ana ki ngā pānga o te huarere ki ngā whenua me ngā whare.

Hai tā te Pouwhirinaki o Toka Tū Ake, a Matthew Gifford, ko tētahi āhuatanga e kitea nuitia ana, he tokoiti noa ngā whānau Māori e whai inihua ana hei whakahaumaru i ō rātou whare, hai tāna ki te pāngia te whare e ngā āwhā e ngā horonga whenua kei reira he taura ora, ki te kore tērā taura ora ka uta taua utunui ki runga pū i ngā whānau hai pikautanga mā rātou.

The post Matthew Gifford | He mea nui te inihua! appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

E ai ki a Toka Tū Ake arā a Natural Hazards Commission, kei te nui haere te mōrea o ngā horonga whenua ki ngā hapori huri noa i Aotearoa. Nā taua āhuatanga, kua piki ake ngā kerēme e pā ana ki ngā pānga o te huarere ki ngā whenua me ngā whare.

Hai tā te Pouwhirinaki o Toka Tū Ake, a Matthew Gifford, ko tētahi āhuatanga e kitea nuitia ana, he tokoiti noa ngā whānau Māori e whai inihua ana hei whakahaumaru i ō rātou whare, hai tāna ki te pāngia te whare e ngā āwhā e ngā horonga whenua kei reira he taura ora, ki te kore tērā taura ora ka uta taua utunui ki runga pū i ngā whānau hai pikautanga mā rātou.

The post Matthew Gifford | He mea nui te inihua! appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kua hono atu a Ngāpuhi ki tētahi rōpū hī ika Māori, ā, 19 ngā iwi kei roto i tēnei tira, hei whakarahi ake i ngā hua ka puta mō ngā whānau me ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi.

Mā tēnei hononga ka taea e ngā iwi te mahi tahi, te whakawhiti mātauranga, me te whakawhānui i ngā whai wāhitanga i roto i te ahumahi kaimoana o Aotearoa, ā, ki tāwāhi hoki.

E ai ki te Heamana o Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi o Ngāpuhi, ki a Mane Tahere, ko tēnei te wā ki te whakapakari ake i ngā rautaki whakaputa hua mō te iwi.

The post Mane Tahere | E ara ana a Ngāpuhi i te ahumahi Kaimoana. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.