Current Events Term 2 Week 2

In which New Zealand city would you find this building that hat has been in the news?

• Rotorua

• Invercargill

• Nelson

Answer explanation

a. Rotorua - Rotorua's famous Bath House building is set to get a major refurbishment after being closed for nearly eight years due to being earthquake-prone.

MP Julie-Ann Genter is facing claims of intimidation following an outburst during a debate in parliament. Which party does she belong to?

• Greens

• Labour

• NZ First

Answer explanation

a. Greens - As MPs were debating roading projects as part of the Annual Review, Julie-Ann Genter rose from her seat and walked across the chamber. She waved a document in National MP Matt Doocey’s face while yelling at him repeatedly to read the report.

The Green Party co-leaders say they have taken immediate action to initiate a disciplinary process.

What is the current average wait time to sit a restricted licence test in New Zealand?

• 18 days

• 53 days

• 110 days

Answer explanation

b. 53 days - For some regions that number is higher - in Canterbury it is 61 days. To sit a test for a full licence the average wait is 45 days. The problem seems to lie in the all-in-one fee for each stage of a driver licence which removed re-sit fees, prompting a hike in people sitting tests multiple times without proper preparation.

A town in Japan is constructing a barrier to prevent tourists taking photos of which mountain?

• Mount Fujiyama

• Mount Kilimanjaro

• K2

Answer explanation

a. Mount Fujiyama - The town of Fujikawaguchiko is building a large screen to block the view of Japan’s highest mountain after traffic signs and repeated warnings from security guards were ignored. It is the latest direct action in Japan against over-tourism after residents of Kyoto's geisha district banned visitors from small private alleys this year.

What did the government remove last week?

• Public transport discounts for children and people under 25

• Funding for school lunches

• Accomodation supplements for students

Answer explanation

a. Public transport discounts for children and people under 25 - For most regions, age-based public transport fares changed on May 1. The change will not affect discounts funded directly by councils, which usually include concessions for tertiary and secondary school students.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is getting a pay rise - how much will his new salary be?

• $230,000

• $520,000

• $820,000

Answer explanation

b. $520,000 - The Prime Ministers salary will rise by 50,000 in mid 2026 by 10.5 per cent. Luxon says he does not need the increase and intends to donate it to charity.

Most MPs will get a pay increase total of 10.5 per cent over the next three years. For the leader of the Opposition, it is the smaller increase of 4.4 per cent. The Remuneration Authority sets salaries using an independent process.

This occupation protest has been in the news a lot. Where did it take place?

• Washington Memorial

• Times Square

• Columbia University

Answer explanation

c. Columbia University - Protesters set up camps and staged campus demonstrations at several major US universities over the Gaza conflict.

A Sumatran orangutan in Indonesia has amazed scientists by doing what last week?

• Communicating in sign language

• Treating its own wound with a medicinal plant

• Using tools to catch fish

Answer explanation

b. Treating its own wound with a medicinal plant - The orangutan called Rakus self-medicated using a paste made from plants to heal a large wound on his cheek. It is the first time a creature in the wild has been recorded treating an injury with a medicinal plant. After researchers saw Rakus applying the plant paste to his face, the wound closed up and healed in a month.

An air pollution report has confirmed that Tauranga's beachside suburb of Mt Maunganui has...?

• the best air quality in the southern hemisphere

• the best air quality in New Zealand

• poor air quality creating significant health risks

Answer explanation

c. poor air quality creating significant health risks - The main sources of Mt Maunganui’s air pollution are industrial activities, port activities motor vehicles and shipping. A spokesperson for Whareroa Marae previously stated that people were "being poisoned" from the pollution. The marae is directly impacted as it is located within the industrial area.

A large number of customers had a problem with their iPhones that Apple scrambled to fix last week. What problem did they face?

• Alarms not playing sound

• Cameras taking blurry photos

• All apps crashing on startup

Answer explanation

a. Alarms not playing sound - Apple hurriedly worked to address a malfunction where iPhone alarms failed to emit sound, causing many users to oversleep. The issue caused frustration from users who rely on their phones as alarm clocks.