Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking news.
Benjamin joined the NZ Herald in 2022 after completing a Bachelor of Communications degree, majoring in Journalism at Auckland University of Technology. You can contact Ben at benjamin.plummer@nzme.co.nz.

Warriors lose star player for up to eight weeks as side hunt third consecutive win
The superstar winger is set to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

PM slates failure to inform ministers of 11yo misidentified by police, handcuffed, and drugged
One minister described the incident as 'every parent's worst nightmare'.

‘He’s still struggling’: Filipino man badly injured in crash not told best mate dead
'I’ve just been telling him that he’s in another room at the hospital.'

11yo misidentified, handcuffed, given antipsychotics at mental health clinic
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey slammed the mistaken identity incident as unacceptable.

Two arrested after report of gunshots closes major Auckland highway
Witnesses reported seeing 'about 20 police cars' and armed officers on the rural road.

Air New Zealand 'closely monitoring' major English airport closure after fire
Blaze at an electrical substation causes havoc at one of Europe's busiest airports.

Body found in search for missing 79yo man
The man was reported missing after his car was found on February 21.

Three security guards at Akl supermarket arrested after alleged extortion attempts
The first report was made to police in late January.

School lunch provider in liquidation owes over $14.3m
Libelle Group went into liquidation last week, leaving more than 500 jobs in limbo.

Second Auckland funeral director charged with interfering with human remains
The police investigation centres on bodies at Waikumete Cemetery mausoleum.

‘Really good man’: Filipino father identified as innocent crash victim
The victim's flatmate describes how he spoke to him only a few hours earlier.

Warriors assistant coach faces three-game ban after Vegas throat grab
Agar and the Warriors have five business days to respond to the breach notice.

Driver, 22, charged after fatal Auckland crash during alleged police pursuit
A man was killed after the car crashed into him on a busy city street.

‘United in our commitment’: Saviour found for school lunches after Libelle Group liquidation
The Herald is aware of at least seven schools that closed their tuckshops today.

'No prior notice': School tuckshops close across NZ amid lunch provider's liquidation
The Herald is aware of at least seven schools that have closed their tuckshops from today.

Pair taken into police custody over email threat to Auckland schools, charge laid
Police said further charges are likely to be laid as a result of a search warrant.

Police target remote settlement only accessible by boat in hunt for fugitive dad Tom Phillips
Police said they will be active in the wider Marokopa area over the coming days.

Four arrested over Destiny Church-linked protest at Auckland children's event
Police said there were further arrests to be made.

‘They came from nowhere’: Man attacked in ‘violent’ Auckland robbery days after moving to NZ
The man was punched in the face and chased with a baseball bat in the late-night attack.

Man, 52, arrested after six electric vehicles vandalised with spray paint in Auckland
Some vandalised vehicles were towed after spray paint damage left them undriveable.

‘Absolutely gutted’: Electric vehicles targeted with spray paint in Auckland
The incidents come after Molotov cocktails were allegedly thrown at a US Tesla dealership.

Experts reveal why Goff’s comments cost him UK diplomatic role
A foreign relations expert says Goff overstepped in his comment although he was "right".

‘Last longer’: Fears Cyclone Alfred’s delayed arrival could worsen impact
'We’ve done everything we can, so now we’re just having to wait.'

Man who led police on chaotic 28km chase given bail, then allegedly sexually assaulted
The man was on bail after a chaotic 28km chase through Auckland.

Watch: Man confronts armed police with metal pole in Ōrere Pt, tasered before death
Police confirmed the weapon the man had was a metal pole, not a samurai sword.

'Unforgivable': Students consume melted plastic after school lunches overheat in oven mishap
David Seymour had called this incident 'unacceptable' as a review is under way.

Police call for new information to solve violent home-invasion killing
Brett Fraser, 51, died from blunt force trauma to the head during the attack in Kelston.

Outrage as university says AI tutors will run lectures in course
Three AI programs are set to replace lecture slides in a university course this semester.

'Now worse than ever': Locals outraged as new Bombay traffic lights cause long queues
NZTA says queues will improve as the software adapts and motorists adjust.

Top businessman pulled face-down from surf ahead of TV appearance
Rescuers performed CPR and used a defibrillator before the man was airlifted to hospital.

Health NZ apologises for sharing social media post depicting sex act
'I apologise to anyone who was upset by that.'

Restrictions in place after Oriental fruit fly discovered on North Shore
Legal restrictions are in place on the movement of fruit and vegetables out of the area.

How fresh sighting of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips and kids fits into timeline
Tom Phillips has been credibly sighted only a handful of times since disappearing in 2021.

Police detain Du Val founder outside Remuera home after run-in with photographer
Images have emerged of Clarke being escorted away in handcuffs.

Police warn against vigilantism after alleged child-snatcher outed on social media
It comes after reports of a man allegedly trying to pull kids into a car in West Auckland.

‘Doesn’t meet nutritional guidelines’: Kids to get pies, Pita Pit to tackle lunch issues
'If I were a school student I would have loved a pie as my taxpayer-funded school lunch.'

‘Fearing for their safety’: Armed police chase man after cop car rammed near Auckland Airport
Loose cash and drug-related materials were confiscated from the vehicle, a witness said.

‘Nightmarish’: Auckland school turns to sausage sizzles after Government lunch programme delays
The school is using sausage sizzles and Weet-Bix because of unreliable deliveries.

Police hunt under way after Armourguard robbed for ‘unconfirmed amount of cash’
Police have increased their visibility in the Birkenhead area in response to the incident.

‘Put your gun down’: Man arrested after 3-hour standoff with armed police in Auckland
Police officers at the scene in Waterview have been armed as a precaution.

‘Why should we apologise?’: Ponsonby eatery reacts to food poisoning claims
A family reported severe food poisoning after dining on January 28.

Police hunting armed assailant after man critically hurt in North Shore stabbing
Armed police have blocked off a road as they respond to the incident.

Watch: ’It was wild!' Hawke’s Bay fisherman reels in possible record-breaking tuna
Regan Ellison said it was 'definitely' the best fish he has caught in New Zealand.

Bed, Bath & Beyond fined $230,000 for ‘record number of unsafe products’
The retailer sold over 27,000 products that didn’t comply with safety requirements.

Watch: Supermarket worker threatened with pineapple during alleged shoplifting
'During the course of their offending, a customer in the store suffered a minor assault.'

Eden Park CEO ‘delighted’ at PM’s call to abolish concert limit, Helen Clark criticises it
Luxon has called for the limit of concerts at Eden Park to be abolished completely.

'Below the belt': Tui slated for 'yeah right' ad mocking Ghahraman's shopping incident
Social media users have slammed the advert as 'beyond vile' and 'awful'.

$11m meth bust: US woman in court over alleged 31kg meth smuggling attempt
The 24-year-old woman appeared in court today and has been remanded in custody.

'Pure aggression': Staff defend themselves with chairs as armed offenders raid Auckland eatery
The restaurant's co-owner said offenders were wielding sharp objects as well as hammers.

Group defends use of racially-tiered ticketing prices for music event
The Human Rights Commission says it has received complaints about the event.

Watch: Police officers perform powerful haka for slain colleague Lyn Fleming
Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming was farewelled by family, friends and colleagues today.

Opinion: Family member shares social media abuse that All Blacks receive
OPINION: NZ needs a culture of encouragement and respect, not relentless criticism.

Watch: Escaped inmate wandered uncuffed through hospital in underwear before sliding down pipe – witness
The video purportedly shows him sliding down from the eighth floor.

Watch: Auckland bar brawl erupts after man allegedly punches woman for refusing dance
Headquarters owner Leo Molloy has offered to compensate the young victim and her father.

'Absolutely disgusting': Father of teen fatally run down outside nightclub reacts to parole decision
The male defendant appeared before the Parole Board for the first time today.

NZDF plane en route to Vanuatu quake response diverted after engine trouble
A Boeing 757 to transport freight and enable evacuation will also fly to Vanuatu.

Fears Coromandel murder-accused's pigs will be 'targets for hunters'
A Givealittle page made an 'urgent appeal' for their safety.

'King of the world': Former POW, NZ's oldest man celebrates 108th birthday
The 108-year-old attributes his longevity to never smoking or drinking.

Angry bus passenger abuses driver, uses rocks to shatter windscreen
The passenger allegedly abused the bus driver before the shocking act.

'Rare dolphin' spotted in Auckland harbour: Will it affect SailGP again?
A dolphin sighting forced the cancellation of the SailGP event in Christchurch in March.

Beloved grandmother one of four victims killed in crash near Rotorua
'Tears from my eyes keep on falling.'

Watch: Christchurch school band goes viral again with hit Coldplay performance
About 80 students in the band also performed in the famous cover last year.

'Almost turned me vegetarian': Worms allegedly found in Costco-bought meat
Video shared with the Herald shows about 10 parasites wriggling on top of the meat.

Police investigate if students on camp may have started large Canterbury fire
Camps filled with pupils were evacuated soon after the fire broke out.

'Unacceptable behaviour': 11yo arrested on North Shore after rocks hurled at elderly man
A witness said the elderly man was sitting on some grass when the boy threw rocks at him.

'Appalling tragedy': Man fatally shot in South Auckland, police combing property at Wattle Downs
The man was rushed to Middlemore Hospital but succumbed to his gunshot injuries.

'Absolutely shattered': Friends, family of climber missing on Mt Cook pay tribute
The search for the three foreigners will not be able to continue until tomorrow.

Lawyer Peter Kaye dies days after ex-MP daughter Nikki
77-year-old remembered as 'one of the great advocates of his generation'.

SolarZero staffers protest amid shock liquidation, demand payout from US firm
Employees and supporters today took to Auckland’s streets.

Auckland water testing reveals updated arsenic levels as more councils report elevated readings
Authorities have urged residents not to be alarmed.

Arsenic in the water: Senior Govt minister keeping watch, results due this afternoon
The Prime Minister confirmed he had been briefed on the situation.

Urgent testing under way after elevated levels of arsenic found in Akl's water supply
Arsenic is a substance found in rock that can be deadly if consumed in large amounts.

Rogue Auckland taxi driver charges customer twice during 3km journey
The tourist was charged a 'card activation fee' of almost $200 before the 3km ride began.

Four youths arrested after ride in stolen vehicle, crashing into car on Southern Motorway
Cars were seen crashed and stopped across lanes on the motorway.

'Not fair or reliable': Calls for reform of NCEA Level 1; less than 75% of schools plan to offer it
Less than 75% of schools plan to offer the qualification next year.

'Never be the same': Mum-of-six has skull ripped open in stray dogs attack
The mother says her kids were only 20 or 30 metres away from the daytime mauling.

Kiwi 'unwell' after methanol poisoning leaves two Australian teens on life support
The New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok said one Kiwi has reported feeling 'unwell'.

'He begged me': Auckland taxi driver's emotional plea after being busted price-gouging tourist
A director of an Auckland taxi service has addressed concerns from multiple passengers.