Five Big Things That Happened Today: Tuesday, September 2

A round-up of the day's main developments across New Zealand on Tuesday, 2 September 2025.

Home appliance and furniture retailer Smiths City entered voluntary administration, with administrators calling for urgent expressions of interest from potential buyers. Founded in Christchurch in 1918, the company operates nine stores nationwide alongside its online business, making it one of the more recognisable names to hit trouble in a difficult retail cycle.

In Northland, police made nine arrests, recovered multiple stolen vehicles and shut down a cannabis growing operation after executing sixteen searches across the region over a fortnight.

Lotto also confirmed a series of changes ahead of what it described as a major upgrade to its games and systems.