Two new Cook Strait ferries planned by the end of 2029 and Chris Hipkins criticises Winston Peters over his attitude to diversity. Video / NZ Herald, Getty Images
It’s the first of the month, the first of April, so keep your wits about you.
Today is April Fool’s, the annual observation of the day that sees the world plagued by practical jokes and hoaxes.
The exact origin of April Fools’ Day is not known exactly. Some suggest it’sa hangover from the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the late 1500s, which moved the new year from the end of March to the first of January, with people who continued to celebrate on the old day termed April fools.
Other historians believe the day has its origins in ancient Rome, taken from a festival known as Hilaria, which celebrated the spring equinox with a day of merriment, games and by making fun of friends and family.
Whatever the ancient origins, in modern times, the hijinks abound. Here are 10 pranks to look out for this year:
Two would have us believing it was opposite day, too. Energy drink V tried to convince consumers they were introducing a melatonin sleep drink called “Z” into their range. “Is your sleep schedule a crime scene…. Introducing Z!!!!!!“ they wrote on social media. ”The sleep drink you never knew you needed (or did we?) hehe launching... ish kinda… sorta…”
Additionally, breakfast drink Up&Go teased a ‘liquid sleepies’ version of their drink, targeting consumers who drink Up&Go after 6pm. If true, the bedtime drink called Down & Stop, would be lavender and chamomile flavour.
Ruby’s Shrunken Cardigans
Auckland-based fashion brand Ruby shared a post with their 115,000 Instagram followers suggesting the 2025 release of their popular Matilda cardigan style had been jeopardised.
“Rubettes, our beloved Matilda Cardigans have shrunk during the production washing process. We’ve made the heartbreaking decision to remove them from online and all stores, with no further orders being taken,“ the caption read. ”Our team are working around the clock to fix this because we know there is no winter without Matilda. It’s not often that we’re lost for words, but right now, we’ve got nothing… Apologies"
Rotorua’s Sausage Sizzle Stadium
A 'concept rendering' of the new stadium in Rotorua released as part of an April Fool's Day joke.
On Monday night, Economic Development Agency and Regional Tourism Organisation RotoruaNZ sent out a media release “announcing” a 75,000-seat, timber-built outdoor stadium would be built on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua.
The release teased construction of the ‘progressive’ new stadium would begin in early 2026, take about two years to complete and cost an expected $4 billion. The organisation suggested the stadium would replace the existing lakefront boardwalk, playgrounds, and green space but wouldn’t require rate-payer funding, instead “utilising a fund-raising strategy” centred around “sausage sizzles, etc.”
Blenheim Dome
On April Fool's Day Marlborough District Council said they would build a ‘laser dome’ over Blenheim to protect it from seagulls.
Forget the Waihopai Stationradomes. If a Facebook post by Marlborough District Council was to be believed, Blenheim is set to welcome a laser dome covering more than 30,000 hectares of Marlborough’s vineyards to protect them from seagulls.
“Laser bird deterrents scan the skies continuously and can reduce gulls by over 75%,” Emma Bird, a supposed council environmental protection officer, was quoted as saying.
Restaurant Association Turns The Tables On Difficult Diners
In a playful press release, the Restaurant Association said it was launching a customer rating system “giving hospitality venues the ability to score their customers for a change”.
The industry association said the “Rate My Regular” tool would allow restaurants, cafés, and bars to give feedback to their diners on criteria such as table manners, punctuality, tipping habits and booking etiquette as well as rating their overall vibe, presence, energy, general approach to life and ability to stack their plates.
Marisa Bidois, Restaurant Association chief executive, was ‘quoted’ as saying that while top-rated customers would be eligible for secret perks such as off-menu items, chef shout-outs, priority seating, and first dibs on hard-to-book tables, low-scoring patrons “might find themselves being seated very close to the toilet”.
Campus Cows
On April Fool's Day The University of Waikato said they were introducing cows to campus in an eco-friendly lawn care initiative.
The University of Waikato joked that mascot Moosy was lonely, so they were introducing a herd of cows to campus. Alongside a doctored image of cows grazing on university grounds, a caption read “Our eco-friendly lawn care team is moo-ving in next week to keep our campus green”.
Flat Earth Travel Insurance
An insurance policy only for ‘believers’ or the extremely gullible? Insurance comparison website Insuranceopedia chose April 1st to announce the launch of a Flat Earth Travel Insurance option, which they described as a “first-of-its-kind policy designed to protect travellers from unexpected gravitational mishaps”.
Aimed at travellers worried about the prospect of falling off the edge of the world, the company joked the conspiracy-proof coverage included: emergency helicopter rescues from the Earth’s edge; a special payout if a Nasa scientist tries to convince you the Earth is round and “lost gravity” coverage if you float away into space.
The company quoted chief executive Max Coupland as saying, “We realised that adventurous travellers needed an insurance policy that accounts for all possibilities — including those that mainstream science refuses to acknowledge.”
A Fizzer Of A Launch
RJ's Fusion Fizz might be too good to be true.
RJ’s Confectionary might want to recall this prank. Reading the April Fool’s announcement of a new smashed up combination of their existing fizzy sherbert logs called ‘Fusion Fizz,’ commenters on the Facebook post encouraged the confectioners to make this product a reality.
“If this isn’t true, your (sic) missing out on probally (sic) the best item you could create! These look so b....y good! (yes, I know it’s April fools)” wrote Hannah McDonald.
The Beautiful Rebrand
Is it football, or is it soccer? New Zealand Football is having a bit of fun with the age-old debate, posting on X that they were rebranding to New Zealand Soccer.
“In recognition of qualifying to the 2026 Fifa World Cup hosted in North America, we are excited to announce a visionary rebrand that reflects our inclusion at the tournament and the vernacular of the region hosting the prestigious Fifa World Cup Introducing the new era of football in NZ Soccer,“ they said.
“We’re sure fans all across the country will welcome this long overdue change with open arms!”
Tu Meke Te Reo?
Whakatane-based dual language radio station TumekeFM posted a fake news alert on Facebook this morning, saying: “Due to a new broadcasting regulation, Tumeke FM will now be playing only English music, and speaking only English on-air. No more reo Māori. This is effective immediately.”
The station followed up shortly, confirming, “Due to it being April 1st, we thought we’d play a little prank e te iwi!”
