These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of all services, content, and products available through hamstar.co.nz (the "Website"). By accessing or using any part of the Website, you agree to comply with all terms and conditions outlined herein. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must not use the Hamilton Star Website.
This document constitutes a legally binding agreement between you and APG, the owner and operator of Hamilton Star. Please read these terms carefully before proceeding.
These Terms of Use were last updated in March 2026.
Hamilton Star is an independent news publication operating within New Zealand. We provide editorial content concerning local and regional events, news, and analysis relevant to Hamilton City and the wider Waikato region.
APG, a digital media company, owns and operates Hamilton Star. Our operational base is situated in New Zealand.
All content published on hamstar.co.nz, including text, photographs, graphics, and multimedia, is the exclusive property of APG or its licensors. This content is protected by New Zealand and international copyright laws.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of any content from the Hamilton Star Website is strictly prohibited. You may not modify, publish, adapt, or create derivative works from our content without express written permission.
Limited personal use, such as viewing and printing articles for non-commercial purposes, is generally permitted. Any other use requires explicit authorization from APG.
Certain sections or features of the Hamilton Star Website may require a paid subscription or account registration. Access to these services is granted upon successful registration and, where applicable, payment of the specified fees.
Subscription fees are billed periodically according to the terms selected at the time of purchase. You authorize us to charge your designated payment method for all applicable fees, including taxes.
All subscription payments are non-refundable unless otherwise stated during the purchase process or required by New Zealand consumer law. We reserve the right to change subscription pricing with prior notice.
You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings on the Website. Cancellations will become effective at the end of your current billing cycle.
Upon cancellation, you will retain access to subscribed content until the current billing period concludes. No partial refunds will be issued for unused portions of a subscription term.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account login information. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.
APG is not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your login credentials. You are solely responsible for all activities that occur under your account.
Users must employ the Hamilton Star Website and its services for lawful purposes only. Any activity that violates New Zealand law or these Terms of Use is strictly prohibited.
Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:
Violations of these acceptable use policies may result in immediate termination of your account and access to the Website. Legal action may also be pursued where appropriate.
Hamilton Star does not accept unsolicited content for publication. However, users may have the opportunity to submit comments or provide feedback, such as letters to the editor or news tips, through designated channels.
By submitting any content, including comments, letters, or tips, you grant APG a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media.
You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all rights to the content you submit. You also warrant that the content is accurate, does not violate these Terms of Use, and will not cause injury to any person or entity. APG takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any content submitted by you or any third party.
Our journalists and editorial team strive to provide accurate and balanced news coverage. While we endeavour to ensure the reliability of information presented, errors or omissions may occasionally occur.
Hamilton Star maintains full editorial independence. Our content reflects the journalistic judgment of our editorial team and is not influenced by advertisers, political interests, or other external parties.
We welcome feedback on factual inaccuracies. Any concerns regarding content accuracy can be directed to legal@hamstar.co.nz for review by our editorial and legal teams.
The Hamilton Star Website may contain links to external websites that are not owned or controlled by APG. These links are provided for your convenience and information only.
APG has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Hamilton Star.
We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. Your interaction with third-party websites is at your own risk.
The Hamilton Star Website and its content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. APG makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the operation of the Website or the information, content, or materials included on it.
To the fullest extent permissible by applicable law, APG disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
APG does not warrant that the Website will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information on the Website.
In no event shall APG, its directors, employees, partners, agents, suppliers, or affiliates, be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from:
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if APG is found liable for any loss or damage which is not excluded under these Terms of Use, APG's total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with these Terms of Use or your use of the Website shall not exceed the amount paid by you, if any, for accessing the Website in the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to the liability.
These Terms of Use are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that the courts of New Zealand shall have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Website.
APG reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms of Use at any time. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice prior to any new terms taking effect. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion.
By continuing to access or use our Website after those revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms. If you do not agree to the new terms, you are no longer authorized to use the Website.
For any questions or concerns regarding these Terms of Use, please contact us: