Education Review Office ‘badgered’ students about safety – Wesley College principal

November 11, 2025

Staff and students at Wesley College did not not report assaults on junior students, the Education Review Office said in its report. RNZ / Shannon Haunui-Thompson

The principal of Wesley College south of Auckland has fired shots at the Education Review Office, saying it has been “deeply disrespectful” to students.

The school – one of the country’s oldest – is taking court action in a bid to keep its embattled hostels open.

It earlier signalled it would close them at the end of the year over safety concerns, but it was then told to shut them down last week – much earlier than it wanted.

An Education Review Office (ERO) report has now surfaced, outlining some of the office’s concerns.

‘Long history of abuse’ at Wesley College

Staff and students did not not report assaults on junior students, the Education Review Office said in its report written in September.

The ERO was checking up progress made since a review in 2024 found slow and inconsistent improvements a the school in Paerata.

It held a progress meeting with the principal and presiding board member.

The office says it was here it was told of “another significant bullying incident” in the hostel since its last visit.

“On this occasion, more than 30 senior students left their hostel building at night, entered a junior building, and a small group of senior boys either participated in or observed the bullying and assault of junior students,” the report said.

“The supervising staff and wider student body did not prevent the incident, nor was it reported immediately by either staff or students.”

The ERO report said the school was told of the incident by only one parent.

The office then sent three investigators on 30 July to further look into concerns around student safety in the hostel.

They spoke with 27 students, the Trust Board chair, the principal and parents and held follow-up online meetings.

The ERO report said leadership reacted promptly once they found out about the assaults, and staff had issues conducting their own investigations and finding who was involved.

“A pervasive culture of not speaking out and accepting bullying and assault as a rite of passage in the hostel persists, despite the efforts of the principal, senior school leaders and some hostel staff to shift this,” the report said.

It said there were “deeply entrenched practices” and beliefs and attitudes among students and some hostel staff that perpetuated a culture of intimidation and systemic abuse.

There were physical improvements in the hostel, the report said, but it noted the upgrading of surveillance cameras was not complete at the time of the review.

“Students reported to ERO that they are still wandering at night and only being apprehended 50 percent of the time,” it said.

The ERO report said the Office was not assured that further physical bullying and assault would not happen again.

Among the issues cited was the filming and sharing of assaults and complaints about staff behaving unprofessionally and encouraging a code of silence.

“ERO does not have confidence that hostel culture has sufficiently improved and that the five hostel buildings are positive, inclusive and emotionally safe climates and environments for all borders,” it said.

The ERO ended its report recommending the suspension of the hostel’s licence.

“ERO acknowledges that suspending the hostel licence is a serious step which may impact the school’s ability to maintain its roll,” it said.

Principal responds

In a statement, principal Brian Evans said students had said they felt pressured to give negative answers to the ERO.

“Over the past few years we have found the stance of the ERO staff to be deeply disrespectful of the students they interviewed, claiming they were lying and covering up,” he said.

“In fact, the students disclosed after several visits ERO staff had left that they felt that the ERO staff were trying to put words in their mouths and badgered them about whether they felt safe at the school.”

Evans said the school was confident it had “broken down the former culture of silence”, and that its systems were effective for anonymous reporting.

The September ERO report referenced both historical and recent events but offered no clarity on which issues were ongoing and which have been addressed,” he said.

“Conflation of timelines risks misleading both the public and our school community about the scope and persistence of challenges.”

Evans said there was only one incident during the year when the report was written, involving students possessing cannabis.

“We certainly don’t condone these students’ behaviour, but you would be hard pressed to find a school in New Zealand that doesn’t have low level issues such as these,” he said.

The principal said its current safe-guarding programme was “gold-standard” and its improvements had been vastly understated.

“Significant investments have resulted in demonstrably safer and more transparent hostel environments, yet these advances are barely foregrounded in recent reporting.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Quality of education at risk with curriculum ‘change overload’ say Canterbury primary principals

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Canterbury Primary Principals’ Association has outlined its concerns in a letter to Education Minister Erica Stanford. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Primary school principals in Canterbury have written an open letter to the government expressing concern about further revisions to the English and maths curriculum.

In the letter to Education Minister Erica Stanford, the Canterbury Primary Principals’ Association (CPPA) called for the timeline for implementation to be extended, saying “change overload” was putting the quality of students’ education at risk.

The association said the latest revision was the third major change in two years, with constant shifts creating confusion, uncertainty and increased school staff workloads.

“The ongoing “change overload” facing schools is unsustainable and places at risk both the quality of education provided to our ākonga and the wellbeing of tumuaki and kaiako,” the letter said.

“We urge that the timeframe for implementation be extended until at least Term 3, 2026, to allow schools sufficient opportunity to deeply engage with, understand, and embed these changes through relevant and high-quality professional learning and development.

“Regarding the wider curriculum areas and the move toward a “knowledge-rich” curriculum, the current timeframes are unworkable. Successful implementation requires meaningful consultation with those most connected to teaching and learning-principals, teachers, and school leaders. Although we acknowledge the resources made available, the pace and sequencing of these reforms are unrealistic.”

Canterbury principals also opposed the removal of the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the overhaul of teacher registration body the Teaching Council.

“Our association and members are firmly committed to Te Tiriti. Any move to weaken these responsibilities would be a significant step backward for equity and partnership in education,” the letter said.

The association said the government should not move responsibility for teacher education and standards to the Education Ministry.

“The CPPA strongly opposes the proposed changes to the Teaching Council’s governance structure and role. Maintaining an independent, sector-led Teaching Council is essential to preserve trust between educators and government, and to ensure that professional standards remain the responsibility of those who work within education,” the letter said.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the Ministry of Education was meeting the Canterbury association on Wednesday and other associations throughout the week to provide an opportunity for discussion and provide feedback.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Christchurch primary school plunged into lockdown as police search for armed offender

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

South New Brighton School. Google Maps

A Christchurch primary school has been plunged into lockdown as armed police search for an offender reported to have a gun.

Police said they were called to Rocking Horse Road after a car has collided with two parked vehicles. No one was injured in the crash.

“It is reported the offender fled the scene with a firearm,” a police spokesperson said.

Police are making enquiries to identify and locate the offender.

The aftermath of a crash in the Christchurch suburb of South Brighton, on Rocking Horse Road. RNZ/Adam Burns

South New Brighton School in Christchurch was put in lockdown just after 2pm on Tuesday.

A school representative confirmed the school is in lockdown and parents have been contacted.

A message from the school said police had advised the school of an incident in the area, and to go into lockdown.

It said police will let the school know when students could go home.

Police said cordons are in place and the public is asked to avoid the area.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

61% of Australians would struggle with an expense of a few thousand dollars: new poll

By The Conversation -

November 11, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

A new federal Resolve poll has found 61% of respondents would struggle to afford an expense of a few thousand dollars, compared to just 24% who said they would not. The 37-point margin is the highest since Resolve began asking this question in February 2023.

When this question was last asked in December 2024, the margin was 50–36%.

On who to blame for rising living costs, 42% blamed the federal government, 16% global factors, 11% state governments, 7% the Reserve Bank and 7% businesses. In the next six months, 42% thought the economic outlook would get worse, 20% said it would improve and 29% said it would stay the same.

The poll for Nine newspapers – conducted between November 4-8 from a sample of 1,804 people – also gave Labor a 53–47% lead over the Coalition by respondent preferences, a two-point gain for the Coalition since the October Resolve poll.

Primary votes were 33% Labor (down one), 29% Coalition (up one), 12% Greens (up one), 12% One Nation (steady), 7% independents (down two) and 6% others (down one).

By 2025 election preference flows, Labor would lead by about 54.5–45.5%, a one-point gain for the Coalition.

Despite Labor’s drop on voting intentions, Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved six points to net zero, with 44% both giving him a good and poor rating.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s net approval was down two points to -7. Albanese led Ley as preferred PM by 39–25% (40–23% previously).

Labor led the Liberals on economic management by 31–29% (29–28% in October). But on keeping the cost of living low, the Liberals led by 28–27%, reversing a 28–24% Labor lead in October.

When asked their most important issue, 42% of respondents said cost of living, with no other issue reaching double digits.

This poll was taken after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on October 29 that inflation in the September quarter rose 1.3%, its highest quarterly increase since March 2023.

There has also been a surge in the popularity of right-wing to far-right politicians since December 2024.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s net likeability increased 21 points to +8, National MP Barnaby Joyce’s net likeability increased 14 points to -8 and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie’s net likeability increased four points to +8.

Unlike the late October Newspoll, this new poll did not show a surge for One Nation. Ley’s net approval in this poll is far better than in Newspoll (-7 vs -33).

Labor still far ahead in NSW Resolve poll

A NSW state Resolve poll for The Sydney Morning Herald – conducted with the federal October and November Resolve polls from a sample of more than 1,000 people – gave Labor 37% of the primary vote (down one since September), the Coalition 28% (steady), the Greens 10% (steady), independents 15% (up four) and others 11% (down one).

Resolve doesn’t usually give a two-party estimate for its state polls, but primary votes suggest little change from September’s estimate of 59–41% to Labor. The next NSW election will be held in March 2027.

Despite Labor’s continued dominance on voting intentions, Labor Premier Chris Minns slumped to his lowest preferred premier lead this term over Liberal leader Mark Speakman. Minns led by 31–19%, down from 37–16% in September.

Minns’ net likeability was up one point to +14, and has remained roughly steady since recovering from a slump to +10 in December 2024.

Speakman’s net likeability was up two points to +3, continuing a rebound from a low of -3 in April.

Coalition retains narrow lead in Victorian DemosAU poll

A Victorian DemosAU state poll – conducted between October 21–27 from a sample of 1,016 people – gave the Coalition a 51–49% lead, unchanged from an early September DemosAU poll.

Primary votes were 37% Coalition (down one), 26% Labor (steady), 15% Greens (steady) and 22% for all Others (up one).

Opposition Leader Brad Battin led Labor Premier Jacinta Allan as preferred premier by 40–32% (37–32% previously). The Victorian election will be held in November 2026.

Upper house voting intentions were 30% Coalition, 21% Labor, 14% Greens, 11% One Nation, 5% Family First, 4% Libertarian and 3% Animal Justice. The combined vote for the Coalition and Labor is an unrealistic 12 points lower in the upper house than in the lower house.

All 40 of Victoria’s upper house seats will be elected in eight five-member electorates using proportional representation with preferences.

Liberals increase lead in Tasmanian DemosAU poll

A Tasmanian DemosAU state poll – conducted between October 16–27 from a sample of 1,021 people – gave the Liberals 41% of the vote (39.9% at the July election), Labor 24% (25.9%), the Greens 15% (14.4%), independents 14% (15.3%), the Shooters 2% (2.9%) and others 4%.

Tasmania uses a proportional system for its lower house elections, so a two-party estimate is not applicable. Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff led Labor leader Josh Willie by 46–34% as preferred premier.

Respondents were asked if they had positive, neutral or negative views of various Tasmanian politicians.

Rockliff was at net +5, but Deputy Premier Guy Barnett was at net -14 and Treasurer Eric Abetz at net -19.

Willie was at net -5, with former Labor leader Dean Winter much worse at net -33. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff was at net -20.

Queensland byelection on November 29

A byelection for the Queensland state seat of Hinchinbrook will occur on November 29 after the Katter’s Australian Party MP, Nick Dametto, resigned to run for mayor of Townsville.

At the 2024 election, Dametto defeated the Liberal National Party’s Annette Swaine by 63.2–36.8%, from primary votes of 46.4% KAP, 28.2% LNP, 14.0% Labor, 4.6% One Nation, 3.6% Legalise Cannabis and 3.2% Greens.

The KAP, LNP and Labor have all announced candidates for the byelection, with others likely to follow.

US government shutdown set to end

For most legislation to pass the United States Senate, 60 votes out of the 100 senators are needed to end a “filibuster”. Republicans control the Senate by 53–47.

On Sunday, eight Democrats joined with nearly all Republicans to pass a bill reopening the US government by exactly the required 60–40 majority.

The House of Representatives still needs to approve the bill, which should happen in the coming days. This will end the longest US government shutdown.

US President Donald Trump’s ratings have slumped to a low this term following big wins by the Democrats in the New Jersey and Virginia state elections. This vote will widely be seen as Senate Democrats unnecessarily caving to Trump.

Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. 61% of Australians would struggle with an expense of a few thousand dollars: new poll – https://theconversation.com/61-of-australians-would-struggle-with-an-expense-of-a-few-thousand-dollars-new-poll-269358

The next great performance booster for athletes? Sleep

By The Conversation -

November 11, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charli Sargent, Professor, Professorial Research Fellow and Research Cluster Co-Lead – Sleep and Biological Rhythms, CQUniversity Australia

English middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson tries to get some sleep in a pod during the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Michael Steele/Getty Images

When we think of elite athletes, we generally think of people who are at the top of their game physically.

We assume they do everything better than mere mortals – but what about when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep?

Does being a superhuman athlete make you a superhuman sleeper?

Why sleep matters

Exercise has long been associated with better sleep and it seems reasonable to assume most elite athletes are good sleepers – after all, their job is to exercise and recover.

However, many athletes fail to clear the bar when it comes to getting enough sleep.

In fact, in a 2021 sample of 175 elite Australian athletes from 12 sports, only 3% obtained enough sleep on a regular basis, while 71% fell short by an hour or more.

This research mirrors studies on able-bodied and para-athletes from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland and China.

So why is sleep such hard work for an elite athlete?

Barriers to sleep

When it comes to sleep, an athlete’s toughest opponent is usually their training and competition schedule.

For some athletes (think individual sport athletes like swimmers, triathletes and cyclists), it is regular early morning training sessions combined with very few days off that makes things difficult.

For others (think team sport athletes like Australian rules footballers and netballers), it is training and competition schedules that change from week to week combined with travel that impact sleep.

Anxiety prior to competition, can also make it hard for athletes to get enough sleep.

So why does it even matter? In short, because sleep plays a part in athletic performance.

In a recent consensus statement, sleep and sports scientists from around the world recognised sleep’s importance for athletic performance. They also agreed elite athletes are particularly susceptible to insufficient sleep.

Many leading athletes – including eight-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Usain Bolt, four-time National Basketball Association title winner LeBron James, and 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer – agree sleep is crucial to success.

Sleep, illness and injury

Studies suggest elite athletes can still perform at or near their best after a night of insufficient sleep.

But whether they can perform day after day (like during an intensive training block) after multiple nights of insufficient sleep is the real championship question – one that we don’t quite have the answer to yet.

But let’s not forget the two words that can stop any athlete in their tracks – illness and injury.

People who obtain 5-6 hours of sleep per night are 4.5 times more likely to develop a common cold following exposure to rhinovirus compared to people who obtain seven hours of sleep per night.

If elite athletes don’t get enough sleep, they are more likely to get ill.

The relationship between sleep and risk of injury in elite sport is not as clear.

But insufficient sleep slows down response time, impairs movement patterns and reduces sport-specific skill execution – all of which may lead to injury.

But perhaps the biggest issue for elite athletes when it comes to insufficient sleep is how it makes them feel.

After multiple nights of insufficient sleep, athletes feel more fatigued before training, perceive the exercise to be harder and experience greater mood disturbance compared to when they are well rested.

The ability to tolerate high levels of training is critical for athletes. Without enough sleep on a regular basis, an athlete may struggle to recover from training and poor recovery can impair subsequent performance.

For this reason alone, many sleep and sports scientists believe sleep is critical for performance because it is the foundation of recovery.

Some tips for coaches and athletes

At the highest level, small improvements in performance can be the difference between finishing on the podium or back in the bunch.

A case in point is the Tour de France – widely regarded as the most physically and mentally demanding endurance race in the world.

Recently, many teams have attempted to optimise the sleeping conditions of their riders by using “recovery buses” – that transport cyclists from one stage of the race to the next – and outfitting hotel rooms with personalised mattresses and pillows.

Despite the gruelling demands, riders’ average sleep duration is surprisingly reasonable – about 7.2 hours per night.

But not all athletes and teams have access to recovery buses and personalised hotel rooms.

What are some of the other strategies that athletes can adopt to ensure good sleep?

Here are some tips (for athletes and coaches) to consider when thinking about sleep:

ensure you are spending enough time in bed to get the sleep you need – to get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, we need a “sleep opportunity” of about nine hours in bed
avoid training too early (before 6am) and/or minimise the number of early morning starts in a row
evening competition results in delayed sleep opportunities. Minimise the number of activities athletes engage in immediately after competition and if possible, delay the start time of next-day recovery sessions
use strategic daytime naps to supplement reduced night-time sleep opportunities (limit naps to one hour, use an alarm and target late morning or early afternoon)
aim for regular bed/wake times on nights when you can control your sleep opportunity.

Charli Sargent receives funding relevant to this article from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Institute of Sport, and performance-tracking wearable company Whoop Inc. Charli Sargent did not receive any funding from Whoop Inc. for any of the studies cited in this article.

Greg Roach receives funding relevant to this article from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Institute of Sport, and performance-tracking wearable company Whoop Inc. Greg Roach did not receive any funding from Whoop Inc. for any of the studies cited in this article.

– ref. The next great performance booster for athletes? Sleep – https://theconversation.com/the-next-great-performance-booster-for-athletes-sleep-256224

COP30: Pacific nations call for world to act as 1.5C threshold nears

By Asia Pacific Report -

November 11, 2025

By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor, and Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

Pacific nations are at the world’s biggest climate talks making the familiar plea to keep global warming under 1.5C to stay alive, as scientists say the world will now certainly surpass the limit — at least temporarily.

At the opening of the COP30 climate summit in Belém Brazil, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the same call that Pacific nations have for years.

“Let us be clear, the 1.5-degree limit is a red line for humanity. It must be kept within reach and scientists also tell us that this is still possible,” Guterres said.

COP30 BRAZIL 2025

“If we act now at speed and scale, we can make the overshoot as small, as short and as safe as possible.”

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed in its State of the Climate update that greenhouse gas emissions, which are heating the planet, have risen to a record high, with 2025 being on track to be the second or third warmest year on record.

“It will be virtually impossible to limit global warming to 1.5C in the next few years without temporarily overshooting this target,” WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo said.

“But the science is equally clear that it’s still entirely possible and essential to bring temperatures back down to 1.5C by the end of the century.”

Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) climate justice campaigner India Logan-Riley said the world was now in “deeply unstable territory” with the “very existence” of some Pacific communities now at risk.

COP31 – a Pacific COP?
As this COP starts, there is still uncertainty over where COP31 in 2026 will be hosted.

Both Australia — in conjunction with the Pacific — and Türkiye have bid to host the event.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has written twice to his counterpart looking for a compromise to break the deadlock.

Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr, who is in Belém, said it was important for Australia to be successful in its bid.

“We’re here in Brazil and the Amazon, and the focus next year needs to be a ‘Blue COP’, we need to focus on the oceans,” President Whipps said.

“One of the things I always tell people is, in some countries they only face droughts, or they may face a storm but in the Pacific we suffer from all of them; sea-level rise, storms, droughts, extreme heat.

“Other people, they can’t relate or they think it may be unreal.”

One of those people, US President Donald Trump, told the UN last month the climate crisis is “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world”.

Palau has a particularly close relationship with the US as one of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) nations. The agreement gives the US military access to Palau, which in return is given financial assistance and for Palauans the right to work in the US.

Whipps said Trump’s comments were unfortunate, and more reason for COP to come to the Pacific.

“I would invite President Trump to come to the Pacific. He should visit Tuvalu, and he should visit Kiribati and Marshall Islands.”

Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr, who is in Belém . . . the renewable energy transition “gives us energy independence”. Image: UN Photo

100% renewable Pacific
The Pacific is aiming to be the first region in the world to be completely reliant on renewable energy, a campaign which being led by Whipps.

“Leading the energy transition not only helps the planet by reducing our carbon footprint, but also gives us energy independence, [it] allows us to create jobs locally, and it keeps the money circulating.”

Whipps wants Palau to be running completely off renewable energy by 2032.

Meanwhile, the UN emissions gap report shows the world is on track for 2.3C to 2.5C global warming, if nations stick to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

However, it is an improvement from last year’s report, which predicted 2.6C to 2.8C of warming.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) policy advisor Sindra Sharma said the report laid bare the fact that global ambition is nowhere near where it needs to be.

“[The new forecast] still is quite unacceptable for vulnerable communities and small island states in particular, because we’ll feel the effects the fastest with crossing anywhere beyond 1.5 even 1.51 it’s going to have significant implications.

“We’ve always had all the solutions to be able to do so and it’s just a lack of political will. It’s a choice that’s being made consistently and that choice is going to affect every single one on this earth.”

Sharma is hopeful there will be positive outcomes at this year’s COP, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, which are in part driven by it being hosted close to the Amazon Rainforest — often referred to as the lungs of the earth — and marking 10 years since the Paris Agreement was signed.

It is also the first time Pacific nations have confirmation from the world’s top court that failing to protect people from the effects of climate change could violate international law.

“The advisory opinion that we have now is the first time that we’re going into COP with this kind of legal clarity and the legal clarity is telling us that there’s due diligence in terms of limiting warming to 1.5C.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

‘Unnecessary’ for ratepayers to fund meals, newly-elected councillor says

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Five new councillors, Bo Burns, John Gillon, Sarah Paterson-Hamlin, Victoria Short, and Matt Winiata, have joined mayor Wayne Brown and 20 re-elected councillors. RNZ / Jessica Hopkins

An Auckland councillor wants his colleagues to ditch their ratepayer-funded meals.

At their first governing body meeting after the local body elections on Tuesday, first-time Auckland councillors gave maiden speeches, sharing their priorities for the next three years.

Five new councillors, Bo Burns, John Gillon, Sarah Paterson-Hamlin, Victoria Short, and Matt Winiata, have joined mayor Wayne Brown and 20 re-elected councillors.

In his speech, North Shore councillor John Gillion cited data showing that in the past five years, the council had spent an average of $30,000 a year on catering for council meetings.

“It’s just so unnecessary for the ratepayer to be paying for elected members to eat.”

He said that as chairperson of the Kaipātiki Local Board, he got rid of catering for board meetings, and would encourage councillors to do the same.

Shortly after Gillon’s speech, councillors took an early lunch break because tech issues halted proceedings.

Gillon told RNZ he went out to get lunch and that there was enough time for other councillors to do the same if they needed to.

In her speech, Whau councillor Sarah Paterson-Hamlin shared that she is neurodiverse and improving accessibility in the city was important to her.

“I have been elected to represent Whau, but I also consider it my honour and duty to represent the best I can the needs and aspirations of Auckland’s tāngata whaikaha, disabled people.

“As an autistic ADHD person, I am accustomed to navigating a world that is not built for people like me, that often does not understand either the challenges or strengths that come with being born this way.”

She said working for UpsideDowns, the NZ Down Syndrome Association, and Raukatari Music Therapy, she had applied for hundreds of council grants, and aimed to make the process easier to navigate.

Bo Burns said it was unacceptable that Flat Bush and Ormiston in her Howick electorate were without a community facility.

“It’s the fastest growing community in East Auckland and has been waiting over 20 years for a proper facility.”

She said it was putting pressure on other facilities in her ward.

Victoria Short said she was looking forward to “rolling up her sleeves and cracking on with it” when it came to tackling issues in the city.

“As someone who comes from financial struggles, I value every single dollar, a mindset I will apply to all council expenditure.

“If you were to tell me when I was 18, pregnant, no job, and no money that I would become a fricken councillor for the Albany ward, an accountant, and the first person of Kiribati descent to be elected into a government position in New Zealand history, I never would have believed you.”

Matt Winiata wanted more to be done to make his community safer.

“Dog attacks are destroying communities and keeping kids in fear just from walking to school.

“There’s illegal dumping from those without a care or consideration for the environment and community they are polluting.

“Kids are huffing on laughing gas in quantities that bring tears to the hearts of families it’s destroying.”

He also thanked almost 100 of his family, friends, and colleagues during his speech.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Person killed in quadbike crash near Palmerston North

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

A file photo of an ATV. 123RF

A person has died after a crash involving an All-Terrain Vehicle at a property near Palmerston North.

Emergency services were called shortly after 8.30am on Monday to the Weber Road address in Waitahora,Tararua District.

The person died at the scene, police said.

WorkSafe has been advised and the death would be referred to the Coroner.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Details of gun law reforms unveiled as Cabinet signs off

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cabinet has signed off on an overhaul of the country’s gun laws that shifts the responsibility of the firearms regulator from the Police Minister to the Firearms Minister.

National and ACT agreed to rewrite the Arms Act – in place since the early 1980s – as part of its coalition arrangement.

The legislation has had many iterations, more recently a ban on semi-automatics and a new firearms regulator, introduced after the March 15 terror attacks.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has been working on rewriting the act to “improve public safety” and make it easier for licensed firearm owners (LFOs) to comply with the law.

Firearms regulator will answer to Firearms Minister

Te Tari Pūreke the Firearms Safety Authority (FSA) was a key part of the Crown’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019.

It administers gun laws in the police department and reports to the Police Commissioner.

National and ACT agreed to transfer the FSA “to another department such as the Department of Internal Affairs”, though the FSA is staying with police.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has been working to rewrite the Arms Act. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

It is being reformed into a new regulator without sworn police officers and headed up by its own chief executive, appointed by the Governor-General.

This new chief executive will report solely to the Minister responsible for firearms, currently McKee, with the Ministry of Justice providing oversight and monitoring.

Tweaks to laws regulating military-style guns

Muslim leaders expressed concern laws regulating military-style guns would be liberalised in the re-write, after both McKee and the Prime Minister refused to rule this out last year.

There are no changes to the very limited number of people who can legally hold these types of guns – ‘endorsed’ pest controllers and collectors – in the overhaul.

The government is extending the duration of a pest control endorsement from 2.5 years to five years, with a mid-term check in to confirm holders’ circumstances haven’t changed.

It’s also giving collectors who own prohibited firearms the option of storing vital parts of a gun (that when removed, disables it) at the address of any licensed firearm owner, not just someone who has the same endorsement.

High-capacity pistol magazines, those with more than ten rounds, will also only be able to be purchased and held by those with a pistol endorsement, effectively closing a loophole in the current system.

Other changes

Other parts of the reforms include automatically disqualifying identified gang members (those on the National Gang List) from holding a firearms licence, preventing them from gaining legal access to guns.

The reforms will also introduce a statutory ‘red flag’ system so police and other agencies can signal to the firearms regulator when they have relevant intel that might trigger a review of whether a LFO remains a fit and proper person.

Penalties for more than 60 Arms Act offences will be increased and eight new offences created, including one that makes it illegal to own a firearm without a serial number.

The new act is also supposed to plug gaps in the law to address new and emerging technologies such as the illegal manufacture of 3D printed firearms and parts, and possession of digital files without a licence.

‘Agree to disagree’ on military-style guns for competitive shooters

A competitive shooter herself, McKee was seeking a carve out for competitors to access military-style semi-automatic firearms.

She’s now confirmed she has failed to find coalition support for this and her party will invoke the ‘agree to disagree’ clause.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, McKee said she was not prepared to “die in a ditch” over it.

“When looking at the bigger picture, I think that we have a lot of really good stuff within this Arms Act and so I was prepared to do the agree to disagree,” she said.

“I tried. I did not succeed there so we had an agree to disagree.”

ACT invoked the ‘agree to disagree’ clause in May, arguing a review of the firearms registry fell short of what was promised in its coalition agreement with National.

McKee reiterated her continuing opposition to the registry today.

“I still do not agree with the firearms registry, especially in its current state. I see lots of problems with it.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Tongariro tracks shut until at least next week after devastating wildfire

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

The main Tongariro track is expected to stay shut until at least next week after devastating wildfire.

Recent rain is helping hugely to bring the massive Tongariro National Park blaze under control, Fire and Emergency says.

Thirty-five crews of Department of Conservation firefighters remain at the site on Tuesday, while drones with thermal imaging equipment have begun checking the flanks of the fireground for hotspots.

A helicopter is on standby to fly over and assess the full extent of the damage. However, low cloud has meant it has been unable to do an aerial assessment of the site, which is estimated to cover up to 2800 hectares.

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka said part of the National Park is open, but the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro Northern Circuit, Tama Lakes and walks near Whakapapa Village would be closed until at least Monday.

“We will be in a better place to give an indication of when tracks and huts will re-open and any impacts on summer tramping once the fire has been controlled and FENZ have confirmed it is safe for us to assess damage,” Potaka said.

“But there will be some time before everything is cleared away and we know the true extent of biodiversity loss, but also what’s in front us, which is a restoration opportunity.”

Potaka said police were investigating the cause of the fire.

“We have managed to protect some key infrastructure so we hope to be able to reopen the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and Tongariro Northern Circuit (except Oturere Hut) quickly.”

FENZ assistant commander Renee Potae. RNZ/Jimmy Ellingham

FENZ assistant commander Renee Potae said recent rain had been a huge help.

“The key thing has been the rain, especially the runoff from the mountain. That runoff is running into the fireground and really helping us get control of this fire.”

However, while flames may no longer be visible, it does not mean the fire has been fully extinguished.

“While you can’t see too much sign of fire right now on the surface, it doesn’t mean it’s not still burning underground,” Potae said.

“So while we’ll start to see some of the resources start to demobilise over the next few days, there will be, for several days, some crews continuing to monitor the fire just to make sure it’s out.”

Diggers at work at the site of the fire in Tongariro. RNZ/Jimmy Ellingham

Meanwhile, an iwi representative said the rāhui over the scene will give the whenua time to breathe.

Two rāhui have been put in place, covering the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track and any burnt areas.

Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro representative Te Ngaehe Wanikau said: “The restoration is not about excluding, it’s not prohibiting.”

Wanikau said the restorative rāhui was not in the usual sense of rāhui which happens after a tragedy.

RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham

A restorative rāhui was about focusing on bringing the area back to what it should be, he said.

The “greatest” fear was the burnt area going into the “too hard basket and then we see yellow flowers of broom all over our mountain”.

The rāhui was an opportunity for “everyone and anyone” to focus on making it a restorative project that showed what the area could look like if the problem was dealt with.

He said they would work with agencies to determine the extent of the damage.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Police poised to roll out new roadside drug test

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Police are poised to begin testing drivers for drugs with a device that involves a quick swipe of the driver’s tongue.

The government on Tuesday announced roadside testing for four types of drugs will begin next month in Wellington, spreading nationwide by mid-2026.

It said there would be “fewer tragedies” as a result.

An oral-fluid testing device would be able to detect cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy or meth.

If a tongue-swipe test taking a few minutes was positive, a second roadside test would follow.

If that was positive too, then the driver would be prohibited from driving for 12 hours.

In addition, police will take a saliva sample for analysis in a lab that can test for 25 types of drug, and any infringement notice will follow from that.

“Most drivers will be free to go within about five minutes once they have a negative test result,” the government announcement said.

“Around 30 percent of all road deaths now involve an impairing drug,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop said in a statement.

“If you take drugs and drive, you’re putting innocent lives at risk – and we will not tolerate it.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Why is it so hard to take a good photo of the Moon with my phone?

By The Conversation -

November 11, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. I. Brown, Associate Professor in Astronomy, Monash University

It’s a beautiful clear night. The stars are out and the Moon looks breathtaking against the sky, so you reach for your phone to take a snap. The results are, to be blunt, disappointing.

Try again. Steady your hands, focus on the Moon, take a photo and… it’s another underwhelming white smudge against a dark background. Hardly Instagram-worthy.

Phones often take superb photos, but why do they struggle with the Moon? It’s a little bit to do with what we are photographing, and a little bit to do with phone camera technology.

It’s not actually night

The first mistake novice astrophotographers make is assuming it is night time. Sure, it may be night time where you are on Earth but is it night time on the Moon?

An image of the Moon that's just a fuzzy white blob. — Got a few pics like this on your photo reel?
M. J. I. Brown, CC BY

When you take a snap of the Moon, you are photographing its sunlit side. In other words, you are photographing broad daylight. Regardless of your camera, this means your settings should be similar to those for daytime photography rather than nighttime photography.

A daylight phone photo of the Moon — Not very impressive.
M. J. I. Brown, CC BY

Phones typically automate photography, including focus and exposure time. Unfortunately, this means that when the Moon is seen against a vast dark sky, the exposure time is set by the dark sky rather than the Moon. This means we turn the Moon into an overexposed bright smudge.

The easiest way to get around this problem is to photograph the Moon during the daytime. With a bright blue sky as the background (technically the foreground) your phone will use a suitably short exposure and you’ll likely get a better picture.

Another way to prevent over-exposed phone photographs is to dial down the exposure time manually, if you can.

So, you tried all that and the pics still look pretty average? Even with the right exposure time and good focus, phone photos of the Moon aren’t great and often don’t capture detail well.

This comes down to the design of phone cameras.

A wide view

Phones are great at taking photos of nearby objects (selfies, anyone?) and sweeping vistas. For example, some phones can take photos of the horizon that span from due north to due east – that’s a 90-degree field of view.

Unfortunately, the Moon (which is just half a degree across in the sky) gets lost in such an image. This comes down to the design choices that allow a camera to fit into a standard mobile phone.

Cameras and telescopes focus light coming from different directions onto detectors, be they old-fashioned photographic film or modern digital sensors with pixels.

The detail you see depends on the size of the pixels and the focal length; for a simple lens this is roughly the distance from the lens to the detector.

Phone camera lenses have focal lengths of a few millimetres, and the sensor pixels are thousandths of a millimetre in size. For a typical phone each pixel receives light from an angle of about 0.02 degrees – and since the Moon is 0.5 degrees across in the sky, its image ends up being only 25 pixels wide.

An image just 25 pixels wide is not going to have much detail. Phone camera software may add more pixels, attempt to sharpen the image or interpolate to add pixels, but this won’t add real detail to your Moon pic.

Zooming in and out

The obvious solution is to zoom in to get a more detailed image of the Moon.

For conventional cameras this is done with a zoom lens where the focal length can be increased (for example, from 50mm to 200mm). However, in phones the zoom is typically done digitally (in software) so the physical focal length is unchanged. Your disappointment will thus continue.

However, there is a solution. Why limit yourself to a phone camera lens?

Phones can take photographs with telescopes. Point a telescope at the Moon, hover your phone carefully above the eyepiece and you can get a remarkably good photo. This is because you’ve used the magnification of the telescope to effectively multiply the focal length of your camera.

A photo of the Moon taken with a mobile phone and telescope. — Phones can take great Moon photos when paired with telescopes.
M. J. I. Brown, CC BY

Instead of a 6mm focal length you may be working with 300mm. Instead of 25 pixels you may have 1,250 pixels. Now you can have great Moon photos.

A phone photo of an aurora during the great display of May 2024. — Phones are great for sweeping views of the Milky Way and auroras.
M. J. I. Brown, CC BY

Phone photography using telescopes has really taken off over the past ten years. You can even get special clamps to hold your phone securely to a telescope.

But what if you don’t have a telescope handy? Well, instead of trying to zoom in, try zooming out. Remember that phones are great at taking in sweeping vistas.

Your phone may not be great at taking Moon photos, but it can take excellent photos of the Milky Way. And if you’re lucky, you can snap photos of rare visitors such as bright comets or auroras.

Michael J. I. Brown receives research funding from the Australian Research Council and Monash University.

– ref. Why is it so hard to take a good photo of the Moon with my phone? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-take-a-good-photo-of-the-moon-with-my-phone-266051

Labour ‘absolutely’ comfortable if Te Pāti Māori does not return to Parliament

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour’s campaign manager Willie Jackson. RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Labour is “absolutely” campaigning to get Te Pāti Māori out of Parliament and while that party’s internal ructions are sad for te ao Māori, that is politics.

Labour’s campaign manager Willie Jackson said there has been strong interest in campaigning for the Māori seats and they will be “ready” if there are by-elections.

He has also ruled out accepting rogue MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris into Labour, after Te Pāti Māori announced their expulsion from the party on Monday.

Jackson – who will be managing Labour’s 2026 election campaign and also leads the party’s Māori caucus – said they would be fighting hard to win all seven of the Māori seats, and if that meant Te Pāti Māori not getting back into Parliament, that was fine with him.

“Oh absolutely. We got rid of them in 2017 and they try to get rid of us in the seats, we try to get rid of them, that’s just the nature of the game. Doesn’t mean to say we don’t have good relationships with them still … it’s just how it is.”

He said there had been a lot of interest from people looking to win the Māori seats for Labour.

‘Rogue’ Te Pāti Māori MPs Ferris and Kapa-Kingi have been expelled from the party. RNZ/Liam K. Swiggs

“We’ve had a lot of interest, a lot of interest in the seats – particularly during the Māori Party troubled times – so had a lot of interest in the last six to eight weeks, candidates lining up everywhere.

“I think people don’t like division, and they like what they’re seeing from Labour. Our Māori MPs are performing and they’ll be ready if there are any by-elections.”

He made clear however that whoever Labour picked as candidates, Kapa-Kingi and Ferris would not be among them.

“They’re not Labour people, they’re not Labour candidates. They’re good people, we don’t have anything against them, but they will not be candidates for Labour.”

Asked what value Te Pāti Māori was bringing to Parliament, he came up short.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask their supporters. I worry about Labour and the reality is we’ve got a real opportunity – at the same time I don’t take any joy in what’s happening. All parties go through these internals, so, disappointing for them, disappointing for a lot of our people but it’s their business, we’ve got to concentrate on getting ourselves organised and we will.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Labour leader Chris Hipkins agreed the party would be competing “vigourously” for every Māori seat at the next election.

He had a pithy response when asked if he would be comfortable with Te Pāti Māori exiting Parliament: “They’re doing a pretty good job of that for themselves at the moment.”

“At the moment Te Pāti Māori are more focused on themselves than focused on tackling the issues facing New Zealand, so they’re not bringing a lot to the debate at the moment.

“We’ve got a very strong line-up of potential candidates vying for Labour’s nomination for those Māori electorates and I think that bodes well for a good result for us in those seats at the next election.”

He indicated Labour was looking to capitalise on the divisions in Te Pāti Māori.

“There were a lot of non-Māori New Zealanders who were very supportive of the Toitu te Tiriti movement for example who felt very let down from the Māori Party basically saying ‘if you’re an Asian new Zealander or a Pākehā New Zealander then you have no right to be speaking on Māori issues’.

“A lot of people driving around with Toitu te Tiriti bumper stickers suddenly felt that they were alienated from that kaupapa so I think that means that they’re now looking around to say ‘well we thought we were supporting something which it’s clear … that’s not what we thought it was.

“My message to them is vote Labour if you want to change the government.”

Whether Labour could work with Te Pāti Māori around the cabinet table was still an open question, which would be answered next year, he said.

“Lots can change in a year. But we will make our decisions, and they’ll be principled decisions and we’ll set them out closer to the election. I’m not making those decisions in advance.”

He said strategic decisions about whether Māori seat candidates would be also placed on Labour’s list would also be made closer to the election.

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

There was “some certainty” that Cushla Tangaere-Manuel would again be Labour’s candidate for Ikaroa Rāwhiti, but the others were yet to be confirmed.

Jackson said Te Pāti Māori’s internal ructions were “very sad”.

“I think it’s sad for te ao Māori. I don’t like to see this sort of thing happen – some of these people are friends, relations, so I take no joy in it but the reality is we’ll be after the seats … so course it’s sad, however that’s politics.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Asbestos found in breathing equipment ‘distressing’ for firefighters, union says

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

A FENZ firefighter works in breathing gear, amid smoke. Supplied/ FENZ

The firefighters’ union says asbestos found in an air tank, which helps emergency services breath during fires, will be distressing for personnel in Auckland.

It said a bulk air supply tank had tested positive for a “very small level” of asbestos.

The tank has not been in use since asbestos was found in equipment used to fill breathing apparatus (BA) cylinders for individual firefighters at Auckland City fire station two years ago. Police sometimes also filled up using that gear.

However, the Professional Firefighters’ Union said in an online post it was now concerned the bulk tank may have contaminated the cylinders, though some extra tests showed it might not have.

“There has been additional tests on the bulk air supply tank to see whether the asbestos would transfer from that tank to a breathing apparatus cylinder and those tests demonstrated that the identified asbestos remained in the bulk air supply tank,” it said.

The problem was the cylinders had not been tested as they should have been, and it had only just learned this.

“This news will be very distressing for many firefighters who now have the uncertainty of the safety of their BAs potentially filled using this sample bulk air tank prior to 2023,” it said.

“To not have any tests to either confirm or refute any potential risk will no doubt cause anger and frustration.”

FENZ has been approached for comment by RNZ.

The union said FENZ should urgently test the cylinders, or withdraw them immediately.

“We understand the BA sets are nearly at end of life,” the union said.

“FENZ should procure new BA cylinders and sets now in order to decommission all cylinders that had possibly been filled through the tanks prior to 2023 and therefore have a possible risk of contamination.”

Worksafe said it had been contacted by the union with concerns about breathing apparatus sets filled prior to 2023 at Auckland City fire station.

“We have had ongoing involvement at the site over time and are making further enquiries to understand the latest concerns ,” it said on Tuesday.

The Auckland City station had an asbestos scare that closed it briefly last month. In 2023 there were at least four discoveries of asbestos at the station.

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Tongariro National Park track expected to reopen by next week after devastating wildfire

By Evening Report -

November 11, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

The main Tongariro track is expected to stay shut until at least next week after devastating wildfire.

Recent rain is helping hugely to bring the massive Tongariro National Park blaze under control, Fire and Emergency says.

Thirty-five crews of Department of Conservation firefighters remain at the site on Tuesday, while drones with thermal imaging equipment have begun checking the flanks of the fireground for hotspots.

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka said part of the National park is open, but the main track entrance is set to reopen next week.

“The particular area where this devastation has incurred, the track is expected to be open on the 17th, I think, of November, the main Tongariro track that everyone talks about,” Potaka said.

“But there will be some time before everything is cleared away and we know the true extent of biodiversity loss, but also what’s in front us, which is a restoration opportunity.”

Potaka said police are investigating the cause of the fire.

FENZ assistant commander Renee Potae. RNZ/Jimmy Ellingham

FENZ assistant commander Renee Potae said recent rain has been a huge help.