Source: Radio New Zealand

By Noam Mānuka Lazarus, Massey University journalism student

Wellington festival Beers at the Basin has been cancelled after it was previously postponed for more than a year, with organisers blaming a tough economic climate in the capital.

In an email to ticketholders on Friday, organisers said the festival at the Basin Reserve scheduled for February was “taking a break” and they “remain committed to exploring opportunities for the future.”

It said they had hoped postponing the event from November 2024 to February 2026 would bring “excitement and energy,” but it had not sold well.

“Wellington’s tough economic climate has contributed to lower than expected ticket sales, despite strong early interest.

“Recent indicators show that discretionary spending in the region, unfortunately, continues to remain low.”

That meant they couldn’t “confidently proceed” with the event.

“This difficult decision was made after reviewing a number of factors that impact our ability to deliver the event experience attendees, vendors, and partners expect from Beers at the Basin,” it said.

All tickets will be fully refunded, the email said.

Damien Hochberg from Arada Promotions, the festival’s promoter, declined to comment further.

The first Beers at the Basin event was held in 2017.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Paihia’s boil-water notice will continue at least until Monday, the Far North District Council says.

Residents in Paihia as well as Waitangi, Ōpua, Haruru and Te Haumi have been told to boil tap water for at least a minute before drinking it or cooking with it.

The notice was issued on Thursday afternoon after testing showed E coli bacteria in the water above permitted levels.

The council said tests had to come back clear for three days in a row before the boil water notice could be lifted.

The results of Friday’s water tests were not known.

A reservoir at Te Haumi, just south of Paihia, had been isolated to prevent any risk of wider contamination while testing continued.

The council said anyone in the affected area who developed gastroenteritis symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, should seek medical advice.

Meanwhile, Kaikohe’s town supply was restored around noon on Friday after an outage caused by a burst water main earlier in the day.

A number of schools closed for the day due to the lack of running water, including Northland College and Kaikohe East School.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

• Twenty-one roles to go at the National Public Health Service
• Biggest impact in emergency management and Māori public health
• Union and public health experts say loss of critical expertise makes New Zealand vulnerable
• Health Ministry says consultation open now and any changes will be in place by April

Crucial public health roles – including in emergency management, pandemic preparedness and Māori health – are on the chopping block at the Ministry of Health, with yet another restructuring under way before Christmas.

The Public Service Association said the loss of skills and expertise would leave New Zealand “vulnerable”, as the risk from disease and natural disasters continued to ramp up.

Consultation on the changes at the National Public Health Service – the lead adviser to the government on public health and mental health – closes in just over a fortnight and any changes are expected to be in place by April.

Under the proposed restructure, 21 jobs would go – the biggest number from the emergency management team, which would shrink from 11 roles to just two, and from Māori public health, which could drop from six staff to two.

PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the ministry had told staff the cuts were no reflection on their work, which was high quality and of vital importance.

“Ultimately, this loss of deep skills and expertise to the Ministry of Health is also a huge loss for New Zealanders,” she said. “The COVID pandemic showed us all how crucial planning and public health is in an emergency, and decades of research have revealed that tangata whenua face health inequities at every level of the system.

“These changes make zero sense.”

The proposal follows cuts to public health in other areas, including the National Public Health Service, which sits under Health NZ.

Its job is delivering public health services, including running immunisation programmes, responding to infectious disease outbreaks, conducting public information campaigns, and monitoring water and air quality.

It was previously threatened with the loss of 55 positions, 300 vacant roles and a budget cut of $32m, but was granted a reprieve earlier this year, when Health NZ announced it had achieved “sufficient cost savings”.

The National Public Health Service had already undergone two major restructures in two years.

Under its new proposal, the Health Ministry has also proposed what the union described as “significant changes” to the mental health, addiction and suicide prevention office, with two group manager roles disestablished and eight roles moved elsewhere.

Fitzsimons said the reductions were driven by the government’s “reckless” budget-cutting.

“We’ve seen time and time again with the government’s cuts that specialist teams have been broken up,” she said. “When it comes to health, as our population grows and ages, we need those specialist teams with deep, specialist skills.”

Public health experts worried

Otago University public health professor Nick Wilson said the proposed cuts were “deeply worrying” at a time when other countries were gearing up public health expertise in the face of rising threats from pandemics and climate change.

“We’ve got increasing risk from biological spillover from the wild, but also, with humans intruding on wild spaces, that risk is increasing,” he said.

“We’ve got intensification of agriculture – we see influenza viruses from pig farms making that jump into the human population – and there’s the growing concerns about bio-engineering and AI producing new pathogens.

“As a country, we should be investing vastly more in pandemic preparedness.”

New Zealand would irrefutably see “more Cycle Gabrielles”, he said.

“Governments shouldn’t rely on academic commentators who are just doing bits of research in their spare time – that’s just too unreliable. You need lots of in-house expertise.”

Infectious disease expert Professor Michael Baker said the COVID-19 pandemic showed how crucial planning and public health was in an emergency.

“Also, you need the right people – people with real expertise – and the problem is, with every one of these re-organisations and downsizing processes, we’re losing expertise and momentum.”

When the Māori health authority Te Aka Whai Ora was disestablished by the government, there was a commitment that its functions and expertise would be retained in the Health Ministry and Health NZ.

The cuts to the small Māori public health team put that in further doubt, Baker said.

“This is a real concern, because we know there are huge health inequities for Māori in terms of life expectancy and every other measure we’ve got, so we need more expertise focused on reducing those disparities, rather than less.”

On Monday, the Wellington High Court will hear an application by Lady Tureiti Moxon, Dr Chris Tooley and Tony Kake, challenging the crown’s decision to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora on the grounds it breaches the rights of Māori, undermines tino rangatiratanga and entrenches inequity.

Changes in place by April

In a written response to RNZ, Director-General of Health Audrey Sonerson, said the ministry had started a change consultation with two groups within the organisation.

“Affected staff have had meetings to outline the proposed changes to their roles and now consultation on the proposed changes is open,” she said. “At this stage, we expect any confirmed changes to organisational structure to be in place by April 2026.”

There was no proposal to reduce the size of the suicide prevention team, but the plan was to bring it under a new ‘lived experiences team’.

Of the 11 roles in the emergency management team, three are already vacant.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A man has died after being stabbed during an altercation in the Auckland suburb of Mt Wellington.

Police said the man was involved in a confrontation with a group of people in a car on Harris Road around midday on Sunday. He suffered multiple stab wounds and arrived a medical centre on Lunn Avenue at around 12:15 pm. He was quickly taken to Auckland Hospital, where he died Friday afternoon.

A homicide investigation is under way, with police seeking to identify and locate those responsible.

“At this early stage, we have established the victim got into an altercation with occupants of a hatchback vehicle on Harris Road in Mt Wellington,” police detective inspector Scott Beard said in a statement.

“During this altercation, the victim has sustained stabbing injuries before both parties left the scene.”

Beard said police found what they believe to be the hatchback involved on Laud Avenue in nearby Ellerslie.

Police set up a cordon at the scene on the intersection of Harris Road and Rutland Road, blocking traffic at the busy intersection during school pick-up hours.

A police helicopter could be seen circling Mt Wellington on Friday afternoon.

Frustrated parents told RNZ they had to take their children on lengthy diversions around the cordoned area.

Police also cordoned off Laud Avenue.

“Police have been speaking with people as part of early enquiries, including residents around the two scenes we have cordoned off,” said Beard.

“Mt Wellington residents will continue to see an increased police presence across the area over the coming days in response to what has occurred.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

• Gunak Lee thought he was getting paid a few thousand dollars to smuggle a haul of 10 rare geckos, possibly worth over $140,000
• Instead, he was caught in a sting with an undercover DOC officer
• Lee claimed he was acting for another person he hadn’t met
• His lawyer said he was a young and naive mule
• He has been sentenced to 14 months in prison

A South Korean man who expected to be paid a few thousand dollars for smuggling rare geckos out of the country has instead been jailed for 14 months.

Gunak Lee, 23 and unemployed, was caught in a sting in October with an undercover Department of Conservation (DOC) officer at an Auckland hotel.

He thought he was buying 10 geckos for several thousand dollars, but the officer handed over just two in the operation, with the rest of the containers empty and hidden.

A search warrant was executed when Lee got back to his hotel room to check how many of the prized jewelled geckos he had.

Lee planned to fly back to South Korea that day, thinking he would only be fined if he was stopped at the border.

But at the Manukau District Court on Friday, Lee was sentenced for buying the protected jewelled geckos and possession of a threatened species.

“Wildlife doesn’t have brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers to call the police if something happens,” DOC prosecutor Mike Bodie said.

He said the transaction was clearly part of a planned international smuggling operation.

“This wasn’t spare of the moment; it was clearly a plan and premeditated,” Bodie said.

He said the jewelled geckos were “beautiful, attractive, unusual, but are animals” that could not sustain being exploited.

Jewelled geckos are only found in New Zealand, and their conservation status is classified as “at risk – declining”. The species are found in pockets of Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

DOC called for a starting point of two years’ prison.

The maximum penalty for buying protected wildlife is two years’ jail, or a $100,000 fine, or both.

If the court is satisfied it was for commercial gain or reward, this increases to 5 years jail, or a $300,000 fine, or both.

On the other charge of possessing a threatened species, the maximum sentence is three years’ jail, or a $50,000 fine, or both.

Lee’s lawyer, Joon Yi, said a starting point of six months was appropriate because Lee was exploited, fell victim to others and was naive.

“He’s so naive that even his own hotel, that he stayed in, he paid for out of his own pocket without any assurance he would be paid back or anything like that,” he said.

Yi said his client’s previous employer, who he thought of as an older brother, offered him the opportunity with a third party.

He thought “that would be it,” and the consequences were never explained to Lee, his lawyer said.

The undercover sting

Because of their rarity, distinctive features and striking colour, jewelled geckos are highly sought after in illegal international trading, according to DOC.

This was especially so in Europe, where a gecko can sell for more than €7,000 (NZ$14,000).

The Summary of Facts detailed Lee’s offending and the sting that led to his arrest.

On 13 October, he flew from South Korea to Auckland, arriving on a visitor visa.

Three days later, he met with an undercover DOC officer in the lobby of an Auckland hotel where he was staying, a meeting that he had arranged earlier online.

There, he agreed to buy ten New Zealand green geckos for US$15,000 cash.

The undercover officer had prepared a bag with several clear plastic containers, with the top two, in view, containing jewelled geckos.

It was pre-arranged that Lee would check the top containers to confirm geckos were there, pay US$5,000, and return to his room to confirm the rest.

There was an agreement that once Lee was satisfied, he would return to the lobby and pay the remaining money.

But he was arrested when he got back to his room, and the two geckos were recovered unharmed.

A search of his hotel room found another US$10,000 and containers to get the geckos out of the country.

In an interview, Lee said his flights and hotel were paid for by a third party he had not met.

Lee was expecting to be paid between NZ$3,600 and $4,800 to act as the gecko courier.

He said he had taken the risk because he was told he would only be fined if he was stopped at the border, and it would be paid for him.

Lee claimed he was unaware it was illegal to buy or possess wildlife in New Zealand.

He said he would have put each gecko inside a sock, and then inside a cardboard box before hiding them in his suitcase to fly back to South Korea that afternoon.

The 14-month sentence

Judge David McNaughton said he accepted Lee was not the principal offender.

“Whoever that person was, he arranged all of this at a distance,” he told Lee.

“He was insulating himself from any risk of getting caught, and clearly he was also doing this for commercial gain or reward, so it was a commercial operation,” he said.

The judge did not accept the defendant’s starting point of six months in jail, and started at two years.

He gave credit for Lee’s guilty plea, his age, and his lack of previous convictions.

“And to a certain extent, but not totally, your naivety, and the fact that you cooperated when you were interviewed.”

Judge McNaughton also imposed standard six-month conditions after he is released from his 14-month prison term, but told Lee he would likely be deported straight away.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Biosecurity official estimate it’s costing about $1 million a month to try to get on top of an incursion of exotic yellow-legged hornets in Auckland.

Thirty-one queen hornets (Vespa velutina) have been found around the city’s Glenfield and Birkdale areas since the first discovery in mid-October.

The Ministry for Primary Industries was trapping within 5km of the detections, putting more staff on the ground and engaging tracking technology from abroad.

Horticultural sectors were concerned about the impact the predatory hornet could have on New Zealand’s honey bee populations.

MPI director-general Ray Smith told the primary production select committee Thursday during scrutiny week, teams were also visiting households in the area, dropping 100,000 leaflets and encouraging reporting of further sightings.

But choices would eventually need to be made about how the response would be funded, he said.

“We’ve probably spent around about $1m already on this response, and we have to be conscious of following the science in order to kind of spend that money wisely as we go forward,” he said.

“As each month ticks by, if you’re adding on roughly $1m a month in response costs with a lot of people on the ground, it starts to become very expensive.”

It established a technical advisory group featuring independent scientific experts from countries that had successfully managed incursions of the hornet to support its response.

Smith said industry partners were assisting with education and awareness around the hornets, but beekeepers and honey producers were not signed up to any government-industry agreement (GIA) that would involve financial contribution to the response.

“The people that are most concerned about the impact of the hornet is on bee populations,” he said.

“That group does not have a government industry agreement, that means they have no obligation to contribute to the cost of this.

“It doesn’t mean that they’re not helping, but the costs are substantive, so it’s all taxpayers’ funds largely that are going into this.”

MPI held a number of government-industry agreements with various sector groups regarding responses to biosecurity incursions.

Neither Apiculture New Zealand nor NZ Beekeeping Incorporated were involved, but ApiNZ chief executive Karin Koss said she was an “observer” to the technical advisory group.

Hornets were mid-hatching, so numbers may fluctuate, Smith said.

“But if we get into months and months and months and no sense of being able to control for it, and the millions begin to mount, there’ll be another set of decisions for ministers to make about, ‘well, who’s paying for this?’”

NZ Beekeeping Incorporated was calling for greater protection measures beyond the 5km radius and a greater pace of decision-making from the ministry.

The group representing 350 commercial beekeepers paid a biosecurity incursion levy for American Foul Brood.

President Jane Lorimer said she feared open dialogue between the shrinking sector and the ministry could be stifled under a government-industry agreement.

“We would be paying probably a fairly substantial amount per beekeeper that we just currently can’t afford.”

Honey producers faced challenges at present, like a global honey glut during the Covid-19 era resulting in low prices and subdued demand, as well as pests like the destructive varroa mite.

Lorimer said beekeepers feared the hornets may spread beyond the 5km radius, which could significantly impact honey bee populations.

“We’ve been trying to say to MPI, can we actually look at doing something that’s outside of GIA, but still meets the needs and that for biosecurity preparedness and response.

“Basically, they’ve been pretty much going, ‘well no, there’s only GIA available.”

MPI received more than 4500 reports regarding hornets from the public.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A feral cat that destroyed a large black-fronted tern colony on Canterbury’s Waiau Toa/Clarence River has finally been caught.

The tom cat killed and ate several adult tern, chicks and eggs, resulting in birds abandoning almost all 95 nests on an island in the river last December.

Black-fronted terns or tarapirohe are endangered with an estimated population of less than 10,000 birds and declining.

Last week contractors Jasen and Shannon Mears of J & S Mears carried out a leg-hold trapping operation in the Clarence River area, targeting feral cats to protect nesting tarapirohe from predators.

They caught 11 cats, including the 6kg tom cat responsible for last year’s colony attack.

Shannon Mears said the large feral tom cat – identified by its long stride and distinctive prints – was tracked for several days before they were able to successfully lure and trap it.

The wily cat had carefully avoided the many leg-hold traps set around the colony and a network of more than 700 kill traps in the wider area, she said.

“It took three nights to catch it. Each morning, we would find the cat had yet again evaded or ignored traps and bait. Its prints clearly showed him visiting the river near the same tern colony he decimated last year to check the water level. It would have only been a matter of time before the river level dropped, and he would have been able to reach the colony again,” she said.

The couple went to great lengths to lure it with whole rabbits as decoys, wing traps and buried leg-hold traps covered by tissue paper and soil. The cat was eventually caught in a leg trap.

“Even then it managed to pull the stake out and hide in a den about 200m away in the middle of the Acheron campsite, where our dog Billy tracked him,” she said.

Earlier this month feral cats were added to the Department of Conservation’s Predator Free 2050 list. There are an estimated 2.4 million feral cats in New Zealand compared to 1.2 million pet cats and about 200,000 stray cats, although the exact numbers are not known.

Feral cats are apex predators, which have been linked to the extinction of several native bird species. They also hunt bats, lizards, frogs and even insects such as wētā.

Department of Conservation South Marlborough principal ranger Pat Crowe was pleased with the results of the trapping after last year’s colony loss.

“Controlling predators like feral cats, ferrets and stoats is difficult work, especially when you’re dealing with trap-shy individuals, but it’s critical to give species like tarapirohe and other braided river birds a fighting chance,” he said.

Apart from flooding in late October that disrupted early nesting, he said it had been a successful breeding season with no signs of predation by introduced predators in the trapping area.

The Waiau Toa/Clarence River is an important habitat for black-fronted terns. There are at least 12 colonies nesting on islands in the braided river this year and 206 nests have been recorded in the six monitored colonies.

People could help protect tern colonies in the Molesworth Recreation Reserve by giving the birds space and keeping out of the nesting colonies, DOC said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A teenager accused of attempting to steal more than $20,000 worth of clothing from an Auckland store was caught in the act.

Police said they were notified of several alarms being activated at a store on Don McKinnon Drive in Albany just before 3am on Friday.

In a statement, Senior Sergeant CJ Miles said police found the glass shop front smashed and the roller door pulled up.

“Officers also located a stolen vehicle parked in front of the store, full of stolen merchandise.

“A person, in the process of loading further stolen goods into the car, exited the store and was taken into custody immediately.”

More than $20,000 worth of property was recovered, Miles said.

A 16-year-old is to appear in North Shore Youth Court on Friday charged with burglary and unlawfully taking a vehicle.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Auditor-General is scrutinising spending at Chatham Islands Council where former Labour MP Paul Eagle is chief executive.

The Office of the Auditor-General confirmed it was looking into “sensitive expenditure and procurement” at the council but said it was confidential, and would not comment publicly while the work was ongoing.

Chatham Islands Mayor Greg Horler also confirmed the inquiry but said the council would make no further comment.

Chatham Islands Council chief executive Paul Eagle said he was unable to comment while the process was underway.

“I don’t want to compromise that,” he said.

“I’m also bound by strict confidentiality requirements of the Auditor-General.”

Eagle has headed up the council since November 2023.

He was a Labour MP for the Rongotai electorate when he ran for the Wellington mayoralty in 2022.

That bid was unsuccessful, and Eagle did not contest the general election in 2023.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Police say they are working to resolve concerns around breath testing data “as quickly as possible,” after the New Zealand Transport Agency halted $6m worth of funding until it’s satisfied police have met their targets.

RNZ earlier revealed about 130 staff were under investigation throughout the country after 30,000 alcohol breath tests were “falsely or erroneously recorded”.

On Thursday, an NZTA spokesperson told RNZ it had paused $6m worth of funding until the matter was resolved.

On Friday, Assistant Commissioner Michael Johnson said in a statement that NZTA had notified police that delivery-dependent road policing funding for the first quarter of the financial year had been paused, while Police’s investigation into irregularities in breath testing data was ongoing.

“Police is working closely with our NZTA partners to resolve this matter as quickly as possible. We acknowledge it is important the data being assessed is accurate and the activity being carried out is legitimate.

“We are confident that once the data is confirmed as accurate, the funding will be authorised.”

• Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

Police continued to deliver “very high levels of breath testing activity”, Johnson said.

“We will continue to have a high-visibility presence over the summer period.”

An NZTA spokesperson earlier told RNZ it had requested police provide assurance that delivery numbers for breath screening tests and the wider road policing activity measures for the 2024/25 financial year were correct.

NZTA has paused its usual end-of-year reporting to the NZTA Board and the Minister of Transport until it is satisfied the final results are “a full and accurate record” of police delivery during the 2024/25 financial year.

Each year, $24 million of funding is dependent on the successful delivery of all speed and impairment activities to agreed specified annual levels, known as delivery dependent funding (DDF).

“Delivery against these measures is assessed on a quarterly basis, and a pro-rated amount of DDF is available to be authorised to spend ($6m per quarter).

“Until the current issue with reporting on breath testing is resolved, NZTA has paused assessment of the $6m in delivery dependent funding for the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.”

Any funding from a quarter where DDF was not met remained available for subsequent authorisation in the same financial year, if targets are met, the spokesperson said.

“Any funding not authorised to be spent at the end of the financial year is required to be returned to the NLTF.”

The bulk of funding for road policing activity (of $103m per quarter) continued to be available to police, the spokesperson said.

In an earlier statement to RNZ, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said “this is a prudent decision by NZTA and I welcome it. The breath testing issue is very concerning and it is important it is resolved.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Oranga Tamariki aims to run its second boot camp for serious youth offenders in March next year using a new design.

The Children’s Minister earlier this week in a scrutiny hearing said no date had been set.

The ministry told the same hearing it was “giving some thought” to running a second one prior to the law being changed.

In response to RNZ inquiries, Oranga Tamariki sketched out its plans and preparation which it said were well advanced.

“Oranga Tamariki is planning to run a further voluntary programme, under existing legislative settings, with the intent to deliver in March 2026,” it said.

“This is an operational decision for Oranga Tamariki.”

It would take teenagers who volunteer, like the pilot last year, housed at the same Te Au rere a te Tonga youth justice residence in Palmerston North.

The Responding to Serious Youth Offending Amendment Bill that would enable a judge to sentence a teenager to time in a military-style academy had its first reading in Parliament in November.

On Tuesday, Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime had raised the prospect of a March start, but Minister Karen Chhour said no date was set.

Green MP Kahurangi Carter had been critical of the minister and officials for saying there were no definite decisions but recruiting before the legislation was in place.

Prime on Friday said the government had stated the legislation would be passed before there was another boot camp but instead it was experimenting on children.

“The answers from the minister were cagey,” Prime said.

Chhour has been approached for comment.

Prime said they were already progressing legislation before the first pilot was done, which was “questionable”.

“And now they haven’t passed the legislation and they are running a second programme … The lives of our children are far too important to politicise and that we should not gimmick policies and repeat failed experiments of the past.”

The results of the pilot showed a reoffending rate similar to boot camps of the past, she said.

The ministry’s programme lead Janet Mays told the hearing on Tuesday that planning was well advanced and drawing on lessons learned in the pilot in 2024-25.

Online advertising has been run to recruit for it.

“Evaluations of the pilot programme identified lessons learned, such as the need for stronger Iwi engagement, improved transition planning and more support for our kaimahi,” Mays said in Friday’s statement to RNZ.

“These are now being integrated into the new design.”

On Tuesday, Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime had raised the prospect of a March start, but Minister Karen Chhour said no date was set.

Green MP Kahurangi Carter had been critical of the minister and officials saying there were no definite decisions but recruiting was taking place before the legislation was in place.

It was recruiting for psychologists, case leaders, residential youth workers and other personnel.

“Oranga Tamariki is well advanced in its planning and preparation for the delivery.

“By delivering this, we can keep supporting young people through a programme which saw improvements across wellbeing, whānau and cultural connections and serious and violent offences drop by two-thirds when compared to a similar cohort.”

The physical infrastructure remained in place in Palmerston North.

Opponents had repeatedly raised concerns that boot camps had been found to be ineffective at reducing youth offending.

Evaluation reporting on the pilot said it created “meaningful and positive change” for the young people but was constrained by rushed implementation, a lack of continuity around therapeutic support and a lack of capacity in the residential phase.

It needed to have engaged with mana whenua earlier and supported whānau earlier, before the rangatahi returned home.

Mays told Tuesday’s hearing they aimed to have a new whānau support programme run alongside the residential phase.

The 2024 pilot had only a three-month residential phase – set to be extended – and a nine-month phase when the boys were back in their communities.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland-based pro-Beijing online political commentator has been ordered to pay more than $200,000 in defamation damages to former Auckland Councillor Paul Young.

Morgan (Zhi Hong) Xiao, also known as ‘Demon King’ (魔王) online, runs a social media account on WeChat and describes himself as a “New Zealand political commentary author, social activist and TV programmes planner”.

Xiao stood in local elections in 2019, and had called Professor Anne-Marie Brady and other critics of the Chinese government “son of bitches” and “anti-China forces”.

Justice Tracey Walker ruled Xiao defamed Young in 13 posts, and ordered him and any third party platform to remove the posts. She also ordered him to pay $225,000 in damages to Young.

Young said he felt vindicated after three years of litigation.

“The court has confirmed what I have maintained throughout – the allegations made against me were false and defamatory,” he said in a statement.

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message that New Zealand’s legal system provides effective remedies for those whose reputations are attacked through sustained online campaigns.”

Young was a Taiwan-born New Zealander who immigrated in 1989.

He was elected as Howick’s ward councillor in the 2018 by-election, becoming Auckland’s first ethnically Chinese councillor. He was re-elected in 2019, but lost his seat in the 2022 Auckland local elections.

Xiao has worked as a parking warden for Auckland Transport but refuses to confirm to RNZ if he’s still in that role – saying that it’s not related to the case.

He said he planned to appeal the decision and was not worried about the money he had been ordered to pay.

“I do not worry about it, because I believe this judgement is going to be successfully appealed… this money will not be a problem.”

Xiao had also previously taken Chinese-New Zealand journalist Portia Mao to court, alleging she had breached the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

Mao is a veteran journalist who covers China-related issues in New Zealand as well as other subjects.

Mao was required to take down the articles while the matter was before the court, but the order was lifted in a later decision by Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith.

In a submission to the court, Mao’s lawyer said Xiao had weaponised the Harmful Digital Communications Act to silence a journalist, as Xiao had celebrated his victory on social media without Mao knowing an application had been filed.

The judge found Mao had no opportunity to defend herself in court at the time the orders were made.

“What has occurred here has been unfortunate,” Judge McIlraith said.

“This case has demonstrated the danger of ‘without notice’ applications being made under this act and the regrettable delay in a defendant having the opportunity to be heard.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The mother of a Dunedin man who died after falling from a moving trailer is still haunted by the decision to turn off his life support, a court has heard.

Robert Douglas Ralston died in hospital almost two weeks after the fall in Brockville in March, following a heated argument with his partner Andrew Jayden Mercer who was at the wheel of the car.

Mercer was sentenced to almost three years in prison for Ralston’s manslaughter at the High Court on Friday.

The court heard Mercer was driving erratically and aggressively when he swung onto Brockville Road as Ralston clung to the trailer, then jumped off.

Mercer had taken methamphetamine about an hour before Ralston’s fall.

In a victim impact statement, Ralston’s mother Linda Young told the court that turning off his life support was the hardest decision she had ever made and it was cruel to watch her son start to fade in hospital.

“It haunts me,” she said.

“As a parent I’m supposed to go before him.

“It’s tearing my heart to pieces.”

Ralston’s aunt told the court that she often relives the awful phone call she received to say he had died.

“Our lives are shattered,” she said.

Other family members said Ralston lit up a room with his presence and described feelings of emptiness, grief and sadness at his death.

Mercer pleaded guilty to manslaughter and failing to undertake a compulsory impairment test in August.

The court heard the couple had argued earlier in the day, starting outside a friend’s house on Turnbull Street in Brockville.

Mercer drove at Ralston after he walked into the middle of the road, before swerving.

Ralston threw a stick at the car as he drove past.

The argument resumed once Mercer returned hours later with a trailer of firewood in tow, with Ralston throwing a block of wood through the driver’s window, smashing it.

Ralston then climbed onto the caged trailer as Mercer drove away with Mercer initially unaware he was clinging onto the trailer.

The court heard Mercer drove through a give way sign and swung the trailer over the centre line when he turned onto Brockville Road, causing the trailer to skid, blow a tyre and start smoking.

Ralston called out during the aggressive turn and Mercer continued driving even after he realised his partner was perched on the trailer.

Ralston jumped off after the car turned onto Brockville Road, suffering serious head injuries.

The court heard Mercer tried to help his partner and was upset when he realised Ralston was so badly injured.

Defence lawyer Sarah Saunderson-Warner said Mercer deeply regretted what happened and was significantly distressed.

The court heard Mercer had tried to make an emotional harm reparation to Ralston’s family but it was rejected.

Mercer had a history of driving convictions ranging from dangerous driving at age 17, to driving while disqualified and failing to stop for police.

Prosecutor Richard Smith told the court Mercer only had a learner licence and should not had been driving at all.

In sentencing, Justice Preston noted Mercer’s distress and remorse but said the sentence was intended to hold him accountable, denounce his conduct and deter others.

Mercer was jailed for two years and 10 months in prison and disqualified from driving for two years upon release.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland-based pro-Beijing online political commentator has been ordered to pay more than $200,000 in defamation damages to former Auckland Councillor Paul Young.

Morgan (Zhi Hong) Xiao, also known as ‘Demon King’ (魔王) online, runs a social media account on WeChat and describes himself as a “New Zealand political commentary author, social activist and TV programmes planner”.

Xiao stood in local elections in 2019, and had called Professor Anne-Marie Brady and other critics of the Chinese government “son of bitches” and “anti-China forces”.

Justice Tracey Walker ruled Xiao defamed Young in 13 posts, and ordered him and any third party platform to remove the posts. She also ordered him to pay $225,000 in damages to Young.

Young said he felt vindicated after three years of litigation.

“The court has confirmed what I have maintained throughout – the allegations made against me were false and defamatory,” he said in a statement.

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message that New Zealand’s legal system provides effective remedies for those whose reputations are attacked through sustained online campaigns.”

Young was a Taiwan-born New Zealander who immigrated in 1989.

He was elected as Howick’s ward councillor in the 2018 by-election, becoming Auckland’s first ethnically Chinese councillor. He was re-elected in 2019, but lost his seat in the 2022 Auckland local elections.

Xiao has worked as a parking warden for Auckland Transport but refuses to confirm to RNZ if he’s still in that role – saying that it’s not related to the case.

He said he planned to appeal the decision and was not worried about the money he had been ordered to pay.

“I do not worry about it, because I believe this judgement is going to be successfully appealed… this money will not be a problem.”

Xiao had also previously taken Chinese-New Zealand journalist Portia Mao to court, alleging she had breached the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

Mao is a veteran journalist who covers China-related issues in New Zealand as well as other subjects.

Mao was required to take down the articles while the matter was before the court, but the order was lifted in a later decision by Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith.

In a submission to the court, Mao’s lawyer said Xiao had weaponised the Harmful Digital Communications Act to silence a journalist, as Xiao had celebrated his victory on social media without Mao knowing an application had been filed.

The judge found Mao had no opportunity to defend herself in court at the time the orders were made.

“What has occurred here has been unfortunate,” Judge McIlraith said.

“This case has demonstrated the danger of ‘without notice’ applications being made under this act and the regrettable delay in a defendant having the opportunity to be heard.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Air New Zealand has updated its rules around the use of portable power banks on its flights following bans by multiple international airlines.

Air NZ’s chief risk and safety officer Nathan McGraw, confirmed that from December 9, customers would not be allowed to carry more than two power banks per person and they could not be used during take-off landing or taxi.

McGraw said the changes had been made to “keep everybody on board safe”.

Last month Jetstar confirmed it would ban the use of portable power banks from December 15, for all of its flights due to the safety risks of damaged or defective lithium battery-powered devices.

Multiple international airlines including Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, South Korean Airlines, Qantas, Virgin and China Airlines banned the use of power banks on flights earlier this year.

Power banks used lithium-ion batteries, which were known to be highly flammable and difficult to extinguish.

McGraw said power banks on AirNZ flights would now need to be kept either under the seat in front of the passenger or in the seat back-pocket. The power banks could not be placed in bags in overhead lockers.

He said they could not be used to charge or power other devices during taxi, take-off or landing and couldn’t be recharged using in-seat or in-flight power outlets.

Power banks were already prohibited from checked baggage, he said.

“Based on information from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), we’ve chosen to make these changes ahead of formal regulatory updates. This proactive step aligns with international aviation safety best practice. Safety is our highest priority, and this change is all about keeping our customers and crew safe.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

One person has been taken to hospital in a serious condition from a childcare centre in Christchurch.

St John is treating multiple patients at the centre, in the suburb of Woolston.

A parent has told RNZ that children have been affected by a chemical used at the centre.

St John was notified at 1.13pm.

A spokesperson said multiple emergency vehicles were responding; fourteen are on scene including six ambulances, two rapid response units and three operations managers.

“Our crews are treating multiple patients, one of whom has been transported to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition.”

Fire and Emergency have sent firefighters from two stations.

A spokesperson said a hazmat unit had been deployed as a precaution.

A RNZ reporter at the scene has seen a child being loaded into an ambulance.

A parent, who has a child at the centre, told RNZ that three children had been affected by a chemical used to clean a slide.

The parent did not know what the chemical was and their child was not affected.

RNZ has approached the childcare centre, but staff refused to comment.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police have confirmed one person has died following a crash on State Highway 2 north of Dennevirke on Friday morning.

Emergency services were called to the crash near Okane Road in Matamau at about 9.50am.

A second person sustained serious injuries and has been transported to hospital, police said.

Fire and Emergency confirmed a truck was involved, and said its crews helped free the driver who had been trapped.

SH2 would remain closed for some time while the Serious Crash unit conduct a scene examination, police said.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area, and detours are in place.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland-based pro-Beijing online political commentator has been ordered to pay more than $200,000 in defamation damages to former Auckland Councillor Paul Young.

Morgan (Zhi Hong) Xiao, also known as ‘Demon King’ (魔王) online, runs a social media account on WeChat and describes himself as a “New Zealand political commentary author, social activist and TV programmes planner”.

Xiao stood in local elections in 2019, and had called Professor Anne-Marie Brady and other critics of the Chinese government “son of bitches” and “anti-China forces”.

Justice Tracey Walker ruled Xiao defamed Young in 13 posts, and/ordered him and any third party platform to remove the posts. She also ordered him to pay $225,000 in damages to Young.

Young said he felt vindicated after three years of litigation.

“The court has confirmed what I have maintained throughout – the allegations made against me were false and defamatory,” he said in a statement.

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message that New Zealand’s legal system provides effective remedies for those whose reputations are attacked through sustained online campaigns.”

Young was a Taiwan-born New Zealander who immigrated in 1989.

He was elected as Howick’s ward councillor in the 2018 by-election, becoming Auckland’s first ethnically Chinese councillor. He was re-elected in 2019, but lost his seat in the 2022 Auckland local elections.

Xiao has worked as a parking warden for Auckland Transport but refuses to confirm to RNZ if he’s still in that role – saying that it’s not related to the case.

He said he planned to appeal the decision and was not worried about the money he had been ordered to pay.

“I do not worry about it, because I believe this judgement is going to be successfully appealed… this money will not be a problem.”

Xiao had also previously taken Chinese-New Zealand journalist Portia Mao to court, alleging she had breached the Harmful Digital Communications Act.

Mao is a veteran journalist who covers China-related issues in New Zealand as well as other subjects.

Mao was required to take down the articles while the matter was before the court, but the order was lifted in a later decision by Manukau District Court Judge Richard McIlraith.

In a submission to the court, Mao’s lawyer said Xiao had weaponised the Harmful Digital Communications Act to silence a journalist, as Xiao had celebrated his victory on social media without Mao knowing an application had been filed.

The judge found Mao had no opportunity to defend herself in court at the time the orders were made.

“What has occurred here has been unfortunate,” Judge McIlraith said.

“This case has demonstrated the danger of ‘without notice’ applications being made under this act and the regrettable delay in a defendant having the opportunity to be heard.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Researchers hope the quick responsiveness of a medical drone could save the lives of New Zealanders living in remote communities.

The trial, a partnership between drone company VertiLink, the University of Auckland and Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi, successfully delivered medical gear to Matakana Island last week during a simulated emergency at Te Kutaroa Marae in less than four minutes.

VertiLink chief executive Charlie Nelson told Nine to Noon, it was a groundbreaking milestone and offered new hope to the island’s 500 residents.

Nelson said the trial was the product of two years of research and the objective had been to see how drones could be sued to benefit people living in isolated communities.

“We really wanted to look at what difference the response time would be between traditional medicines versus this new technology.”

The simulated event included someone who had experienced a high trauma event, like a car crash, on the island, Nelson said.

“We looked at a high trauma event, high stakes and very narrow window of time for this person’s outcome of survival. First responders were dispatched and so was the drone. It was about looking at the time difference and whether that made a difference in the outcome.”

The drone could have a maximum take-off weight of 95kgs, Nelson said, and could carry up to 40kgs. It had a box attached underneath which could be filled with supplied and opened upon landing.

Nelson said the drone also had the ability for a winch so the box could be winched from a height in cases where it couldn’t land safely.

He said now they would continue to engage with communities and tailor it to their particular needs.

“It may not look like the same solution for other communities so we’re continuing to engage with our research partners, community and iwi.”

The drone could be used for emergency responses, Nelson said but also day-to-day health requirements on the island such as delivering prescriptions.

“We’re looking at how efficient you can make these services so the cost profile [of going to the mainland for a script] is reduced.”

Nelson said another possibility could be for people who had blood test requirements to have their tests shipped off by the drone.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

For more on this story, tune in to RNZ’s Checkpoint with Lisa Owen from 4-6pm on Friday.

Christmas has come early for an Auckland man who’s been reunited with his cat who went missing 14 years ago.

Paul Myburgh’s family adopted Mo from the SPCA in 2010. The ginger tabby quickly charmed just about anyone he met, according to Myburgh.

“He was an incredibly friendly cat. Very charismatic, loved human beings, would always walk up to the bus stop when he knew we were coming home.”

Mo had a tendency to follow anyone who showed him attention or gave him treats. Myburgh said that friendliness toward strangers could have led to his disappearance.

“Normally he’d come home, but then one day in 2011 he didn’t and we were devastated. We obviously put up leaflets all around the suburb, contacted the local vets, put something up on the Auckland pets lost and found but there were no sightings, there were no leads.”

In the 14 years since he went missing, Myburgh said his family lost hope that Mo might return.

“Over time, when the nights became years, we thought we’d lost him forever.

“We moved four years after he went missing and, yes, by that stage we’d resigned ourselves to the fact that he’d either met an unfortunate end or certainly wasn’t coming back.”

But that all changed when Myburgh received an email from Petstock Vet Constellation Drive while he was out grocery shopping.

“They said, ‘We’ve found this cat called Mo and we’ve checked the register, and your name and your daughter’s name was on the register.’

“I was just completely dumbfounded. I just couldn’t believe it, but the details matched up. So, I ran to the car, rang the vet clinic immediately and then told my son and we went to pick him up.”

Despite being separated for more than a decade, Myburgh said Mo had not changed much.

“The astonishing thing is although he’s obviously grown a huge amount – so he’s grown into his kangaroo paws – he’s exactly the same cat. Incredibly friendly. Just kind, wants to be around people all the time, absolutely fascinated with everything going on around him – mainly to check if it’s food or not.

“Exactly the same personality, which is just astonishing because he’s obviously been through quite a few hard things.”

What Mo got up to in the time he was gone is anyone’s best guess.

“It’s very hard to know,” Myburgh said. “He was found recently on the streets of Torbay, which is 16km away from where he went missing. From the look of him he’s not been to a vet in all that time, so I suspect for at least part of it he’s been living rough.”

If Mo was not chipped or registered on the Companion Animal Register, Myburgh reckons his story would not have had such a happy ending.

“I mean, the chances of a 16-year-old, slightly battered cat getting rehomed are pretty much nil. I’m a member of the grumpy old men club, but this is just heartwarming. I mean, it’s the best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten.”

Myburgh was determined to make up for lost time and pamper Mo as much as he could through his golden years.

“He’s now going to have a safe and happy retirement and he’s going to be spoilt rotten.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch school at the centre of a dispute about mouldy lunches served to students has launched an internal investigation.

Haeata Community Campus is at odds with New Zealand Food Safety and provider Compass Group about how mince and potato meals covered in mould came to be served to children on Monday.

Principal Peggy Burrows said she was [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580912/principal-says-school-not-to-blame-for-mouldy-lunches-as-authorities-review-footage dismayed by comments made by New Zealand Food Safety and Compass Group that the school was to blame, before the investigation had been completed.

Contrary to claims made by Compass, she said the school’s camera footage clearly showed all food boxes, known as Cambros, were collected from the school on the previous Thursday and no food had been “left behind to sit in the sun for three days”.

Burrows said the school did not retain any of the boxes, rather they were collected and returned to the Compass distribution centre at the end of each day.

She said one box that only contained rubbish was left at the school last Wednesday but was collected by Programmed Facility Management staff, which manages the property, and returned to Compass the following day.

“The Cambros are barcoded and tracked and all meals are accounted for as there are strict food safety requirements for students with dietary needs. The contaminated meals were discovered dispersed across multiple Cambros by Haeata staff. This is confirmed by the camera footage,” she said.

Burrows said the school maintained robust systems at all times to ensure school lunches were safely distributed at the school and none of the systems had failed in the last week.

“The school does not accept responsibility for the operational failure of the supplier, the Compass Group, and disagrees with statements by both Mr Harbey [School Lunch Collective spokesman] and New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle regarding Haeata Community Campus staff being responsible for the reheating and distribution of contaminated food,” she said.

The school was committed to student safety and transparency in serving food and planned to release the findings of its own internal investigation next week.

Select committee scrutiny

The mouldy meals were raised at the Ministry for Primary Industry’s annual review before the select committee on Thursday.

Ministry director-general Ray Smith said while the investigation into the meals at Haeata had not been completed, officials felt it was important to clarify their preliminary findings given public commentary on the risks posed by the meals.

“We would not have issued an interim view on it had the thing not been in the public domain in the manner it was that alarmed parents, no question about it, so we had to quickly either tell parents there’s a problem with Compass and deal with Compass or suggest there’s an issue at the school,” he said.

Of the 300 meals delivered to the school, between 10 to 20 meals were affected.

The lunches had been delivered to 15 other schools in Christchurch on Monday.

Food Safety deputy director-general Vince Arbuckle said investigators had visited Haeata Community Campus and Compass in Christchurch several times this week as part of the investigation to determine what had happened.

“Only one school had this experience and only one part of the school had this experience, the canteen, which all adds up to suggest that somehow in the canteen some meals remained in a box, got intermingled with incoming meals on the Monday and innocently served out,” he said.

“The weight of evidence suggests that the contaminated food being distributed to students was a result of a human error at the school.”

The investigation was ongoing and New Zealand Food Safety was happy to work with the school on its processes, Arbuckle said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

State Highway 2 north of Dannevirke is closed following a crash involving a truck.

Police said the crash near Okane Road in Matamau was reported just before 10am.

Fire and Emergency confirmed a truck was involved, and said its crews helped free the driver who was trapped. Crews are still on scene assisting police.

St John has a helicopter and two ambulances at the scene, and said one person with serious injuries is being flown to Palmerston North Hospital.

Police said drivers should avoid the area and expect delays.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A Fabergé locket worth more than $33,500, swallowed by a man during an alleged theft at an Auckland jewellery store has been “recovered”.

Police confirmed it was back in their possession last night.

They said the 32-year-old man who swallowed the pendant remained in custody and would appear in Auckland District Court next week.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Very hot weather is forecast for parts of the South Island today moving to the east coast of the North Island on the weekend.

MetService is forecasting temperature highs of 30C for Christchurch, Ashburton and Oamaru on Friday with Dunedin expected to reach 28C and Timaru and Blenheim 29C.

Northwesterly winds will drive up the temperatures in the east of the South Island and MetService has a strong wind watch for Southland, Otago and Canterbury High Country south of Aoraki / Mount Cook until 7pm on Friday. Gusts of 100km/h can be expected, especially inland.

It is also expected to be warm in the North Island on Friday with temperature highs in the low to mid 20s.

A big ol’ cloud sandwich about Aoraki/Mt Cook this morning with high cloud, lenticulars, and stratus cloud.
Similarly, the weather has a lot of ingredients going on.
wind in the south
cloud in the west
and sun in the east pic.twitter.com/UreiRpZl4k

— MetService NZ (@MetService) December 4, 2025

The weekend is expected to be dry for those in the North Island with hot temperatures for some. Gisborne, Napier and Hastings are forecast to exceed 30C on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Napier is forecast to have a high of 32C on Saturday and Monday, while Hastings is expected to reach 32C on Saturday and 33C on Sunday and Gisborne is forecast to reach 31C on all three days.

Saturday temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 20s for the upper North Island including Auckland.

A dry weekend is expected for those in the North Island, but the West Coast of the South Island could expect some showers on Saturday.

MetService is forecasting more substantial rain in the west and south of the South Island on Sunday.

“Saturday will be the pick of the days this weekend in the South Island; perfect timing for runners to complete the Kepler Challenge and be off the mountain before the rain rolls in overnight,” MetService Meteorologist Michael Pawley said.

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