Source: Radio New Zealand

[rnz_online]

Three Powerball players have split the record, must-win $55 million Lotto prize on Saturday night, claiming $18.3m each.

“What a fantastic result,” said Lotto NZ chief executive Jason Delamore. “It’s great to see the Powerball jackpot being shared among a number of players.

“A win like this doesn’t just change one life – it can transform families, friends and even entire communities.

“Our winners often give back in incredible ways, from helping loved ones to supporting charities. The impact of this win will reach far beyond the individual winners.”

Their prizes consist of $18,333,333 from Powerball first division and $55,556 from Lotto first division, totalling $18,388,889.

Saturday’s big winners should phone Lotto NZ’s Customer Support team on 0800 695 6886 to ensure they receive the support they’ll need throughout this life-changing experience.

Lotto NZ will reveal the locations of the winners on Sunday.

“Lotto NZ exists to make a difference for Kiwi communities – that’s what drives us every day,” said Delmore. “One-hunded percent of our profits go back into supporting communities and every ticket sold contributes towards that, so a huge thank you to everyone who played in tonight’s draw.

“You’re helping thousands of good causes make a difference across Aotearoa.”

The latest payout beats the previous biggest prize of $50m offered twice in 2020. In February 2020, two winners split that amount, while in August, 10 winners took $5m each.

In 2016, one winner took away the entire $44m jackpot.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Governor-General has travelled to Antarctica’s Scott Base to see the work happening on the ice.

During the visit, Dame Cindy Kiro and husband Dr Richard Davies also visited Scott’s Hut and Shackleton’s Hut, and saw the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s preservation work.

Antarctica New Zealand chief executive Jordy Hendrikx said it was an honour to host the pair, who arrived on Friday.

“The main purpose of the visit is for them to come and see what we do here in Antarctica, and understand the variety of tasks that we have from science to environmental protection, to heritage, and also the operations of the base, and how we maintain the operations and run all those services from a small footprint here in Antarctica,” he said.

Dame Cindy was the first Governor-General to visit Antarctica since 2003.

One of the most notable projects was the redevelopment of Scott Base.

“A number of these facilities are getting to end of life, and we’re in the process of building a new and fit-for-purpose facility for the next generation of scientists, and to ensure our continued presence here in Antarctica on behalf of New Zealand,” Hendrikx said.

The redevelopment plan was revised last year, after the budget blew out to $498 million from $250m.

Hendrikx said the team was working on a detailed business case to be taken to Cabinet in mid-2026. It proposed a three-stage redevelopment of Scott Base over the next 20-50 years, starting with the oldest and most dilapidated facilities.

“This year, in terms of physical work, we have a number of enabling works underway,” he said. “We have some civil works underway, so that’s preparing the platform for next year, placing of the piles and then moving forward into the main construction in subsequent years.”

Several science projects were also happening on the base.

“This is our peak science period, where the majority of our scientists are coming through the base, and heading out into the field to collect samples, set out instruments or pick up instruments, and download years or months of data collection in Antarctica,” Hendrikx said.

“We have a team looking at the health of the Ross Sea ecosystem. They’re doing that by understanding the behaviour and patterns of foraging of both the emperor penguins and weddell seals.

“The idea here is, if we can better understand the behaviours of these large mesopredators, we get a proxy for the overall health and vitality of the Ross Sea ecosystem, and how that might be responding to climate change.”

Other projects included looking at how sea ice was changing in response to climate change, he said.

“It’s a very busy base, and a real buzzing atmosphere of excitement, enthusiasm and new discovery happening at the moment.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The brakes on more than a quarter of trucks tested in a recent police operation on central North Island roads were found to be faulty.

Between 3-6 November, the police inspected 910 “heavy vehicles and trailers” at checkpoints on State Highway Five between Napier and Taupō, State Highway One at Turangi and State Highway 3 at Te Kuiti.

Of those, 165 had defects that included not being up to certificate of fitness standards, road user charges compliance, speeding, logbook problems and insecure loading.

The police said some were easy-to-fix problems that could be spotted by daily “walk around” checks, like faulty lights, brakes and wheels needing attention.

Authorities tested the brakes of 58 vehicles and 15 of them – 26 percent – were faulty.

“Nobody wants a heavy motor vehicle, often weighing over 50000kg, coming towards you with defective brakes,” said Senior Sergeant Lex Soepnel, from the police commercial vehicle safety team.

The police were focused on preventing crashes and not “picking up the pieces” afterwards, he said.

“What we’re asking for is simple. We have rules in place to keep all road users safe and we’re asking heavy vehicle operators to meet those standards.”

The police issued 141 infringement notices after the operation.

“We need everyone to ensure that their vehicles are maintained to a safe and compliant standard, and that drivers are well rested and not fatigued,” said Soepnel.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police have confirmed several fatalities at the scene of a house fire in Sanson on Saturday afternoon.

RNZ understands three children were missing after the fire.

Emergency services were called to the property southwest of the town about 2.30pm.

Fire and Emergency NZ have now handed the scene to police, who will commence an investigation into the circumstances of the fire, said Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham.

Police confirmed they were not seeking anyone else in relation to the fire.

State Highway One was expected to re-open by about 8pm Saturday.

A police scene guard will remain in place overnight, with officers to return on Sunday morning.

Flames engulfed the home, closing the highway between Phillips Street and Speedy Road.

Fire and Emergency said the fire was now extinguished.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

State Highway 30, inland from Whakatāne, is shut following a serious crash on Saturday evening.

Police were called to the two-vehicle crash near the Kawerau Road intersection, close to the township of Te Teko, just before 5pm.

They said it appeared people have been seriously injured and the road was expected to be blocked for some time.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A house fire has closed a section of State Highway One in Manawatū on Saturday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the property southwest of Sanson at about 2.30pm.

Flames engulfed a home, closing the highway between Phillips Street and Speedy Road.

Motorists were advised to follow diversions.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Several more predator yellow-legged hornets have been found in Auckland, including two queens.

A further two nests have been located – one the size of a cricket ball and the other the size of a golf ball.

One of them had a queen, two worker hornets and two adults about to emerge, while the other was less developed and contained only a single queen.

Both nests, found in Glenfield about 100m apart in the same area as earlier finds, were spotted during intensifying search efforts.

Yellow-legged hornets are an invasive species, and a danger to local honey and wild bees.

The number of confirmed queen hornets found rises to nine.

The Ministry for Primary Industries said it was stepping up the number of people on the ground.

“This week, we introduced additional teams to methodically check common nesting areas close to where hornets have been detected in Glenfield and Birkdale,” Biosecurity New Zealand north commissioner Mike Inglis said.

“We are stepping up our numbers on the ground to widen the search as required, and have more than 20 focused on enhanced searches and more than 100 staff across MPI involved in this response.”

Traps were being checked each day, but as of Friday, no hornets have been found in them.

MPI said its response included:

• Setting more than 180 traps in targeted areas where females have been found. Every trap is checked daily. No hornets have been found in traps to date. Additional traps are being added in areas where queen hornets are found, so the number of traps will continue to increase.
• Introducing protein bait traps alongside existing traps.
• Establishing a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of independent scientific experts with expertise in the biology, ecology, and management of social wasps. The TAG has been considering options for ongoing work.
• Encouraging public surveillance, including sending staff into the community to raise awareness. This weekend, staff will again be at local markets to share information about the hornet.
• The public are begin urged to report suspected hornets or nests but only if they have a specimen, or a clear photo, or have spotted a possible nest.

How to make a report

• By going to report.mpi.govt.nz
• By calling Biosecurity New Zealand’s exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Patrons at Christchurch’s Cup Week at Riccarton Park scrambled for cover, as the city was battered with hail, heavy rain and thunder on Saturday afternoon.

One person attending the event described the scene as “carnage”, with big pieces of hail falling out of nowhere, like snow.

Some people huddled under the umbrellas, while others left.

MetService issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area that has since been lifted.

Other parts of Canterbury were also hit by the violent thunderstorm, which damaged roofs in Timaru.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Hurunui, Selwyn, Waimakariri and Christchurch.

Fire and Emergency was also kept busy in Timaru with damage to properties.

The warnings for the Canterbury area have now been lifted, but MetService said further thunderstorms were still expected around the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch for Saturday, although there was a low risk they will be severe.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

An overdue fishing vessel off the coast of Whangarei has been located, but the two crew members are missing.

The 5m-long vessel failed to return to Pataua South at 7pm Friday and a search began two hours later.

The Coastguard, police, search and rescue volunteers, and the Eagle police helicopter were stood down at about 4am.

The search effort resumed at 8am Saturday and police now say rescue teams located the vessel empty.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Hawaiian voyaging canoe has been welcomed back to Waitangi, 40 years after its first visit sparked the revival of ancient ocean navigation traditions in Aotearoa.

The Hōkūle’a and sister vessel Hikianalia arrived on Friday afternoon to a colourful and sometimes emotional ceremony that combined Māori and Hawaiian rituals.

Many of the more than 80 Hawaiians at Waitangi taking part in the celebrations this weekend are students from Kamehameha Schools.

The schools’ cultural director, Randie Fong, said the Hōkūle’a’s 1985 visit created lasting connections and strengthened cultures in both nations.

Its return was cause for great excitement – not least because, during the first visit, the late Sir James Henare, a revered Northland kaumatua, declared Hawaiians the sixth tribe of Tai Tokerau (Northland).

The Hōkūle’a’s first arrival also inspired Sir James to call on Māori to build their own ocean-going canoes and make the return journey to Hawaii.

“It’s hard to imagine the excitement that we feel,” Fong said. “This day has been 40 years in the making.

“It’s not lost on us how significant this day is for Hawaii and also for Aotearoa. We always call out the significant things of this moment, which are the birth of a Hawaiian tribe, thanks to Sir James Henare, and his vision for Māori to be able to build their own waka and sail across Te Moananui-ā-Kiwa [the Pacific Ocean], inspired by the Hōkūle’a.”

Fong said the Hawaiian delegation was largely made up of young people, because they would be the ones carrying on the traditions for the next 40 years.

The effects of ocean voyaging were profound, he said.

“Our people have become stronger and feel a deep sense of empowerment, both in Hawaii and here in Aotearoa.”

The two wa’a (waka in Hawaiian) arrived off Waitangi about 2pm Friday, after a short trip across the Bay of Islands from Ōpua, where the crews had rested under kapu (tapu), after arriving almost a week ahead of schedule.

Among those on the Hōkūle’a on Friday was Northlander Stan Conrad, the only Māori crew member during the 1985 voyage from Rarotonga to Waitangi.

At the time, he was 22 years old, making him also the youngest crew member.

While on board from Ōpua to Waitangi, Conrad paid his respects to his crewmates from 40 years ago, who were no longer alive.

“It brought back a lot of memories,” he said. “I sat there and talked with some of the young crew members, who weren’t even born when I sailed, so that was pretty special.”

The 1985 journey had been life-changing, and taught him to be proud of who he was and where he came from.

Conrad, who had since become a master navigator, said ocean voyaging had helped dispel myths about Māori.

“When I was brought up in school, I was taught about my ancestors being accident sailors, people of the wind, people of the storm, who didn’t know what they were doing.”

In particular, he had been haunted by a 19th century painting by Goldie, showing starving Māori arriving in New Zealand on a battered waka.

“I knew my ancestors were never like that,” he said.

The retracing of ancestral sailing routes during the past 40 years had put those myths to rest and corrected history, Conrad said.

Originally, the sailors were to have been brought ashore by the great waka taua (ceremonial canoe) Ngātokimatawhaorua, but conditions were too windy in Tii Bay to safely transfer the crew between canoes.

Instead, Ngātokimatawhaorua’s 80 kaihoe (paddlers) escorted the two waka, then performed a salute to the seafarers, and a crowd of several hundred spectators gathered on shore.

The sailors were then ferried to shore on a more modern vessel, where each was draped in a kihei or ceremonial robe, and Hawaiians performed a series of chants and ceremonial dances.

Lehua Kamalu, who captained the Hōkūle’a from Rarotonga to Waitangi, said she was very familiar with the tropical oceans around her home in Hawaii.

“This trip was a huge challenge,” she said. “This is very far south, so the air is colder, the wind is different, the way the weather moves is very different.

“We didn’t have a lot of moon or sun for many, many days, and we certainly had a lot of different wind conditions. It went all the way around the compass multiple times.”

However, despite the navigation challenges, the sea itself was calm, so the trip was unusually comfortable.

Kamalu said it was “quite an honour” to be give the responsibility of captaining the Hōkūle’a on only its second trip from Rarotonga to Aotearoa.

During the 2014 voyage, the Hōkūle’a sailed from Tonga.

The pōwhiri or welcoming ceremony at nearby Te Tii Marae was a colourful and seamless blend of Ngāpuhi protocol and Hawaiian ritual, including hula dance and an ‘awa (kava) ceremony.

Nainoa Thompson, head of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and leader of the 1985 expedition, gave an emotional speech recalling the life-changing voyage and past teachers.

In particular, he paid tribute to Northland’s Sir Hekenukumai Busby.

Thompson said the 16-day journey from Rarotonga to Aotearoa was not only the least known and most dangerous leg of the voyage, it was also the first time he had had to navigate on his own.

Thompson recalled his fear and wanting to cancel the voyage, after a cyclone blew through the South Pacific, until Sir Hekenukumai told him in no uncertain terms to trust his ancestors.

Later, Thompson told RNZ he felt honoured to be treated, not as a guest, but as family, and how remarkable it was that Sir James’ commitment to the sixth tribe still held firm 40 years later.

Thompson said that also brought responsibilities and he was looking forward to discussions in coming days about how Ngāti Ruawāhia – the name Sir James gave the Hawaiian tribe – fitted into the fabric of Māori society.

The anniversary and return visit brought back “pretty intense memories”, especially of Sir Hekenukumai, a mentor he regarded as a father.

Asked if he was proud of his part in reviving ocean voyaging, Thompson said he was “extraordinarily grateful” to his teachers and to Māori efforts to keep the tradition alive.

“When you see Aotearoa take leadership in waka, in waka education, the number of canoes they’ve launched, it’s inspiring. I’m very grateful to Māori for not just keeping it alive, but strengthening it and advancing it.”

At dawn on Saturday, a new carving was unveiled on the grounds of Te Tii Marae in honour of Ngāti Ruawāhia.

Later in the morning, a 40th anniversary tribute ceremony honoured Sir James, Sir Hekenukumai and Myron ‘Pinky’ Thompson, a long-time president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and father of Nainoa Thompson.

Hōkūle’a and Hikianalia are due to leave Waitangi on Sunday.

Weather permitting, as they leave the Bay of Islands, the waka will call into Mangahawea Bay on Moturua Island.

Both traditional knowledge and archaeological evidence point to Mangahawea as one of the earliest sites of Polynesian settlement in New Zealand.

The waka are due to arrive in Auckland on 18 November for a formal welcome by Ngāti Whātua Orākei.

On 19 November, the waka may return north to visit the Kupe Waka Centre, created by Sir Hekenukumai at Aurere in Doubtless Bay.

Weather permitting, they are due in Aurere on 22 November.

The canoes will remain in Aotearoa for about six months for maintenance and to wait out the South Pacific cyclone season.

Their visit is part of a four-year, 80,000km circumnavigation of the Pacific called the Moananuiākea Voyage.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Lines have been building for tonight’s record $55 million Lotto draw.

More than 1.2 million tickets had been sold by Friday night.

Saturday’s draw is a must-win.

In 2016, $44m was won by a ticket.

Lotto won’t reveal where tonight’s winning ticket or tickets were sold, until 11am, Sunday, 16 November.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Aged Care Association is calling on the government to temporarily help fund Alzheimers Otago, which says its services are on the brink of collapse.

Association chief executive and former MP Tracey Martin said the government would be “foolish” to lose any dementia support services, even for a short period of time.

“Ultimately, that will fall back onto our hospital system, that will fall back onto other services like police and search and rescue… because at the moment those branches of Alzheimers New Zealand are keeping people as safe as they can and as well supported as they can, really on the smell of an oily rag,” Martin said.

Failing to properly fund Alzheimers care could be costly, she said.

“I will guarantee you, it is not very much money that Alzheimers Otago requires to keep delivering the supports that they’re currently delivering.”

Martin called on the government to continue funding groups like Alzheimers Otago, at least temporarily, while a ministerial advisory group looked at how to redesign the aged-care funding model.

“We need to start at the beginning, which is actually ‘how can we better support those individuals to stay at home for as long as possible?’.

“That’s about Alzheimers New Zealand and their branches all across New Zealand being resourced to be able to care for the care partners, who are looking after the individual with dementia.”

The current lack of support was distressing those care partners who could not provide sufficient care to their loved one on their own, she said.

“Downstream, as the disease itself progresses, there is a percentage of those New Zealanders who will become violent or who will become unsafe for themselves,”

Major reform was needed to address the growing demand for dementia care, Martin said.

With New Zealand’s population rapidly ageing, the number of people entering residential care was only going to increase, as was the number of people with early-onset dementia, she said.

“People have always assumed that dementia is just going to affect you when you get old. We’re seeing more and more happening under the age of 65, so more and more of these services will be needed in community for younger and younger people.

“The system’s just not set up for younger individuals – people in their 50s, who get dementia.”

Seniors Minister Casey Costello has been approached for comment.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Health authorities have confirmed one new measles case, linked to Wellington College, bringing the national total in the current outbreak to 19.

Health New Zealand said 18 of those cases were no longer infectious, while the newest case – a student connected to an earlier infection – had since travelled overseas to Asia, where they remain.

National clinical director of protection Dr Susan Jack said the person had followed public health instructions before leaving the country.

“The case had completed 14 days of quarantine and monitored themselves for symptoms for another seven days – a total of 21 days,” she said. “They developed illness within the expected timeframe for measles.”

Bus trips, airport terminals locations of interest

The latest case was infectious while catching Wellington school buses, and travelling through Wellington and Auckland airports.

Health New Zealand has listed the following locations of interest:

• Monday, 3 November – Metlink school bus No.736, Karori Mall to Wellington College (7.30-8.30am)
• Monday, 3 November – Metlink bus No. 2, Wellington College to Karori (11.30am-12.40pm)
• Tuesday, 4 November – Wellington Airport (11am-2pm)
• Tuesday, 4 November – Auckland Airport domestic terminal (2-3pm)
• Tuesday, 4 November – Auckland Airport international terminal (2-9.30pm)

The National Public Health Service is conducting contact tracing of household contacts, school bus passengers, students who attended an exam at Wellington College and passengers from the person’s international flights.

Jack said locations were listed where officials could not identify every individual present.

“We encourage anyone who believes they were at one of these locations to follow the instructions for close or casual contacts, and to monitor for symptoms.”

Outbreak continues across regions

The newest case comes days after a Nelson case with no links to previous infections raised concerns about undetected community transmission.

As of Friday, regional case numbers were:

• Northland 1
• Auckland 6
• Taranaki 1
• Manawatū 2
• Wellington 7
• Nelson 2

For more than a week, Health New Zealand has warned that more infections were likely, with the virus generating hundreds of exposure events. Earlier this month, officials said 3348 contacts had been identified, with dozens still being monitored.

Measles remains one of the most contagious viruses in the world.

“Anyone unwell should stay home and call Healthline on 0800 611 116,” Jack said.

Vaccination demand surges

The outbreak has triggered a sharp rise in demand for the MMR vaccine.

More than 8000 doses were administered earlier this month, including nearly 3000 in a single day – the highest number since the 2019 outbreak.

Health leaders continue to stress that vaccination is the strongest defence.

“Someone who is immune can walk through a room of people with measles and be effectively bulletproof,” public health director Dr Nick Chamberlain said last week.

“Someone who isn’t immune has a 90 percent chance of catching measles, even from one infected person.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A search is underway off the coast of Whangārei for an overdue fishing boat with two people on board.

Police said a 17-foot, single-engine boat failed to return to Pataua South last night.

The Coastguard, police, search and rescue volunteers and the police Eagle helicopter found no sign of the boat last night and stood down at around 4am this morning.

The search has now resumed, and vessels in the Pataua Harbour and Ngunguru Bay area are being asked to report any sightings of the vessel, which has been described as a “runabout”.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The nationwide recall of coloured play sands has widened again, after testing found asbestos in multiple Kmart Magic Sand products, prompting warnings that parents, schools and early learning centres should “stop using them immediately”.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said four products sold by Kmart New Zealand – including three Magic Sand colour sets and a sandcastle-building kit – tested positive for tremolite, a form of asbestos associated with higher cancer risks at low exposure levels.

The findings expand an already significant recall that began last week, when rainbow sand products used widely in schools and childcare centres were found to be contaminated.

MBIE product safety spokesperson Ian Caplin said he understood how alarming the discovery would be for families.

“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children will be concerning to parents and caregivers,” Caplin said. “Stop using them immediately, secure them safely, and contact your local council for advice on where and how to dispose of the contaminated material safely.”

The contaminated Kmart products include:

• 14-piece Sandcastle Building Set
• Blue Magic Sand
• Green Magic Sand
• Pink Magic Sand

The newly identified products are in addition to the previously recalled sands from Educational Colours and Creatistics:

• EC Rainbow Sand (1.3kg)
• Creatistics Coloured Sand (1kg)

Thousands of children potentially exposed as schools continue to close

The Ministry of Education had been fielding a rapidly growing number of calls from schools and early childhood services, with more than 120 facilities now reporting they have used one of the recalled sand products.

At least seven centres have closed classrooms so licensed asbestos specialists can assess potential contamination, with more likely as checks continue.

Head of operations and integration Sean Teddy said schools had been told not to vacuum, sweep or attempt to clean up any coloured sand themselves.

“If the sand is loose or in use, leave the area immediately and block it off,” he said. “We know this will be unsettling for parents, and we’re encouraging them to contact Healthline if they have concerns.”

Some schools used the products indoors for sensory play, raising the risk of sand becoming airborne. Kapakapanui School in Waikanae relocated six classes to the hall and library while specialists carried out testing. Two Auckland Kindergartens remain closed.

WorkSafe earlier confirmed tremolite is part of the amphibole family of asbestos – a type known for its straight, needle-like fibres and stronger association with cancer and autoimmune illness.

More Kmart products could test positive

Caplin said Kmart had “acted with urgency” in issuing its recall, but warned that more products across the market may yet be implicated.

“Proactive testing of similar products is underway,” he said. “We cannot say for certain whether these are the only contaminated items.”

Similar sand products in Australia have also tested positive for asbestos, raising concerns about shared international supply chains.

What households should do

MBIE has issued instructions for consumers:

• Stop using the product immediately and keep children away.
• Place the sand in an airtight container, then double-bag it in thick plastic and label it “Asbestos-Contaminated Material.”
• Do not put it in household rubbish, and do not vacuum or sweep any loose sand.
• Contact your local council for safe disposal.
• Once the product is secured, contact the retailer for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act.

People who have already handled the sand do not need urgent medical attention, MBIE said, but should call Healthline or speak with a GP if concerned.

Workplaces and schools urged to treat contamination seriously

Workplaces using coloured sands – including after-school programmes, arts centres and classrooms – have been told to immediately stop all use, evacuate any area where the sand is loose, and contact a licensed asbestos assessor.

Staff who were handling the product should remove themselves to a well-ventilated, sand-free area, and clothing worn during exposure must be disposed of as asbestos waste, MBIE said.

Education facilities must also notify the Ministry of Education if the sand has been used on-site.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Paid firefighters are heading back to the bargaining table next week after calling off a strike scheduled for Friday at the last minute.

The one hour strike, which would have taken place at 12pm, was part of a series of planned strikes stemming from an extended stalemate between Fire and Emergency (FENZ) and the unions over pay and conditions.

Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) vice president Martin Campbell said the strike was called off because FENZ provided “pivotal” infomation at the last minute.

Campbell said the union was positive about next week’s bargaining, and hopeful of a settlement it could put out to its membership.

“The last thing fire fighters want to be doing is going on strilke – we’re not here to not do our jobs, we want to make sure we are protecting New Zealanders, but at the end of the day, if we’re forced into the position, we’ll have to do what we have to do.”

FENZ deputy national commander Megan Stiffler said the NZPFU had “made the right decision” to withdraw the strike action.

“Every time the NZPFU strikes, they compromise public safety,” she said.

Stiffler urged the union to withdraw its strike notices for later in the month so as not to further disrupt communities.

FENZ has given staff two weeks to provide feedback on a 266 page change proposal – the biggest restructure since its establishment in 2017 – which would see 140 jobs go.

FENZ said the positions slated to go were not frontline firefighters.

Last week, RNZ revealed FENZ’s plans to cut $50 million a year in the proposed restructure.

There had been “zero consultation” between FENZ and the union on the restructuring, despite repeated requests by the union to the chief executive, Campbell said.

“FENZ is actually required to consult with the union as to whether any change is needed, let alone what sort of change is required, so it’s very disappointing that restructuring document was put out and didn’t involve the unions.”

Many of the jobs on the block were union members who were involved in the bargaining process, he said.

“Monday morning this restructure will certainly be a point of conversation as to how we go forward.”

The union was concerned at the removal of the regional structure and many of those who work within it as proposed.

“While they’re not frontline, they’re very important roles like planning and intelligence, data analysis and business support – those are all critical things those workers do for frontline firefighters, that enable us to do our jobs better. If they’re not doing that sort of job, who is going to be doing it?

“Does that mean firefighters are going to be doing more administration work instead of out there training and responding to emergencies?”

Another key issue was the safety of equipment, including training facilities andstations, and the vehicle fleet.

“A lot of our fire trucks are getting very old, they’re very worn, they’re breaking down on a regular basis now.”

Last week, firefighter Steve Devine challenged Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour on a statement he made to Parliament that there had only been one truck breakdown in recent months.

Devine claimed at least one fire truck breaks down every day, and invited Seymour to meet him at any station in the country so he could show him first hand.

FENZ has about 1800 paid firefighters, 12,000 volunteers and 1200 corporate and support staff.

Paid firefighters previously walked off the job last month amid stalled negotiations.

It followed a FENZ pay offer in June of 5.1 percent over three years, which NZPFU rejected.

The union said members had not had a pay increase since July 2023.

On Friday, the Employment Relations Authority heard an application for faciliation made by FENZ, adjourning it until after next week’s bargaining took place.

Strikes are still planned for 21 and 28 November.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The wife of a man accused of slavery has denied her husband took money from two young people and threatened them with being deported if they didn’t “follow the rules”.

Senia Tuai denied withholding one man’s passport or that she sent messages to him and his pregnant partner after they ran away, “effectively cursing the birth of the baby”.

Her husband Moeaia Tuai’s trial at the High Court in Auckland has heard one man recount how Tuai grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the ground.

Senia Tuai said the man had been drunk and slid off a chair and was face-down on the ground.

Chris Howard, prosecuting, said Tuai put his weight on the man and his wife sat on him, alleging he could hardly breathe as a result. She denied that, but acknowledged he was taken to hospital afterwards.

Howard said Moeaia Tuai would threaten the male complainant with deportation or losing citizenship if he didn’t follow the rules – something his wife denied – and added she did not know why there was no money in the young man’s account when he regained access to it.

Court suppression orders prohibit the complainants being identified, as well as other aspects of the case.

Tuai, aged 63, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of dealing in slaves.

He also denies two rapes, assaults, eight charges of indecent assault, and six of sexual violation by unlawful connection.

Howard said the second complainant, a young woman, had worked seven days a week from May to July 2021. Senia Tuai, who faces no charges and was appearing as a defence witness, said the complainant wanted to work, and got to spend her own wages.

“She had a say in buying food, and whatever she wanted, it wasn’t as if we were in control of her money and she had no say,” she said.

She denied she beat her over a relationship with a man.

The jury has heard allegations the young woman was coerced into taking out a bank loan, and Howard said she too had been threatened with being deported.

“Did Moeaia ever threaten to have her citizenship cancelled and to have her deported?” Howard asked his wife.

“When [the woman] ran away or the day after, did you discuss having her citizenship cancelled and having her deported?”

She rejected the allegations, saying that a call to authorities the day after the woman ran away last year was not an attempt to have her deported.

“We wanted to have more information on conditions about the citizenship,” she said. “So it wasn’t to … we didn’t talk about deporting her, but it was just, we just wanted to know more about the conditions of being a citizen.”

When asked what conditions they might be, she said she did not know, but thought the woman could bring their name into disrepute.

The trial continues.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police can no longer be relied on to self-monitor and reform is needed, an organisation working to end sexual violence says.

The call follows this week’s damning report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority which found serious misconduct at the highest levels of police over how they handled accusations of sexual offending by the former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

The allegations arose after an affair between McSkimming and a non-sworn police employee who was 20 years his junior.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the woman was “ignored and badly let down”.

Russell Smith of Te Ohaakii a Hine, a national network of about 40 organisations, told Saturday Morning the way the case was handled by police would exacerbate the already low numbers of victims coming forward.

“It doesn’t leave victims with a lot of confidence that they will be heard,” he said.

It was important to acknowledge the officers that took action, but internal police mechanisms needed reform, Smith said.

“You can’t depend on the goodwill and mana of those officers that did act, because it should be the system that supports them to do their job effectively.”

It was not enough for police to self monitor, Independent community specialists should be introduced to work with police, he said.

“This team could also work alongside officers from the sexual assault teams within the police, the same police that are allocated to work externally on sexual violence.

“You need an external mechanism,” he said.

There should also be a dedicated help line for victims of state abuse, “specifically for those that have been harmed by police or within the police”, Smith said.

Sexual abuse was significantly underreported in the crime survey, he said.

“You can multiply those numbers by 10 to 20.

“We already know that there is a significant under-reporting, more so for Māori wāhine.”

A cultural review of state services was also needed, he added.

Following the release of the IPCA report, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said police would meet and develop a plan to address the recommendations made in the report.

“I have appointed an independent King’s Counsel to undertake employment investigations where required.

“I am currently undertaking an extensive refresh of the Police Executive and wider leadership, including the appointment of two statutory deputy commissioners and new assistant commissioners.”

Chambers said he had started revising the Police Code of Conduct, aimed at strengthening accountability.

“Over many years, Police has put a lot of resource and effort into developing and implementing very robust processes for dealing with sexual violence complaints.

“Our specialist adult sexual assault teams are highly trained and dedicated.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

An uptick in the take-up of veterinary and agriculture studies has seen Massey University expand its Large Animal Teaching Unit (LATU) in recent years.

The country’s only veterinary school currently has a cohort of about 650 students across the five-year programme.

With over half coming from non-rural backgrounds, the “outdoor classroom” serves as an important first step on the students’ journey to working with farm animals, LATU’s manager Mike Reilly told Country Life.

Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.

Located on the outskirts of the Palmerston North campus, the teaching farm and facilities were first established 30 years ago. Back then classes comprised about 70 students. These days it’s 175.

It has also expanded significantly in area, to include a neighbouring farm, a lecture room that can accommodate 100 students, a sheep and pig teaching facility, 12 horse stocks, an arena and 13 purpose-built cow stocks for teaching.

The safety and welfare of both people and the animals they’re working with are paramount. That’s increasingly important with so many students now coming from cities with no animal handling experience, Reilly explained.

“We have 50 international students, some of which will have never seen a sheep because there’s no sheep in their home country. We don’t want the students going out onto farm and we’re not confident they know how to behave around an animal.”

He has a herd of 26 “extremely quiet” cows for the students to work with, adding if they were Angus steers “there’d be too much noise … no one would learn”.

Reilly also brings in up to 70 cows to teach the students about pregnancy diagnosis, and the farm is home to 30 horses, a flock of sheep and alpaca, donkeys, and several pigs, which they get in seasonally.

The facilities’ set-up means five classes can run at any one time working with five different species.

“This is where students get to interact with them, learn the basics of handling and learn to do a good clinical exam on a healthy animal.”

Students also learn to how to get cows into stocks. They learn how to put a halter on a horse, to lift their feet and clean them out, and how to move and turn sheep over.

Reilly is conscious of the animal’s welfare too and tries to rotate them around to share the teaching load. Strict ethics also guide their welfare and care.

He said the main challenge is the seasonality of life on farm.

“First semester is in autumn, second semester is winter through to spring. It’s the worst time to have maximum numbers of animals but it’s when I have them.”

To mitigate this he destocks as much as he can over the summer to grow lots of grass which will keep the stock fed over the winter.

“It’s a challenge but that’s what makes it interesting.”

Reilly said LATU is what helps set the school apart from others overseas.

Massey’s veterinary science programme ranked 21st globally in the 2024 QS World University Ranking and is the highest-ranked veterinary school in Australasia.

Learn more:

You can learn more about LATU, here.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

One person has died after a four-wheel drive rolled on Tokerau Beach in the Far North.

Police were called to beach at about 7.30pm Friday.

It was initially indicated that at least one person was critically injured, and Fire and Emergency said at the time crews were still working to free one person from the wreck.

Police have now said one person was found dead at the scene.

The two other occupants of the vehicle were airlifted to hospital, one in critical condition and the other in moderate condition.

There was an ongoing investigation into the crash, police said.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ reporter Kate Green has a strong focus on environmental issues but more recently her attention has been on the future of food security and lessons from Southeast Asia.

She travelled there last month as part of a Jefferson Fellowship and answered some questions from the Country Life team.

What is the Jefferson Fellowship?

The Jefferson Fellowship is a three-week programme run by the East-West Centre in Hawai’i, giving 12 journalists from all over the world – Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, United States and me – access to key groups and players on a particular topic. This year, it was food security.

The three places that best demonstrated issues and solutions for food security in the eyes of the programme’s creators were Honolulu, Indonesia – where we were in Jakarta for a week – before going over to Thailand, where we visited Chiang Rai and Bangkok.

Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.

What were your impressions from our neighbour in the Pacific, Hawai’i? What food security challenges did they have and are they responding to them?

I was so warmed to notice the similarities in the cultures between New Zealand with our Māori indigenous population and that of Hawai’i. Throughout the week I noticed the little ways it was similar or different in terms of language or world view, in terms of being part of the environment instead of using it and that came up quite a lot when we talked about food production.

It’s definitely a problem that Hawai’i only has two weeks of food on-hand at any given time. And it’s very expensive, as everything’s imported. This leaves them vulnerable to natural disasters.

We learned more about how it’s led to many seeing the merit in a swing back to producing native crops locally – crops like taro and breadfruit. One of the stand-outs for me was when we went to a lo’i kalo, which is a taro patch essentially.

It was part of this big non-profit restoration project, Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi.They produce fresh produce, they do educational visits, they run workshops and they have community work days.

Over the past 15 years they’ve restored several acres of this taro patch and they have a focus on “agroecology”. Basically how do we design sustainable food and farm systems that work with the environment rather than taking from it.

We spoke to Dr Kawika Winter there and he had a story that was so emblematic of the problems in conservation.

Essentially, as people started to restore this wetland and planted the taro patch they noticed these beautiful native birds had started to come back. The agency that deals with the wildlife legislation side of things on the island said ‘great you have these birds, let’s protect them – you must keep a 30m distance from these birds and this nest’.

That was the whole taro patch. So they stopped maintaining it and it overgrew with weeds and no longer had its function as a food source, as well as degrading as an environment, and so the birds left. That meant they could restore it again but then the birds came back.

It’s a story about the bureaucracy that puts a stop to what are usually very old ways of doing things – usually indigenous practices – and the tension of how to get around them.

Empowering small-scale local growers and farmers, often using traditional indigenous techniques, seems to be another theme picked up on during your time in Indonesia?

In Jakarta, we visited the flagship store of a company called Javara and it was run by a former lawyer. Her name is Heliante Hillman.

Her MO is to connect farmers to buyers. She was a lawyer and she was being driven around giving advice to farmers that were struggling in the market. The way she tells it, her husband was getting sick of driving her around and said ‘these people don’t need a lawyer, they need access to a market that is respectful and dignified’. So she made them that market.

She told us the story about how she got a panicked late night call from a farmer with tonnes and tonnes of vegetables that were in the path of a volcano which was about to destroy all his crops. In a nearby village there’s a pasta maker – so she connected the two and they made 14 different types of noodles in all different colours.

She told us that the noodles had also been a solution to help one mother get her children to eat vegetables, and Heliante said she knew she was onto a winner after doing a cooking presentation for a group of Italians who were very impressed.

And what did you learn from your time in Thailand?

In Chiang Rai, in the very north of the country – so beautiful – we got to meet a couple of farmers who, when they were kids, their parents were growing opium.

It’s a tough life growing opium. It’s unsafe, you don’t really know who you’re dealing with because it’s an illicit trade. It’s a little bit dangerous, people might be carrying guns.

They’ve switched to growing fresh vegetables in greenhouses and coffee which I can confirm, even by Wellington standards, is great. The security that’s come with that is obviously a big bonus. It also means they get an income year round if they’re growing different crops.

There’s a lot of doors that have opened to them – there’s a lot of community groups and NGOs, and government support to transition those farmers into more effective and sustainable crops.

It’s interesting that everywhere is looking into the issue of land use. And in New Zealand that’s ‘where do we put our housing developments so they’re not using the best land that could be used for growing things’.

It was very similar in Thailand. There’s also the issue of land ownership and indigenous views not always aligning with what the government considers for use and ownership.

It’s really important to make sure those yields are good, make sure they’re producing stuff all year-round and can feed their families. Ultimately that works out better for everyone because the farmers are earning, the government isn’t needing to support so many people and people are healthier because they’re eating locally grown food.

Learn more:

You can learn more about the Jefferson Fellowship, here.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Lotto has jackpotted to a record $55 million prize, which has to be won. But what would you do if you woke up in the morning with a few extra zeros on the end of your bank balance?

Whether you were to win the top prize (a one in 38 million chance, it should be noted), or one of the smaller amounts, one financial adviser who has previously advised winners says there are a few things you should know.

Tim Fairbrother, of Rival Wealth, said people who won were often in a state of disbelief initially.

If you win when you’re playing online, you will be sent a prize claim form.

Winners with a physical ticket can take it to a shop they bought it from and fill out a form, or go to the Lotto head office in Auckland.

In most cases, Lotto staff try to meet in person with winners to talk to them about what will happen (there is champagne offered).

Winners are given a booklet that proclaims on the front “This is not a dream”.

In it, it offers tip on how to handle a life-changing amount of money.

Secure the ticket

Fairbrother said many people spent some time carrying the ticket around before they claimed their win, because they almost could not believe it had happened.

“If you’re telling everyone that you won but you haven’t’ secured your ticket then that can be a bit of a problem – perhaps if the ticket is suddenly not in the place you thought it was going to be.”

If you aren’t going straight to claim, keep the ticket somewhere very safe.

Deposit the money into a savings account

Lotto advises that the money should be paid into an interest-earning account while you work out your next steps.

If you win Powerball, it says, it can give you the details of the person at your bank who can help you with depositing the money.

Some people do not want this to go through their local branch.

Think about who to tell

Lotto said people should carefully consider who they wanted to tell about their win.

Fairbrother agreed. He said if it became common knowledge, the money could change people.

“Especially big amounts of money. It might not be you, it might be the people around you who suddenly have their hands out thinking ‘man, this is going to be good for me’.”

People were likely to encourage winners to invest in various things, or spend their money in certain ways – he said these should be approached with caution.

Have a plan

Lotto advises that people think about what they want to do with their money, have a plan and list of goals and check in on it regularly.

Fairbrother said people could work with an adviser to talk through their ideas and come up with a strategy.

“Make sure you have got the right accountant and lawyer so that you’re getting your structure right for tax and optimising what that looks like.”

He said those discussions would usually involve talking to people about what was important to them.

“What are your overarching goals now you’ve won this money? It might be a million dollars, which is amazing. But it might be $44m, which is epically life-changing, isn’t it?

“If you’re living in a $600,000 home you might want to go and extend the house, build a tennis court and swimming pool, or sell it altogether.

“How much do you want people to know this has happened to you? If you go and sell your $600,000 house and buy a $4m house, people are going to start asking questions.’

An investment portfolio would be structured according to a person’s wishes, he said.

Some might want to invest in commercial property, or a residential development including a number of homes.

“Or it might be saying I don’t want to deal with any of that, I’m just going to put it into a managed portfolio,. It’s going to be a mix of those things and it’s going to be a steep learning curve. You don’t need to go about it quickly, there’s no point rushing and doing things fast.”

Some purchases would be investments and others would depreciate, he said.

Knowing the difference would help to make wealth last.

“I knew of someone many years ago before I was a financial adviser, who a significant amount in Lotto and basically within three years he had got rid of it all by buying expensive cars and not understanding those expensive cars are going to be depreciating assets.

“By the time you drive it off the lot it loses 20 percent or whatever, then two or three years later it is down 60 percent.”

Pay off debt

If you win a smaller amount than $44m, it usually makes sense to use it to pay off debt.

Fairbrother said people with a mortgage would usually want to pay that off. “That puts them in a whole different financial position going forward into the future where they’re now able to save each month as opposed to paying the bank for their mortgage.”

Be careful with gifting

Many people wanted to give money to others, Fairbrother said, particularly to help their kids buy houses.

“If you want to give it, it’s better to do what they call an interest-free loan payable on demand.

“That means if there are problems in the future with their own relationships or whatever they might be, you can ask them to pay the money back. If you give a couple $100,000 then as soon as it goes into their account it becomes relationship property whereas if you loan it to them then you can ask to have to back again in the future.”

Write a will

Fairbrother said as soon as people had that much money to their name, they needed to do some estate planning.

A will would be essential to avoid disputes if something happened to them.

“You’re not going to end up with your children arguing over the fact you promised them more for any particular reason.”

Tax

Lotto winners do not have to pay tax on their prize, as in some other countries.

But they also cannot have it paid as an annual income, it has to be a lump sum.

You don’t have to declare it as income if you’re getting a benefit unless you receive the accommodation supplement, temporary additional support or special benefit.

But any income you make from your money will reduce your eligibility for support.

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– 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