Source: Radio New Zealand

MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for areas of the lower North Island, as wild weather lashes the country.

The latest warning applies to Kāpiti Coast, Upper Hutt City, Hutt City, Porirua City, Wellington City, South Wairarapa, and is expected to be accompanied by torrential rain and damaging wind gusts.

There have reportedly been some instances of flooding called in to emergency services.

Follow reports live below:

These severe thunderstorms were moving towards the southeast, and were expected to lie near Wellington, offshore Mana Island, Porirua, Paekākāriki and Pukerua bay at 9.00 am and near Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua and Wainuiomata at 9.30am.

Additional heavy rain watches and a strong wind watch are also in place as a complex trough moves over the North Island, bringing further periods of heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds.

A heavy rain watch covers the Tararua Range, the Kāpiti Coast and parts of Wellington north of the harbour from 6am Saturday until 2am Sunday, with periods of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms.

Further north, a heavy rain watch is in place for northern and eastern parts of Northland north of Whangārei from 9pm Saturday to 5am Sunday, where localised downpours may approach warning levels.

In the South Island, the Richmond and Bryant Ranges and parts of Tasman District northwest of Motueka are under heavy rain watches from 6am to 3pm Saturday.

A strong wind watch has also been issued for Wellington from 6am to 11am Saturday, with northerly winds that may approach severe gale strength in exposed places.

The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should:

• Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;
• Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;
• Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;
• Move cars under cover or away from trees;
• Secure any loose objects around your property;
• Check that drains and gutters are clear;
• Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.
• During and after the storm, you should also:
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines;
• Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Work is underway to dismantle and replace two ageing RNZ transmission masts in West Auckland, with listeners warned to expect temporary AM outages over the coming weeks.

The project began on Thursday at RNZ’s Henderson transmission sites, where the 92-year-old northern mast on Selwood Road is being taken down in sections using a 126 metre crane.

Once that work is complete, the top of the southern mast on Lincoln Road, which stands 153m high and is 71 years old, will be removed by helicopter, before a crane dismantles the rest.

Both masts are past their 50-year design life, and RNZ stated that independent engineering reports have found they can no longer be safely maintained.

Both towers are planned to be decommissioned by June 2026 and replaced with a single new mast on the northern site, which will continue to support AM transmission and emergency broadcasting.

The Henderson sites provide AM coverage for the wider Auckland region, including RNZ National on 756 AM.

During the works, which are expected to take around four weeks, listeners will experience daytime outages on that frequency, although delays are possible depending on the weather.

RNZ said coverage will return to normal once the project is complete, and the overall broadcast area will not change.

Listeners can switch to 101.4 FM in central Auckland, or use other AM frequencies depending on location.

Updates on outages will be published on RNZ’s website.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for areas of the lower North Island, as wild weather lashes the country.

That warning applied to Carterton, Kāpiti Coast, Upper Hutt City, Porirua City and South Wairarapa, and was expected to be accompanied by torrential rain.

MetService said the thunderstorms were moving towards the east, and were expected to lie near Paraparaumu, Upper Hutt, Porirua, Waikanae and The Southern Tararua Ranges at 6.52am and near Upper Hutt, The Southern Tararua Ranges and Kaitoke at 7.22 am.

The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should:

• Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows;
• Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside;
• Get back to land, if outdoors on the water;
• Move cars under cover or away from trees;
• Secure any loose objects around your property;
• Check that drains and gutters are clear;
• Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving.
• During and after the storm, you should also:
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines;
• Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding.

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

• RSE workers’ costs should be more fairly shared with employers and government, report finds
• Policy being reviewed by MBIE, including workers’ shared accommodation
• Concerns over ‘blacklisting’ of workers who raise grievances

An international report into New Zealand’s seasonal worker scheme says reform is needed to bring down migrants’ costs, and protect them from abuse.

The government says its own review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme will consider the report’s recommendations, as well as the views of employers and Pacific partners.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) report calls on the government and employers to cut migration costs to shoulder a more equitable share of costs including transport, accommodation and set-up costs.

More than 20,000 workers arrive each year from the Pacific, filling jobs in horticulture and viticulture such as fruit-picking.

The ILO report recommended workers be allowed to change their Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) more easily and have free access to healthcare.

In particular, it highlighted that workers who raised issues were “vulnerable to blacklisting” when it came time for possible re-hiring for another season. It pointed to a previous study which found RSE workers were unlikely to make formal complaints, due to fears of being perceived as troublemakers and out of cultural respect for authority.

RSE workers who were dismissed from employment lost their right to remain in New Zealand, and the report-writers found no information on being able to change employers in material provided to RSE workers.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that transfers to new employers were possible on a case-by-case basis – if requested by an employer, the labour inspectorate, an engagement partner, or a Pacific liaison officer.

The report questioned how accessible and effective those channels were for workers wanting to report exploitation or other grievances.

Following the release of the previous ILO report four years ago, Australia had adopted a recommendation to disincentivise employers from deducting unreasonable amounts from workers. It now had a minimum take-home salary of AU$200 per week.

The latest report recommended New Zealand should adopt the same policy and also noted labour hire companies were not subject to a general licensing requirement.

It called for a review of the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in both work schemes.

“Further strengthening these schemes in line with international labour standards will help ensure their long-term success and benefit workers, employers and countries of origin and destination alike,” said ILO Pacific office director Martin Wandera.

An unconnected surveyconducted by MBIE and representing a quarter of RSE employers suggested many went beyond their legal and pastoral obligations to help staff. Of the employers who responded to the survey, more than half had helped fund or organise full or partial containers sent back to workers’ home countries.

Supplies included building materials, tools, water tanks, solar panels, generators, school supplies and household goods – and assistance in the wake of disasters was also common.

Accommodation

The ILO report found protections already in place in New Zealand included a ban on charging recruitment fees. But it said many workers were in debt when they arrived – to employers, as well as banks, governments and family back home – because of travel and documentation costs.

“MBIE undertakes direct monitoring of employer deductions, though the details of what is considered ‘reasonable’ could not be found in the documents made available for this review,” it said.

Employers often provided accommodation to their workers, and a new framework set out the basic standards, as well as how much they could charge for better lodging.

The government said in January it was allowing higher rent caps – inflation-increased each year – to encourage employers to invest in better-quality accommodation.

Weekly caps from $150 to $211 had been introduced this month – the maximum rental charge depended on the accommodation quality and features, such as the number of people sharing a bedroom, the age of the building and bathroom proximity.

But in an update last month, INZ said employers would be given a transitional period of up to two years if they were currently charging a higher amount than they would be able to under the new methodology.

“Employers will only be able to recover the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable,” it said. “Employers must still comply with employment law, including the Minimum Wage Act and the Wages Protection Act, and employers remain responsible for ensuring accommodation deductions are lawful.”

RSE review

The government-set cap on RSE worker numbers had risen from 5000 when the scheme started in 2007 to 20,750 last year.

Most came from 13 Pacific countries, although latest (pre-pandemic) figures show employers also recruited other nationalities, such as Filipinos and Malaysians.

In 2022, the-then Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo said she witnessed slavery-like conditions and said the RSE scheme was being run in a way that allowed modern slavery to take place.

In 2024, the government removed the requirement that RSE workers be paid 10 percent above minimum wage.

They now had to have worked at least two seasons before the additional 10 percent was applied. However, the average number of seasons worked was below three, according to research by the Development Policy Centre’s Charlotte Bedford, who said New Zealand was languishing behind Australia in worker protections and wages for RSE workers.

MBIE said its review was considering the ILO’s report and recommendations, as well as input from employers and Pacific nations to ensure that the RSE scheme continued to benefit workers, their source countries and the horticulture and viticulture sectors.

“The scope of this review is broad, spanning employer and compliance settings, labour market settings and the visa itself,” said its policy manager Sam Foley. “Accommodation quality standards are being considered in the policy review which is currently underway.”

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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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Transport Minister has told officials to hurry up and give him a full briefing on an independent analysis of police breath testing data saying he’s unhappy at how long it has taken to investigate.

RNZ revealed last year that about 130 police officers were under investigation throughout the country after 30,000 alcohol breath tests were “falsely or erroneously recorded”.

The Transport Agency (NZTA) then halted $6 million worth of funding to Police until it was satisfied Police had met their breath test targets.

In December it was revealed NZTA had commissioned an independent analysis of breath testing data to try and identify the full scale of falsely recorded tests.

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

An NZTA spokesperson told RNZ last week the independent analysis had now concluded.

“NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has reviewed the findings and prepared a final report on the issue. The report has been shared with partner agencies.”

“Decisions on the release of delivery-dependent funding are expected to be made later this month, pending the receipt of feedback from partner agencies.”

RNZ asked Transport Minister Chris Bishop’s office on Wednesday for comment on the report.

His office replied he had not received the report.

“He will be able to provide comment in due course once he has.”

RNZ then asked if the Minister had asked for the report and whether he believed he should have been sent it at the same time it was sent to partner agencies.

In a statement, Bishop said he was awaiting a “full briefing from NZTA”.

“I have asked for that to be expedited. The issue is obviously concerning and I am unhappy at how long it has taken to investigate.”

Police were also asked for comment on the report. A spokesperson said they would “hold off commenting until NZTA has communicated the outcome of the decisions”.

RNZ earlier obtained a series of weekly reports to Bishop on the issue under the Official Information Act.

One update, from 27 October, said NZTA had identified a preferred supplier to independently analyse the breath screening test data file provided by Police.

“This independent analysis will identify whether any further irregularities (over and above any detected by NZ Police) are discernible.”

The 30,000 breath tests related to an algorithm that determined if a second test took place within 90 seconds of the first, whilst the distance between the two indicated a speed of more than 20 km/h.

In an update to Bishop on 13 October, NZTA said Police could not determine if any irregular testing was undertaken while officers were stationary.

“NZTA is supporting and encouraging NZ Police to identify what, if any, options exist for removing these limitations, and to look beyond current detection methods to ascertain the true scale of irregularities.”

Then Acting Deputy Commissioner Mike Johnson earlier told NZTA that while the algorithm had “proven effective” in identifying tests conducted while the device was in motion, “there remains limitations in detecting all forms of irregular testing, including those undertaken in specific locations”.

In an earlier statement to RNZ, Bishop reiterated the matter was “very concerning”, and said it was important that it was resolved.

“NZTA have kept me regularly updated as the work has progressed. Independent analysis is underway, and NZTA are working closely with Police. NZTA will have more to say early next year.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Waitaki’s ratepayers are looking at a 19 percent rates hike for the coming year.

Mayor Mel Tavendale is warning that will only just keep their heads above water.

The Waitaki District Council, on the border of Otago and Canterbury, said 19 percent rise would cost the average ratepayer about $13 extra a week – almost $700 a year.

Tavendale said the increase was primarily driven by increasing costs and an expensive water services capital expenditure programme.

The previous council had proposed a 7 per cent rates increase for its 14,000 ratepayers knowing that would not cover costs, she said.

The proposed 19 percent rates increase was just the bargain basement figure and as low as the council could go, Tavendale said.

“We are really aware that we are doing this at a time when our community is already hurting so it is a tough conversation to have,” she said.

“It is one that if we could not have it – it would be fantastic. But at the end of the day you also need to do the right thing and have the brave conversations because we can’t keep going in this trajectory.”

Four of the 10 councillors voted against consulting on a 19 percent increase but only one of the four was pushing for a lower figure.

Councillor Sven Thelning was among those who thought it should be even higher and said strictly based on the financials they should be going for a 45 percent increase.

“The 19 percent is the bottom, absolute least we could do,” Thelning said.

“It risks us running into that debt cap and that’s when the money runs out and then we’re in even more trouble. So 45 percent is not good but going broke would be worse.”

Oamaru Ratepayers and Residents Association chair Ray Henderson said the council had long tried to keep rates as low as possible and that had now come back to bite current ratepayers.

Many people in the area were already struggling financially, he said.

“The Waitaki district has a much higher demographic of retired people than the rest of the country – so a lot of people living on a fixed income. So when prices keep going up and up and up, and your income only goes up about two and a half per cent when the super increases every year, you get behind. So yes it will affect them dramatically.”

The rates hike would have to be faced, Henderson said.

But he questioned where some of the council’s money was going and the size of its workforce.

North Otago Grey Power president Andrew Dunn said the options presented by the council were not very palatable.

The 19 percent hike was unreasonable, he said.

Kevin Malcolm, deputy chair of the Otago Regional council and a Waitaki district resident, said the proposed increase revealed wider issues with local government and why amalgamation of Otago’s six district councils was needed.

“You can’t control the price of steel or the price of equipment to build a bridge, or what ever you are doing, but you can control the duplication we have within our system,” he said

“We simply don’t need chief executive and six planning teams and six leadership teams to run Otago.”

The council is putting together information on the proposed rates increase and it will go out to the public for feedback in the coming weeks.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A judge has described a Northland man’s driving in the moments before a high-speed, hit-and-run crash that killed a teenage cyclist as “a recipe for disaster”.

John Le Noel, 28, was sentenced on Friday in the Kaikohe District Court over the death last year of 19-year-old Matthew Howard on the street outside his home.

He was jailed for 33 months and disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.

The court was told CCTV captured Le Noel as his car crossed the centre-line on State Highway 1, before turning into Settlers Way, the main street of Ōkaihau, just after 10pm on 28 January, 2025.

Crash analysis showed Le Noel’s car was travelling at up to 117km/h in the 50km/h zone when Howard was hit.

The teen suffered horrific injuries and died shortly afterwards.

The car was extensively damaged, including a large hole punched through the windscreen.

The court was told Le Noel kept driving, stopped some distance away, saw people gathering at the crash scene, then drove to Horeke, where he abandoned the car.

He was identified by CCTV and picked up by police the following day, charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop to ascertain injury.

Judge Michelle Howard-Sager said aggravating factors included the the tragic loss of a life and the sustained period of bad driving.

“His speed also causes me significant concern,” she said. “He was travelling between 107-117km/h in a 50km/h zone.

“That is over double the speed limit and means that any ability Mr Le Noel might have had to avoid Matthew was taken away, because of such dangerous driving. It was a recipe for disaster.”

In fact, Judge Howard-Sager said Le Noel should not have been driving at all.

He had a restricted driver’s licence, which meant he should not have been driving unaccompanied after 10pm, and was not licensed to drive a manual vehicle.

The car had been without a Warrant of Fitness since 2019, the rear tyres were below minimum tread requirements and the registration had been put on hold.

The judge said Le Noel’s failure to stop was another major concern, given that it must have been obvious someone was seriously injured.

Even after he was identified and despite media publicity, he did not come forward, until police went knocking at his parents’ home.

Judge Howard-Sager said Howard’s death had a “profound effect” on his family.

Those who saw his body after the crash also suffered significant trauma, she said.

Defence lawyer Doug Blaikie said Le Noel was remorseful, traumatised and continued to have nightmares.

“I dare say he will carry this for the rest of his life.”

However, Blaikie said Howard himself was “substantially the cause of the accident and the outcome”.

He was wearing dark clothing and riding a bike at night with no reflectors, and while Le Noel was driving at speed and close to centre-line, he was on the correct side of the road.

Moments before the crash, Howard crossed the centre-line onto the wrong side, for reasons no-one would ever know.

Those factors meant Le Noel was entitled to a “substantial discount” on any prison term. That was rejected by Judge Howard-Sager.

She said, if Le Noel had not been travelling at such a high speed in residential area, he might have avoided Howard – “or at the very least the consequences may not have been so severe”.

“Speed limits, particularly in residential areas, are there for very good reason… because people may be on the roads when they are not expected. I do not accept that Matthew is primarily responsible for this accident.”

Earlier, prosecutor Eilish O’Connor read a victim impact statement from Howard’s father’s partner. She described the teen as “gentle, quiet and kind”.

He adored his new baby niece and, while not naturally academic, he was starting to find his way in life.

She felt “angry and sickened”, when she learnt Le Noel had been driving at more than double the speed limit, because that meant the crash had been entirely preventable.

“You took Matthew from us forever, now there’s just an empty space where his light used to be.”

Ten members of Howard’s family were in court, as were Le Noel’s parents and some of his relatives.

After sentencing, Matthew Howard’s mother, Kelly Howard, told RNZ her son was “the most wonderful person”.

“He was love, he was light, he cared about everybody. He would never hurt a soul.

“Now’s he free, and he wants everybody to be love and light too.”

The tragedy shook the small, close-knit town and re-ignited long-standing calls for speed bumps on Settlers Way.

The town’s broad main street has two schools, cafes, shops and many cyclists, due to its key location on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail.

A petition on change.org, calling on the Far North District Council to expedite the installation of speed bumps, gathered 448 signatures.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Papatoetoe’s Indian community has voiced frustration at what appears to be growing anti-Indian sentiment in Auckland at a public meeting on Friday.

The meeting was held following the discovery in Auckland of two separate incidents of graffiti inciting violence against the Indian community.

About 50 people attended the meeting organised by the Papatoetoe Ōtara Action Team, including police, politicians and members of the local Indian community.

The first piece of anti-Indian graffiti was discovered on Saturday near Papatoetoe Central School.

Police have arrested a 61-year-old Papatoetoe man on charges related to the incident on Thursday.

The accused appeared in the Manukau District Court facing two charges of intentional damage to a footpath, each carrying a maximum penalty of three months in prison or a $2000 fine.

The man also faces a charge of behaving offensively in a public place, which carries a maximum $1000 fine. He has been released on bail.

An identical message was also found inside a public toilet on Campbell Road in Royal Oak.

Jaspreet Kandhari, general secretary of the NZ Indian Business Association, said he was disturbed by the incident but also what he described as something reflecting a deeper undercurrent in society.

“Recently, I attended an event where a study on migrant and ethnic groups and their contribution was launched,” Kandhari said.

“One alarming trend was that many New Zealanders still do not like to see New Zealand as a diverse, migrant country.”

Kandhari said such attitudes were concerning – particularly for diverse communities.

Navtej Randhawa, who has lived in Papatoetoe for 25 years, said the community needed to step up, look inwards and help build bridges.

“Yes, there is hate, there is discrimination and there are racial issues,” Randhawa said.

“As a fourth-generation member of this community, I can say some of this feels worse.”

He said the community needed to be part of the solution.

“What are we doing to be part of the solution and help build a better society?” he asked.

“For me, one word stands out: volunteer. Contribute to the wider good of the community and you will see better outcomes.”

Fellow South Auckland resident Narinder Veer Singh raised concerns about the role of social media played in spreading hate and questioned whether authorities had plans in place to address those challenges.

Naveed Hamid, chair of the Pakistan New Zealand Business Council, said ethnic communities needed to come together to push back against hate and racism.

He said migrant communities made a significant contribution to New Zealand’s economy.

“As a migrant community we are contributing around $60 billion to the New Zealand economy, which is not a small amount in a year,” he said.

Kushma Nair, a Papatoetoe subdivision local board elect, questioned why some groups were allowed to spread hate and anti-Indian rhetoric under the guise of free speech.

Manurewa Local Board member Marshal Walia also raised concerns about increasing reports of bullying and racism faced by members of the Indian community in South Auckland.

“We have attended many similar meetings, but my question is what are you going to do about these issues, and what are you going to tell those who are nervous about sending their children to school on Monday?” he asked.

Speaking at the meeting, Counties Manukau West area commander Dave Christoffersen said he understood the concerns that were raised.

“I feel your hurt and your fear as a result,” he said.

“This was an appalling act that has no place in our community. Police take these matters seriously and we prioritise them, as was the case in this instance. As soon as it was escalated to me, an investigator was assigned straight away.”

Christoffersen said school community police officers would be present on Monday to help reassure parents, staff and students.

“We felt that was the best police response when school returns,” he said.

“If parents, staff or students have any questions, they will see officers they are familiar with because they are already part of that school community.”

Panmure-Ōtāhuhu MP Jenny Salesa, Labour’s spokesperson for ethnic communities, said she hoped people across New Zealand would come together in support.

“It is not okay,” she said. “It is unacceptable to have this kind of hateful crime.”

Salesa said she had spoken at length with Papatoetoe Central School principal Raj Dullabh.

“He was really worried about his students. … He said 78 percent of his students are from the Indian community,” she said.

ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar urged individuals to call out anti-Indian sentiment whenever they encountered it.

“It’s very important that people don’t decide to stay quiet,” Parmar said.

– 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 Warehouse has recalled its Uniti sand art products, because of asbestos.

The Warehouse Group chief legal and corporate affairs officer Silv Roest said Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) testing found traces of asbestos from the same batch of a Uniti Sand Art Unicorn set.

As a precaution, they were recalling all Uniti sand products.

“As soon as concerns about asbestos in sand products emerged in New Zealand last year, we took action. We arranged independent testing of all our sand products with a fully accredited laboratory and the results showed that no asbestos was detected.

“While MBIE’s test result differs, all that matters is the safety of the families who shop with us and our team members. That’s why we’re recalling these products and treating them as containing asbestos as a precaution.

“We’re very sorry for any worry and inconvenience this will cause and we’ll do everything we can to help our customers through this recall.”

Some 4678 units of Uniti products had been sold at The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationary Stores across the country, since they went on sale in January 2025 (Octopus and Monkey sets) and September 2025 (Unicorn and Dinosaur sets).

Roest said the product was unlikely to have been used in schools or early childhood centres, because the products were designed for individual use, and not classroom or group settings.

Customers were advised to return Uniti products to a Warehouse store, where they would receive a full refund.

Store team members and signage would direct customers to the correct bin for safe disposal.

People were asked not to bring unsealed sand inside the store for safety reasons.

The Warehouse said MBIE testing did not detect airborne asbestos, which poses the greatest health risk. The release of airborne fibres was very unlikely, unless the sand was mechanically crushed and inhaled.

Customers who have purchased any Uniti sand art products are asked to carefully follow MBIE’s guidance:

Uniti sand range and barcode information:

• Uniti Sand Art Unicorn – Barcode: 9401113491869
• Uniti Sand Art Octopus – Barcode: 9401097407276
• Uniti Sand Art Monkey – Barcode: 9401097407269
• Uniti Sand Art Dinosaur – Barcode: 9401113420944

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Zoo’s 18-year-old Sumatran tiger has been euthanised after his health deteriorated in the past few days.

In a statement, the zoo said Bashii suffered from kidney disease like many elderly cats, and its veterinary team was helping to manage his symptoms.

After a full examination the zoo said it was clear euthanising him was necessary as his quality of life was compromised.

“Our entire Zoo community will miss Bashii, who loved to be in the presence of his keepers, and his regal and gentle nature will be remembered,” Wellington Zoo posted on Facebook.

“Bashii played an important role in being an advocate for endangered tigers in the wild, and he helped us to teach so many people about human impact on tigers, including the effects of poaching and habitat loss, inspiring people to make a difference by buying FSC timber and paper products to protect forests where tigers live.”

Bashii came to Wellington from Australia Zoo in 2014.

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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 of Aotearoa’s most renowned Māori education leaders, Rāwiri Wright, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Education, recognising his contribution to Māori education, cultural revitalisation and equity.

Wright (Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu) received the honour at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s Whakapōtaetanga Māori graduation ceremony in Wellington.

“I’m accepting this award on behalf of all those people who went before us, all the tamariki I’ve had anything to do with, the kaiako and the whānau,” he said.

Wright’s career has spanned teaching, journalism, governance and national advocacy, with a focus on ensuring tamariki Māori and whānau can access education that affirms identity, language and culture.

He has played a key role in shaping the kura kaupapa Māori movement and the wider education landscape.

As Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa co-chair, he has advocated for Māori authority in education and the realisation of tino rangatiratanga.

“We have to be brave, be passionate, be resilient and we have to support each other to continue to do what we do every day for the tamariki in the hope that there is a better tomorrow on the horizon,” he said, adding that Māori-medium education was a right.

“It’s essential to the survival and flourishing of te reo Māori and Māori culture.”

Wright also established himself as a journalist and commentator, contributing to iwi publications and national outlets.

According to Massey University, his work challenged dominant narratives across education, politics and social justice, and contributed to public debate around Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and biculturalism.

“His writing provided an influential Māori voice in public debate, offering intellectual rigour and sharp cultural analysis at a time when Māori perspectives were often marginalised or misunderstood,” the university said.

The honorary doctorate also recognises his role in developing kaupapa Māori immersion teacher education programmes at Massey.

Professor Huia Jahnke, who has worked closely with Wright at Massey’s Te Putahi-a-Toi School of Māori Knowledge since 2010, said his contribution had been crucial to the success of students.

“The outstanding quality and personal contributions of Mr Wright’s involvement at Massey have led to a substantial increase in teacher supply for the kura kaupapa Māori sector, as well as a high level of excellence achieved by the graduate teachers of the programmes, ” he said.

Wright was central to the design and delivery of Te Aho Tātairangi and Te Aho Paerewa, developed in partnership with Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.

The programmes are the only university-based initial teacher education pathways delivered fully in te reo Māori and, since 2010, have contributed to increasing teacher supply, with graduates moving into leadership roles across the sector.

Wright continues to serve as an adjunct lecturer at Massey and is tumuaki (principal) of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna in Wellington.

Massey University said his advocacy had contributed to increased recognition, resourcing and protection for kura kaupapa Māori nationally.

Reflecting on his life’s work, Wright said “there is no gain without pain”.

“There is no freedom without struggle and the greatest growth always follows a period of resistance. Me tauranga ātete tātou ka tika!”

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