A tree blown onto a car in the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn.RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Wind gusts measuring up to 240km/h have been recorded on the east coast of the lower North Island with gusts of up to 190km/h hitting high parts of Wellington.
MetService said the strong winds and heavy rain were set to linger over the lower North Island before gradually heading southwards later on Monday and on Tuesday.
Gusts measuring up to 240km/h have been recorded at Cape Turnagain on the east coast of the lower North Island.
While in Wellington, winds have reached up to 190km/h in high parts – and about 130km/h in the city.
MetService meteorologist John Law said a low pressure system sitting to the east of the North Island was expected to track slowly southwards.
He said heavy rain and severe gales were expected to continue over central and southern parts of the North Island as well as reaching eastern parts of the South Island and Chatham Islands.
“The good news is – as we head through the day today – we should start to see those winds easing off – so we’ve probably seen the peak of those winds. But even by Wellington standards it’s a very windy start to the week,” Law said.
A flooded Waiwhetu stream in Lower Hutt.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Law said “intense bursts of rain” had seen up to 200mm of rain fall over parts of Wairarapa overnight Monday.
“With that low pressure out to the east of the North Island it’s been pushing the rain in particularly across those lower parts. Cape Palliser has seen some of the highest rainfall. Intense bursts of rain through there and just prolonged rain through the night-time. As we saw In parts of the Hutt Valley that combination of strong winds and heavy rain are bringing all sorts of impacts,” Law said.
He said hard hit parts of southern Waikato, such as Otorohanga, should see clearing conditions over the oncoming days.
“The good news – as we head through today – this rain is clearing away down towards the south. Still a few showers possible but nowhere near the level we’ve seen in recent days. While a few showers are still possible for today things are getting better,” he said.
Law said that more weather warnings could be on the way as the low pressure system slowly headed southwards.
“This weather system is sticking with us. A big area of high pressure out to the east is blocking the movement of this low so it stays close by. It will sink southwards which will push that rain in towards parts of the South Island. So places like the Kaikōura Coast, parts of Canterbury particularly – places like Banks Peninsula – already have some severe weather watches and warnings. We may well find more issued for parts of those eastern areas of the South Island,” Law said.
Law said rain over the eastern side of the South Island was less likely to be as intense as the system migrated southwards over coming days and south westerly flows were expected to help clear the system during Tuesday and early Wednesday.
“That’s when we finally say good-bye to this weather system,” Law said.
Emergency services went door-to-door on Saddle and River roads in Ashhurst, waking locals from their slumber and moving them to the safety of the hall at the Ashhurst Village Centre.
Grace Guo and teenage daughters Kerry and Claire decided to stay in their home when neighbours first warned them they may have to evacuate at about 9pm Sunday.
She said conditions didn’t appear as bad as during ex-Cyclone Gabrielle, but the trio still had an anxious night fearing floodwaters would come through their home as happened in 2023.
“I was just a bit panicked actually. We couldn’t sleep. We were awake the whole night.
“About 3 o’clock or something in the morning we got a call from them again ‘saying hey you guys have to evacuate’, so we came here.”
Guo said unlike ex-Cyclone Gabrielle she was prepared for the evacuation when it came and even the family’s two dogs came with them to the Ashurst Village Centre hall.
She was full of praise for the emergency services.
Wendy and Digger Morley gave breakfast at the Ashhurst Village Centre hall their seal of approval.RNZ / Robin Martin
Wendy Morley, who lives on Saddle Road near the Pohangina River, said they had received warnings during evening of a possible evacuation, and her family received a call at 3am.
“We couldn’t see much in the dark, so had left it at that and next minute – boom.
“We were expecting it, so we had to wake up and get the kids ready and get the cars out and get going.”
Wendy Morley’s son, 10-year-old Digger, was shaken up at first.
“It was scary because I never did this before.”
He hadn’t slept but breakfast got his seal of approval.
“It was good. I had Coco Pops and hot chocolate and lollies.”
Happy with ‘cautious’ approach
Cherie O’Leary and her family had been evacuated from River Road.
“It was just a bit rainy that was it. No flooding. You couldn’t even see the river from our place not like 2023 for Cyclone Gabriel.”
But she was still happy Civil Defence had taken a precautionary approach.
“Yeah, definitely. You’ve got to be cautious and be safe for everyone, so I’m happy with that.”
The O’Learys had spend the night drinking coffee and catching up with neighbours.
“We’ve been having a few laughs and they cooked us a really yummy breakfast, so that was great.
“We had bacon and eggs and cereals, all sorts, fruit. I must say Civil Defence are really cool.”
Cherie’s dad George Pilcher was taking it all in his stride.
“I got up at about 1.30am to see what was happening and it all looked good, so I went back to bed, and then Craig my son-in-law came and tapped on the door and said ‘we’ve got to evacuate, we’ve been told we have to get out’.
“We’ve been sitting here since 3am and we’re ready to go home again by the sound of it.”
He too was happy to be safe rather than sorry.
Emergency Management Officer Zarra Houpapa said with the weather system overnight and the amount of water coming down the river the decision to evacuate had be made.
“The main concern was the raising river levels particularly around Saddle Road, so we’d been monitoring it all yesterday afternoon and last night and in the early hours of this morning the decision was made to evacuate.”
Zarra Houpapa said at the halls the residents were given somewhere they could get some sleep and know that they were safe.
At about 10am Monday they got the news they could go home.
“So, just know we’ve let them go back home because the river levels have fallen to a point where we are comfortable that they will be safe to go home and get some sleep.”
Grace Guo was overjoyed.
“Oh, I’m really pleased. We are really happy, finally we can go home my two dogs as well. They were very unsettled.”
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The boil water notice will not be lifted until there are at least three days of good results, the council says.RNZ/Rebekah Parsons-King
Friends are delivering bottled water to a Christchurch mother whose immunocompromised daughter relies on sterile medical equipment for feeding, with 14,000 households in the city’s east still under a boil water notice.
Kalah Blair’s 11-year-old daughter Maia has a number of medical issues and disabilities, including severe autism and the rare genetic disorder Sotos syndrome.
A public health alert was issued on Saturday afternoon for thousands of people in New Brighton, Burwood, Wainoni, Aranui and Southshore after routine testing discovered total coliforms in the Rawhiti water zone.
The alert said all water, including filtered water, must be continuously boiled for at least one minute, prompting a run on bottled water at supermarkets.
Blair said Maia was tube-fed so relied on clean water to protect her health.
“She’s on her medical pump for five hours per day and we have to do 200-mill flushes with every feed, so that’s nearly two litres of water per day, just for her feeding. Then I’ve got to make up some of her medication with water, then I have to sterilise all of her syringes and other medical equipment,” she told Morning Report.
“It’s a very full-on thing to do, but when you’re having to use bottled water and then boil that to sterilise things, it makes life so much harder.”
Blair was first alerted to the problem on Saturday when she received the emergency mobile alert.
“It was like, ‘oh my god I need to get bottled water’ and go through and tip out all of her drink bottles,” she said.
While Blair could boil water, she did not want to take any risks with Maia.
“A cold isn’t just a cold, it can literally put her in hospital for days. We just have to be super careful with her,” she said.
A friend sent bottles of water via Uber on Saturday, while another friend and Christchurch East Labour MP Reuben Davidson brought water on Sunday.
On Monday morning, Blair had not heard directly from any council staff and was calling for a register of vulnerable people who could be contacted by the council in a health crisis.
“If something like this happens again, the council can contact us and say, ‘hey look, this is the situation, this is how long we think it’s going to last, is there any support we can give you? Or point us in the direction of help and support. It’s not just Maia, there are other people in this community who are medically fragile or disabled as well,” she said.
On Sunday, the council said the boil water notice would not be lifted until there were at least three days of good results.
“Results from sampling in the wider Rawhiti zone are looking good. However, as we have had a further positive result in the same location, the boil water notice is still in place,” the council said.
“The notice will then be lifted once we can provide confidence to Tauamata Arowai that the water is safe to drink. Part of this assessment will be ensuring we also have at least three days of good results.”
A community drinking water station was open in Keyes Road in New Brighton for people to fill containers with safe drinking water while staff and contractors continued to investigate the source of the contamination.
They do not generally pose a direct health risk, but the presence of total coliforms indicated bacteria were present and that treatment has not been effective or that treated water was vulnerable to contamination, according to water regulator Taumata Arowai.
The council said the Ministry of Education had been in touch with early childhood centres and schools to ensure they remained open.
“They have a good plan in place to manage the situation and the council will provide support to the ministry where we can. If parents have questions, they are encouraged to contact their respective schools and centres directly,” the council said.
People in the affected suburbs were already struggling with intensifying odour from the city’s fire-damaged wastewater treatment plant in Bromley in recent weeks.
Christchurch City Council and Health New Zealand have been contacted for comment.
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Partly written and recorded in Paris, Red Sunset may have found its thematic heart in that location. Runga’s new album sounds French and seemingly draws inspiration from thatcountry’s pop music of the ’60s and ’70s.
Or perhaps the acoustic strums, dampened drums and vintage synths here just coalesced into these particular forms. Certainly, they’re familiar elements for Runga and her co-writer Kody Nielson.
But with the advent of each circuitous melody and elaborate chord progression, the comparison feels more apt.
Runga spent three years in Paris during her mid-twenties, and told The Post she wanted to “bookend the parenthood years” by heading back and seeing it through her children’s eyes.
The trip unlocked something creatively, and she wrote and recorded parts of Red Sunset on a grand piano at an Airbnb where she and her family stayed.
Runga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine) was still in her teens when she released her debut single ‘Drive’, and it’s worth noting that on the three albums which followed – Drive (1997) Beautiful Collision (2002), and Birds (2005) – she wasn’t just the sole credited songwriter, but producer too.
That changed on 2011’s Belle, and its mostly-cover-songs follow-up Close Your Eyes, which both featured production from Runga’s partner Neilson (as does Red Sunset).
The former-Mint Chick member’s maximalist impulses were always an interesting pairing with her mellower inclinations, and here their collaboration feels effortless.
It’s the second half of Red Sunset that really evokes the era of Françoise Hardy and Serge Gainsbourg; the first flirts with more modern sounds, like the drum machine thump on ‘Paris in the Rain’ and synth adornments of the title track.
Crisp acoustic lead and pan pipe sounds on ‘Ghost in My Bed’ are the most specific nod back, but the track also contains a roaming synth bass connecting it to the present day.
These three were all singles and form a statement: Runga is trying new, unexpected things. It’s a thrilling start to the album, not to mention a brave move from an established artist.
On the Podcast Listen Carefully she said Red Sunset’s final two tracks ‘Hey Little One’ and ‘Home Run’ have existed in unfinished forms for many years. They’re both stunners, building to choruses which move in unexpected yet welcome directions, and feature spine-tingling vocal work.
There’s a hint of The Beatles on the nursery rhyme-esque ‘You’re Never Really Here (Are You Baby)’, and even more on the album’s most upbeat tune, ‘Won’t You Come Home’ and its dazzling web of harmonies.
What has emerged is fascinating; part tribute to a place she used to call home, part merging of older, familiar material with a new, more challenging direction. It’s an exciting release from someone who could have rested on her laurels but would prefer to keep moving forward.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Powerco says about 23,000 properties across its network have lost connections, and in the Wellington region about 10,000 have their connections cut.
Here’s how to stay safe, keep warm and protect your home and belongings when the power goes out.
Call your lines company
It’s quite common for power cuts to last only a few minutes, so you may want to wait a while before making the call.
However, if you’re concerned about the length of the outage, give your lines company a ring.
You can also check the supplier’s website and social media to see if the outage was planned, or if there’s an update on when power will be restored.
Your wifi and cordless landline phone will likely be affected in a power cut, so it’s best to use your mobile phone for this.
If a power outage is putting your health at risk, call 111 or go to a hospital.
Turn on the torch
In a power outage, the best torch is the one you have to hand.
For many, this will mean your phone torch – but try not to use this long-term, as it will drain your battery, meaning you may not be able to call for help if you need it.
It’s a good idea to have an emergency kit to hand, containing a torch and spare batteries, among other items.
Torches and battery-powered lanterns are safer to use in a power cut than candles.
Emergency vehicles making their way through flooded roads in Wellington on 16 February 2026.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Break out the supplies
Vector advises that water pumps in rural areas may not work in a power cut – so you should make sure you have emergency water supplies for drinking and washing.
A spare battery or mobile power pack for your phone, a camp stove or barbecue, and cooking fuel (such as gas) are also helpful items to have in the event of an extended power cut.
Clear your home of hazards
Have a quick look around your house and move any items that could be easily tripped on, such as children’s toys, from corridors, doorways and high-traffic areas.
This will lessen the chances of you injuring yourself in the dark.
Powershop recommends placing a camping lamp at the edge of the room by the wall to light your path, and says it’s especially important that access to the bathroom and the emergency cupboard are clear.
Turn electronics off at the wall
Power can surge when it’s restored, possibly damaging sensitive electronics.
Turn your TV, computer and stereo off at the wall or make sure you have surge protectors installed.
Vector recommends turning off your stove elements and heaters, too – this will ensure they don’t come back on without you noticing the electricity has been restored.
The Electricity Authority recommends leaving an overhead light on so you can see when the power is back on.
Food should stay cool in the fridge for several hours, but only if it’s left unopened.123rf
Keep the fridge closed
Opening the fridge or freezer will let warmer air in – and without electricity, it won’t be able to cool down again.
If left shut, the fridge will keep food cool for up to six hours, while a freezer will usually keep food frozen for up to 24 hours.
If there’s food inside that you know you’ll need in the short-term, consider removing it at the start of the power cut and storing it in a chilly bin or ice box. That way your snacking won’t spoil the rest of your supplies.
The Ministry for Primary Industries recommends eating food that will expire quickly, such as bread and meat, first, and eating canned food last.
If any food is spoiled or rotting, throw it away so it doesn’t spoil other food.
Stay warm
If it’s a cold day or night, you can keep warm by closing your doors and windows and pulling the curtains.
Water can be boiled on a camp stove to fill hot water bottles. Remember never to operate a camp stove inside.
Gel warming packs are also good items to have in your emergency kit, as they can keep chilled fingers and toes toasty.
An emergency kit should contain food, water and medical supplies for three days, as well as a torch and radio.(RNZ)
Check on your neighbours
If it’s safe to go outside, check on your neighbours. This is especially important if you have older or vulnerable people living around you.
If it’s not safe to go out, give them a call or a text.
Listen to the radio
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advises that in times of crisis or civil defence emergency, a battery-powered radio or a car radio remain essential lifelines if power is out and other forms of communication are unavailable.
RNZ is New Zealand’s statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. All frequencies can be found here.
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A fallen tree in the Wellington suburb of Newlands after high winds.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Heavy rain and wind is hitting the capital, flooding streets in Lower Hutt, closing multiple schools, cutting off power, and bringing trees and debris down in the city.
Meanwhile, the entire Manawatū-Whanganui region is under a state of emergency, where some evacuations have taken place in Manawatū and on the coast of the Tararua district.
In Wellington, regional and metro trains have stopped, while ferries and flights have been cancelled.
Streets in Epuni and Naenae appear flooded, with reports on social media of some cars getting stuck in Lower Hutt.
On Monday morning, Powerco said about 23,000 properties across its network had lost connections, and in the Wellington region about 10,000 had had their connections cut.
The storm has left a big mess for the owner of a Polish restaurant at Plimmerton, north of Wellington, to clean up after an exterior wall blew in.
High winds blew an exterior wall in at Topor Bistro, a Polish restaurant in Plimmerton.Supplied
Owner of Topor Bistro, Steve Askew said luckily another local business alerted them as otherwise they might not have been back in till Wednesday.
“I’m sure we’re going to be closed a couple of weeks,” he said.
“All of the ceiling on the inside has gone. All the studs and stuff they’re quite wet, I don’t know if they need to be replaced or if they can just be dried out. The hole in the wall needs to be fixed.”
Askew said the kitchen and main appliances are on the other side and escaped.
He said up till this the bistro had not been doing too badly recently.
A growing list of schools in the Wellington region are also closed due to the terrible weather.
Those include Wellington High School, Wellington East Girls’ College, and St Orans College in the Hutt Valley.
Wind damaged trees at Rongotai College in the Wellington suburb of Kilbirnie.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Rongotai College in Wellington has closed for the day with tree debris littering its grounds.
Principal Kevin Carter said he was at the boys’ school in Kilbirnie at 5pm on Sunday and everything was fine, but on Monday morning it was a different story.
“The grounds are covered with branches from trees that have come down … It’s pretty wild and unsafe here on the south coast,” he said.
Some gutters were down but otherwise buildings were not damaged by the look of it. He had had a quick walkaround and would do a closer check later in the hopes they could clean up and the wind would drop.
Carter said they would decide later whether to reopen tomorrow. All families had been advised by email or text the school was closed, he said.
High waves at Houghton Bay on Wellington’s south coast on Monday morning.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Air New Zealand’s chief operating officer Alex Marren told Nine to Noon nearly 100 flights have been cancelled in and out of Wellington on Sunday and Monday morning.
All flights in the capital, Palmerston North and Napier have been paused until at least 11am, at which point the airline will reassess the weather conditions, Marren said.
She said there had been some “infrastructure impacts” and the airline was working closely with Wellington Airport on that.
Air New Zealand cancelled flights in and out of Wellington because of high winds.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
In Wairarapa, evacuations are underway in Masterton due to the threat of falling trees.
Wairarapa assistant commander Ian Wright said it had been a busy night with weather-related call outs, which continue, and that trees coming down were the biggest risk.
He said there are shallow rooted trees on Lincoln Road that are “very, very unstable, so both roads have been closed and the people have been evacuated”.
There have been no reports of injuries.
Trees blown down in the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn.RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Emergency vehicles making their way through flooded roads in Wellington.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Flooding in Epuni in Lower Hutt.RNZ / Mark Papalii
A fallen tree in the Wellington suburb of Newlands after high winds.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Trees fallen in the Wellington suburb of Tawa.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Emergency vehicles making their way through flooded roads in Wellington.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Fire and Emergency staff at a Newlands property.RNZ/Mark Papalii
A fallen tree in Plunket Street in Wellington.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Infant formula maker A2 Milk showed a solid lift in first half profit on the back of double digit growth in sales allowing an increase in dividend.
Key numbers for the six months ended December compared with a year ago:
Net profit $112.1m vs $102.5m
Revenue $993.5m vs $836.5m
Operating earnings $155m vs $130.9m
Net cash $896.9m vs $1.01b
Interim dividend 11.5 cents per share vs 8.5 cps
Forecast mid-teens revenue growth, increased full year profit
Sales of infant milk formula (IMF) to China led an overall near 19 percent rise in revenue, boosted by its acquisition of a manufacturing plant at Pokeno, and further improvement in the fledgling US market.
“We continue to execute our growth strategy with a focus on maximising opportunities in China infant milk formula, adjacent categories and new markets,” chief executive David Bortolussi said.
“Infant milk formula remains central to our growth strategy and continues to outperform the China market, delivering 13.6 percent year-on-year revenue growth.”
Bortolussi said English label IMF sales were significantly stronger through on-line retail platforms, while there had been a stabilisation of the once important daigou channels – sales by third parties of A2 IMF.
Fresh milk sales improved in Australia and the United States, while the company looked to diversify with new nutritional products.
“Recently launched kids and seniors nutrition products have accelerated our growth in other nutritionals, strengthening our position in these growing and exciting categories.”
Bortolussi said the US operation was close to break even after posting initial big losses and the company hoped to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration to sell infant formula in the US.
He said the Pokeno manufacturing plant acquired last year was securing and diversifying its supply chain last year, and the company was shifting more production to the plant from Synlait Milk’s Canterbury plant.
Bigger sales and profits
Looking forward A2 expected double digit revenue growth, with a full year profit ahead of last year’s $202.9m.
“Our upgraded outlook means we are now on track to achieve our $2 billion medium term sales ambition in FY26, a full year ahead of plan,” Bortolussi said.
The company increased its interim dividend and reaffirmed plans for a $300m special dividend from its $897m cash holdings.
Forsyth Barr senior analyst Matt Montgomerie said the result was strong and better than analysts had been expecting, and noted the company had a track record of exceeding it forecasts.
Contact Energy’s half-year profit is up 44 percent, despite a 5 percent dip in revenue.
The company has made a first half net profit $205 million in the six months ended December, with underlying profit up 24 percent to half a billion dollars ($500m).
Contact was also in a trading halt until Tuesday, as it looked to raise $525m to advance investment into new battery, solar and geothermal developments.
Key numbers for the six months ended December 2025 compared with a year earlier:
Net profit $205.0 vs $142.4m
Revenue $1.62b vs $1.71b
Underlying profit $500m vs $404m
Interim dividend 16 cents a share vs 16 cps
Contact said the improved underlying profit result was driven by a significant lift in renewable generation, with an output of 97 percent renewable energy in the first half (1H26).
“1H26 was transformational, with the completion of the Manawa acquisition and the welcoming of its people and assets to Contact,” Fuge said, referring to last year’s near $2b takeover of the generation company.
“The strong performance of the combined entity set us up well for the year ahead as we take significant steps to execute the Contact31+ strategy.”
As part of that strategy, the company’s planned to raise $525m* with potential to increase its renewable energy generation.
This included funding for development of a Tauhara 2 steamfield, the Glenbrook battery 2.0 and its investment in the Glorit solar farm.
The proceeds were also expected to accelerate development pipeline opportunities.
“We already we have plans for another $2.4b of renewable energy projects, and we will continue to invest in building this country.”
Fuge said the company was expanding to meet future demand.
“Contact is taking significant steps to ensure its readiness to support New Zealand’s growing electricity demand, with 3-5TWh (terawatt hours) of new grid demand expected in the next five years,” Fuge said.
“We’re investing in the infrastructure required to support a more renewable, resilient and affordable energy future for New Zealand.
“I think New Zealand can be incredibly proud of where they’ve got to on the renewable energy transition,” Fuge said.
“And I think for the country, the most important thing is that we continue to build the infrastructure that keeps this country resilient, and as well as that, we look to decarbonise those areas of the economy which are nowhere near 50 percent renewable yet.
“And I think that’s where we now have to turn our focus – really focus on the big things that kind of make a real difference, rather than the last 2 or 3 percent.”
Offers to buy the rest of King Country Energy
Contact also separately announced it had made an offer to purchase the remaining 25 percent of King Country Energy from King Country Trust for $47m, which would give it full ownership if the the regional generator. The payment would be made by way of a new issue of Contact shares to the Trust.
Contact expected to make a full year underlying profit of $965m, with a full year dividend of 40 cents per share.
*Capital raise details
Contact planned to raise $450m with an issue of about 51.4m of new ordinary shares, representing about 5.2 percent of current issued capital, at a placement price of $8.75 per new share, which represented a discount of 7.2 percent of the last traded price, excluding the dividend.
Retail Offer
Contact intended to raise $75m through a non-underwritten retail offer of new shares to eligible existing shareholders in New Zealand and Australia, with the ability to scale applications, or accept over subscriptions at Contact’s.
The new shares to be issued at the lower of the placement price or a 2.5 percent discount to the five-day volume Weighted Average Price over the five-trading day period ending on the 6 March closing date of the offer.
Luca Harrington of New Zealand at the Winter Olympics, 2026.www.photosport.nz
Wānaka freeskier Luca Harrington has qualified for the final of the big air at the Winter Olympics.
Harrington finished fifth after three rounds of qualifying, with the top 12 from the 29 entrants progressing through to Wednesday’s final.
The 2025 big air world champion was in 12th place after the first run with a score of 84.25 after completing a right double cork 1440 and back with a 1260 with safety grab.
The 21-year-old followed that up with a switch right triple cork 1800 with a two handed grab in his second run to score 92.00 and move up to fifth overall.
He then finished with a right-side triple cork 1980 safety grab in his third run to score 87.75.
His combined two best runs scored 179.75 while American Mac Forehand finished top with 183.00.
“Felt really good, came in with a plan and executed the plan,” Harrington told Sky Sports afterwards.
“I’ve been really working hard on that first trick I put down and it didn’t get rewarded the way I wanted it to. It’s been one of the hardest tricks I’ve ever worked through so that was a bit of a shame to see.”
Harrington admitted his bronze in the slopestyle last week did affect him.
“It was hard to mentally get back into the swing of things and focus up to work my hardest in big air, but by the third night of training I was feeling really good again.
“No matter how this goes I’m just so honoured to be here and hopefully put down a good show in finals as well.”
Fellow New Zealanders Ben Barclay finished 19th and Lucas Ball 24th in qualifying.
Earlier on Monday Queenstown skier Alice Robinson finished eighth in the giant slalom.
And Dane Menzies and Zoi Sadowski-Synnot topped their respective snowboarding slopestyle qualifying.
The women’s slopestyle final is scheduled for 1am Wednesday morning (NZT) with the men’s on Thursday at 12:30am (NZT).
George Beamish of New Zealand in the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase at the 2025 Tokyo Athletics World Championships in JapanAthletics New Zealand / Photosport
World champions are likely to dominate the 63rd Halberg Awards in Auckland on Monday night.
Athletics and snow sports dominate the finalists in the two individual categories.
High jumper Hamish Kerr and 3000m steeple chaser Geordie Beamish are both included among the five nominees for the men’s award after winning gold medals at the world athletics championships in Tokyo.
Other men’s contenders are golfer Ryan Fox, who won twice on the PGA Tour, All Whites captain Chris Wood, who scored 20 goals for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and free-skier Luca Harrington, who clinched Big Air world championships gold.
There are six women’s finalists, including free-skier Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who bagged a third snowboard slopestyle world title and alpine skier Alice Robinson, who won New Zealand’s first medal at an alpine ski world championships – silver in the giant slalom.
Cyclists Niamh Fisher-Black (world championships road race silver medallist), Sammie Maxwell (mountain bike world series cross country champion), Jorja Miller (Black Ferns sevens world series winner) and Erin Routliffe (US Open women’s doubles tennis champion) are also in contention.
All finalists for sportswoman, sportsman, team and para-athlete/team are eligible for the supreme award.
Snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand.JAMIE SQUIRE / AFP
Halberg Award finalists
Sportswoman of the Year: Niamh Fisher-Black (cycling road), Sammie Maxwell (cycling-mountain bike), Jorja Miller (rugby union), Alice Robinson (snow sports-alpine ski racing), Erin Routliffe (tennis), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snow sports-snowboarding).
Sportsman of the Year: Geordie Beamish (athletics-track), Ryan Fox (golf), Luca Harrington (snow sports-freeskiing), Hamish Kerr (athletics-field), Chris Wood (football).
Para Athlete/Para Team of the Year: Lisa Adams (Para athletics-field), Danielle Aitchison (Para athletics), Devon Briggs (Para cycling-track), Cameron Leslie (swimming), Nicole Murray (Para cycling-track).
Team of the Year: Auckland FC (football), Black Ferns Sevens (rugby sevens), New Zealand Black Sox (softball), New Zealand Kiwis (rugby league), Men’s Team Pursuit: Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood (cycling-track), Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch (rowing).
Coach of the Year: Brendon Cameron (Para cycling-track), Hamish McDougall (snow sports-freeski), Mike Rodger (rowing), James Sandilands (athletics), Cory Sweeney (rugby sevens).
Du’Plessis Kirifi of New Zealand celebrates his try, New Zealand All Blacks v France.Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
The Hurricanes have named All Blacks Du’Plessis Kirifi and Jordie Barrett as co-captains for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
It marks the first time that Barrett has been named in a captaincy role at the Hurricanes, adding to his leadership credentials as All Blacks vice-captain.
Kirifi, who has picked up an injury in training and is set to miss the Hurricanes opening match of the season against Moana Pasifika on Friday night, returns to the role after he was named as a Hurricanes co-captain for the first time last season.
“It’s a great honour to be backed by the coaches and playing group to co-captain the side alongside Du’Plessis this season,” Barrett said.
“Playing for the Hurricanes has always meant a lot to me and I’m confident we have the squad to have a successful season. We have a great group of leaders who I know will support Du’Plessis and I throughout the season, and we can’t wait for the competition to begin.”
Jordie Barrett dives over but the try is disallowed. Wallabies v New Zealand All Blacks, 2024 Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup test match, Accor Stadium, NSW, Australia, Saturday 21st September 2024, Copyright David Neilson / www.photosport.nzDavid Neilson
Kirifi is looking forward to captaining the team alongside his fellow former St Francis Douglas Memorial College student.
“Leading the Hurricanes alongside Jordie is not only an honour, but extremely humbling. The love I have for this team, the region, and its people is immense, and I’m excited for the challenge that’s in front of us and what we can do together.
“O le ala i le pule o le tautua. The pathway to leadership is through service. We can’t wait to serve this team and its people to the best of our abilities.”
Barrett, 28, first played for the Hurricanes against the Sunwolves in 2017 and has made 111 appearances and scored 794 points for the club.
Kirifi, also 28, made a try-scoring debut against the Waratahs in 2019 and has since become a mainstay in the Hurricanes squad, featuring in 93 matches.
“The co-captains are an exciting pair,” Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw said.
“They are two outstanding professionals, Hurricane men through and through, who are super competitive around their performance. They connect really well across the team on and off the field, and they bring a different lens to our environment.”
Together, Kirifi and Barrett head a five-man leadership group known as Ngā Kaitiaki, alongside last year’s co-captains Brad Shields, Asafo Aumua and Billy Proctor.
“We feel Ngā Kaitiaki needs to lead the club between the five of them. With Jordie and Dupes as the co-captains, we believe it’s a really strong leadership model,” Laidlaw said.
“We’re all working well together behind-the-scenes in pre-season to drive the group forward. Jordie’s come back in with a real enthusiasm after being away, and Dupes is quite similar, apart from picking up a little niggle in pre-season.
“He came back early from his All Blacks rest and was training particularly well, so once Dupes is fit again and they’re both on the field and leading the team, it will be exciting. We’re looking forward to it.”
The Hurricanes open their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign against Moana Pasifika in Wellington on Friday night.
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Castle Street in Dunedin on a Sunday morning during O-Week.RNZ / Tess Brunton
Police and the University of Otago will be monitoring student behaviour, with concerns about another year of out-of-control and dangerous behaviour during Orientation Week (O-Week).
It has prompted the university to start meeting with some of the larger, named flats to discuss expectations for the year and how to party safely.
By Sunday afternoon, Castle Street was quiet, but the signs of Saturday’s pre-O-Week ‘Flo-Week’ blow-out remained with shattered glass, bottles, boxes and rubbish lining the road.
Some Castle Street flats had cardboard on their lower windows in what appears to be an attempt to protect them from damageRNZ / Tess Brunton
Second year students Charlie, Hunter and Hugo hosted Saturday night’s Castle Street bash, saying hundreds of people attended.
Hunter said there was a bit of pressure to host, so the six flatmates pooled their money and paid a company for the gear and set up.
Charlie said they also had security and wristbands to control who could go inside.
Hugo said out-of-towners could be okay, but not when they got too rowdy.
Someone had smashed a bottle into a window because they thought they could, he said.
Hunter said people did not seem to understand that people lived in these flats.
They acknowledged the street was in a sad state, with Charlie saying the red rubbish bin was full in a day between the six flatmates and the glass bin might only last 30 minutes on a night out.
Charlie said the flat had met with university staff as part of the new initiative.
“It was actually real good, and they kind of just were like ‘we know what you’re here to do’. They’ve got it run pretty well.
“They know it’s not the tidiest place to live. No one’s living in the best conditions but we’re all choosing to be here and they told us they can give us more rubbish bins, talked about obviously getting on roofs with what happened last year, and couch fires and stuff.”
Castle Street in Dunedin on a Sunday morning during O-Week.RNZ / Tess Brunton
Second years Kyra and Pippi were excited for O-Week.
“I think it’s definitely feral. But I think that’s just how everyone wants it to be. People know that Flo-Week you kind of just like go all out for a couple of weeks. But then tame it out throughout the rest of the year,” Pippi said.
Since September, two young men have been critically injured from falls – including from the roof of a Castle Street flat.
Pippi said people liked the thrill of climbing on roofs.
“It definitely is dangerous and bad… but it is very common. You just see people on roofs at almost every house but I think people get a bit of a shock once they hear the bad stories about it. Like, we heard a pretty tragic story and so it’s honestly scared us all.”
Kyra was glad the university shared information about staying safe.
“It’s also really good that there’s like police around, controlling everyone… when it gets really rowdy and stuff, so it like makes people feel more safe.”
They both had friends down for Flo-Week, and said it was good to have visitors and others to meet as long as they did not trash the flats.
First years Amy and Ruby just moved into a uni hall, saying there has already been meetings about safety.
Amy was glad the university was proactive about it, saying it meant they felt more comfortable asking for help.
“I think it’s real cos they know exactly what we’re doing and I mean they help us do it safely rather than turn their heads the other way and pretend it’s not happening,”
Ruby was not surprised about the state of Castle Street, describing it as disgusting and filthy.
“I guess that’s just what Castle Street’s all about.”
Castle Street in Dunedin on a Sunday morning during O-Week.RNZ / Tess Brunton
University vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said they proactively told students about safe partying and how they were expected to behave. That included staying off roofs.
“We’re really clear that students need to stay off roofs. The tragic consequences of that are clear for everybody. We make that clear in all of our communications with students.”
He was pleased that flatmates from about 40 of the larger, named flats had met with the proctor as part of the new initiative, which he said made sure they were all on the same page.
The university did not support out-of-towners joining the frivolities as they could be difficult to manage, Robertson said.
“Many times they behave quite differently than students who know that Dunedin is their home.”
Flats were made aware this could be an issue and there was support for them if there were any issues, he said.
“Police have obviously got a role to play there because ultimately what is facilitated and allowed comes down to what the police are prepared to put up with given that these are private residences where these parties are being held.”
A major step forward would be to take out the glass, and the university had submitted to the local Alcohol Plan for that to happen, he said.
Castle Street in Dunedin on a Sunday morning during O-Week.RNZ / Tess Brunton
More than 4000 first-year students were welcomed over the weekend.
The Otago University Students’ Association is hosting a range of events for O-Week, which kicked off on Monday. Association president Daniel Leamy said they would be safe, inclusive environments for all students.
“Student Support is also always open to assist students as needed, and will have the Are You OK teams on the ground at events,” he said.
“We must also be cognisant of a select few creating a bigger story for the masses. Most students have a great week.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s announcement about a plan to establish an LNG import facility, and the levy to fund it, has been badly received.Marika Khabazi / RNZ
Christopher Luxon has continually ruled out a bed tax, despite frequent calls from Auckland mayor Wayne Brown to implement one.
Brown’s argument has been that a bed night levy on visitors, separate to the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism levy, would help fund destination marketing and events.
He said a bed tax was something the government would take a look at in a second term.
“We’re not considering it for this term, but we’re open to looking at it, again, next term. So we’ll do that process,” Luxon said.
Luxon said the country needed to “step up our competitiveness” on major events, and the government was putting in an amount of money comparable to Australian states.
“As you can see, we’re winning major events, and we’ve got quite a few coming right across the whole of New Zealand.”
Luxon said every dollar spent led to around $3.20 back into the local economy.
“The government can’t bring itself to do that yet, so that they’re raiding tourists at the border. And then central government will tell us how we spend on things, which is something we don’t like,” Brown told Morning Report.
“All these big events want some money up front. And if we have the bed night levy we will have the money up front.”
Brown has previously said a 2.5 percent bed tax would raise $27 million, and allow Auckland to compete with cities like Sydney, which has a bed night levy.
Wayne BrownMARIKA KHABAZI / RNZ
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), Tourism Holdings chief executive Grant Webster, [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/574936/hotel-bed-tax-in-auckland-could-boost-tourism-fund-major-events Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck, and former Air New Zealand chief executive [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/571315/air-new-zealand-s-profit-falls-amid-rising-costs-and-engine-maintenance
Greg Foran], have also expressed support for a bed tax.
In August 2024, a Curia poll commissioned by LGNZ found strong support for a bed tax.
One thousand people were asked “How should the local infrastructure and services that tourists use should be paid for?”
Only 8 percent said rates should pay for the lot, with 34 percent saying tourist fees and charges should be used instead, and 45 percent wanting a combination of the two. Another 13 percent were unsure.
Carla Johnstone, a Hamilton resident whose household is taking part in a water meter trial.RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod
Hamilton residents are facing a shake-up in how they pay for water.
National water reforms meant the city had to move away from the way residents had always paid for water – through their rates based on capital value – to either a set charge or a user pays model.
The new local water authority, Iawai, hoped a water meter trial, due to start in part of the city, would help find a way forward.
Carla Johnstone’s busy Hamilton household tried to think about their water use.
“I grew up really trying to conserve water in Australia,” she said.
They took simple steps such as turning the tap off when brushing their teeth, while balancing it with enjoying life.
“It’s quite nice to have come here and not have had to worry about it so much, and having two young children who like to play outside with the hose, it’s nice to not have to be so conscious of it,” she said.
Andrew Parsons from the water authority, Iawai.Supplied
As the city did not have water metering, she really didn’t know what her household used – but she soon would.
Her family was one of hundreds taking part in a water metering trial in Hamilton East.
Johnstone was generally supportive of the idea that the city might introduce metering.
“It could be beneficial to people and the city,” she said, citing the role metering played in helping identify leaking pipes.
Andrew Parsons from Iawai, the new water authority set up by Hamilton City and Waikato District, said metering water in the area of Hamilton where the Johnstones lived would come with many challenges – which wasn’t a bad thing.
“The good part for me about Hamilton East is that it’s an older area, there’s established trees in the berm, there’s a mix of pipes under the ground,” he said.
That more challenging infrastructure environment would hopefully mean the trial collected lots of helpful data.
A water metering trial is underway in Hamilton East.123rf
Parsons said doing a trial did not mean a decision to move to water metering had been made.
“This is not a decision to roll out meters across the whole city, it is more an information gathering phase so we can understand the costs, what works from a customer perspective and what might work from a business perspective.”
The alternative to user paid water metering, however, was a fixed price model, which Parsons said could come with some poor financial consequences.
Under that model every household would pay the same amount for water, whether they were a single person in an apartment or a family of six with a pool and spa.
Wintec principal civil engineering academic staff member (water) Maryam Moridnejad said metering was fairer than both the current way of paying and a set price.
“You’re paying for water anyway at the moment, you are paying through your property rate. If the meters go ahead you are going to pay based on your actual usage,” she said.
It would also be expected to lead to water conservation – making the water Hamilton had go further.
“People will be surprised with how much water they use per person,” she said.
Moridnejad said data showed people in Hamilton used 1.5 times more water per person than residents of Tauranga – where water had been metered for several decades.
Maryam Moridnejad believes metering is a fair way of paying for water.RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod
She said the country needed to face up to its water challenges and treat water as a precious resource.
“In New Zealand we are going towards water scarcity in future; we have been ignoring our water resources and the infrastructure of water for so long and they are now at a very critical point.”
Andrew Parsons from Iawai said they were looking forward to the results of the water meter trial and would soon consult with the public on a 10-year water services strategy.
A sign warning of yellow-legged hornets on the North Shore in Auckland.RNZ / Isra’a Emhail
From ants inside clothing packages from Australia to potentially deadly European hornets, Auckland has recently become a hotspot for unwanted insects from overseas.
Aucklander Jayd Graham, 21, was disgusted to find ants inside the sealed packaging of one of two dresses she ordered from Australia.
“I opened the package in my room. The first dress was completely fine. But then I opened the second dress and started seeing ants all over my bed. In the package with the second dress, there were eggs and ants crawling everywhere. I literally ran outside and chucked it on the ground.
“I was like, that’s disgusting, and my mates said I should make a video on TikTok.”
Biosecurity officers confirmed the ants were an Australian species already present in New Zealand.
In response to RNZ’s questions about whether the package had ants in it upon arriving in New Zealand, Biosecurity acknowledged that some unwanted pests can slip through the border security system.
Graham said the clothing brand she ordered from, which did not respond to RNZ’s request for comment, ultimately replaced her order and gave her a voucher.
Meanwhile, also in Auckland, Biosecurity staff are searching for yellow-legged hornets and their nests after the invasive pest, which wreaks havoc on overseas agriculture, was spotted in the country for the first time in 2025.
To date, 51 queen yellow-legged hornets and 61 nests have been found on Auckland’s North Shore.
Retired Hawke’s Bay beekeeper, Peter Berry.Supplied
A retired Hawke’s Bay beekeeper, Peter Berry, who worked in the industry for about 50 years, said the possibility of a wider outbreak was still worrying.
“If these things get away, the problem will be huge. And it won’t just be for the environment or for beekeepers, because they make life really unpleasant for anybody who bumps into them. People will die, and people will be severely injured by these things, and certainly lots and lots of people will be terrified.
“We really need to keep an eye out throughout the whole country because they are so easily spread.
“As I understand it, they’re fairly like the wasps we’re used to seeing that hibernate in lumps of firewood over the winter. If a queen wasp has got into one of those lumps of firewood, in the bumper of somebody’s car, or under a tarpaulin somewhere, then it could be anywhere in the country.”
He said the economic cost of a nationwide outbreak would be worse than anything he dealt with during his career.
“For the whole country, you’re probably talking billions of dollars lost.
“Wasps are bad enough. The German and the common wasp used to cost us when we were a business something like $100,000 a year.
“And when the number of those gets up in a rural environment, they just eat everything. And there’s nothing left for the birds to eat. So something a lot worse than them, that would be an absolute bloody disaster.”
He said harmful species entering the country was not ideal, but almost inevitable.
“We have gaps in our biosecurity the size of containers. A queen yellow-legged hornet is half the size of your little finger. And it’s very, very difficult to find something like that. Obviously better and cheaper to stop them in the first place, but without curtailing trade, it’s virtually impossible.”
“I’d love to have better biosecurity, but the main thing is if it gets here, that they do something about it.”
A yellow-legged hornet trap.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The government had committed $12m to cover the cost of the hornet response until the end of June 2026.
Berry said that the investment was absolutely worth it.
“If you can catch it when it’s small and jump on it and spend millions of dollars to kill it while you’ve only got a couple of hundred of them, it’s an awful lot cheaper than ever trying to wipe out tens of thousands.
“I think they could possibly spend some more time trying to just check around over the whole of the country to make sure that there isn’t something popping up. But I think you’ll find that pretty well every beekeeper in the country will be looking.”
Fruit fly battle ongoing
In the central Auckland suburb of Mount Roskill, biosecurity staff were also trying to eradicate an obnoxious fruit fly from Australia.
Kris Robb, the manager at Clyde Orchards, was hopeful that the fruit fly would not get to them in the South Island.
Clyde Orchards Manager, Kris Robb.Supplied
“It’s obviously concerning to the industry, but personally, I think we’ve got full faith in the processes in place to be able to contain it.
Our biosecurity measures are as strong as any country in the world. They do the best job they can to stop these incursions. It’s just unfortunate that the odd bug gets through. That’s a risk of a global economy.”
There have been 15 previous incursions of different fruit fly species in Auckland and Northland since 1996, and all have been successfully eradicated.
Queensland fruit fly.Supplied / Biosecurity New Zealand
In a statement to RNZ, Biosecurity said only a small number of pests made it through the border, and that this was the first time the yellow-legged hornet had been detected here.
“It is impossible to eliminate the risk of live organisms getting past the border without stopping all trade and travel – something that would be unacceptable to most New Zealanders.
“Even with fully closed borders, some pests and diseases would still reach New Zealand through natural means such as wind, ocean currents or migratory species. Because some risk will always exist, Biosecurity New Zealand’s approach is to reduce this to an acceptable level.”
It said there were multiple safeguards in place to stop harmful pests from getting into the country.
“Biosecurity New Zealand operates a multilayered defence system that works offshore, at the border, and within New Zealand to stop harmful pests from entering the country. The system includes strict import rules for potential risk goods (eg. produce), screening of cargo, passengers, mail and vessels, detector dog teams, and surveillance programmes, including more than 36,400 insect traps nationwide.
“High-risk sites such as ports and approved facilities that receive international cargo are routinely inspected. Any insects detected that could pose a biosecurity risk are tested and dealt with immediately.”
Key numbers for the six months ended December compared with a year ago:
Net profit $52.5m vs $44.7m
Revenue $718.2m vs $662.1m
Operating earnings $96.5m vs $86.0m
Interim dividend 21 cents per share vs 19 cps
Freightways saw its bottom line profit increase by 17 percent, while revenue rose 9 percent. It said cash generation was strong and strengthened its balance sheet, while reducing net debt by 6.7 percent.
The company is seen as a bellwether stock, and owns brands including NZ Couriers, Post Haste, Big Chill Distribution and TIMG.
Its express package and business mail division saw improved earnings and margin growth.
“Performance was supported by same-customer volume growth, net market share gains and pricing actions implemented at the start of the financial year,” the company said.
Its information management and waste renewal division, which includes TIMG, saw a “mixed performance”, Freightways said.
“Revenue was broadly flat for the half year, while EBITA (operating earnings) grew modestly, reflecting lower digitisation activity and the exit of unprofitable Product Destruction revenue streams,” it said.
Freightways said cost inflation remained moderate, and its cost base had “stabilised”, particularly labour costs, amid cooling wage inflation.
“We expect a steady improvement in same-customer volumes in the second half of FY26, particularly in New Zealand, driven by a level of economic recovery.”
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Police were called to a house on Arthur Street on 16 January following reports several people had arrived at a house and fired shots toward the front of the home.
Police are yet to confirm whether they believed the gun, found during the search of a Māngere property on Friday, was used in the shooting.
Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Bunce said they recovered a shotgun and ammunition.
“The public will appreciate we can’t share the details of the work ongoing, however we have a dedicated investigative team that is working to hold those involved to account for what happened that day.”
A 43-year-old man appeared in Auckland District Court at the weekend, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as well as unlawful possession of ammunition.
Bunce called for any information that could help the ongoing investigation.
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Wellington’s mayor says he has confidence in Wellington Water’s current leadership, after its chair resigned in the wake of the Moa Point crisis.
Nick Leggett stepped down on Sunday, saying the failure at the Moa Point treatment plant was deeply serious and had affected the environment, public health and the community.
Mayor Andrew Little said Leggett’s resignation was the right thing to do, and he believed the remaining directors could lead work on restoring the plant.
“Particularly the deputy chair person who is going to be stepping up – Bill Bayfield – I have confidence they [the directors] will continue to lead the organisation to respond effectively, they have to do that in conjunction with Wellington City Council.”
Little said Leggett made the decision to resign, and that it was “the right thing to do”.
“Wellington Water has I think been struggling with some public confidence issues for some time, this further incident doesn’t help. And it’s not a question of blame, it’s about indicating the organisation accepts the seriousness of it.”
File photo. Nick Leggett.RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Little said he spoke with Leggett last week, who raised with him that he was considering resigning.
He said the priority now was for the organisation to set about fixing the plant.
“The focus now though has to be on Wellington Water being supported to get the recovery done, and an assessment of the damage and a plan for reinstating it, and that’s got to be top priority and that’s my expectation as what they’ll be focusing on.”
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Investment firm Forsyth Barr said 2025 looked to have ended on a strong note and it would be looking for revenue and profit margin growth.RNZ
The six-monthly company reporting season is about to start, with high hopes that earnings will start to reflect the turnaround in the economy.
Investment firm Forsyth Barr said 2025 looked to have ended on a strong note and it would be looking for revenue and profit margin growth.
“Many NZ corporates have had three-plus years to right size their businesses, therefore how they speak to operational improvements, cost control, and operating leverage will be key,” Forsyth Barr analysts said.
“This season will be the first litmus test.”
Sharesies head of data and analytics Jordan Cunningham said its customer base would be looking closely at the dividend payout of the big four power companies – Meridian, Contact, Mercury and Genesis.
“Expectations going into this earning seasons are quite subdued, but we think that our investors will be looking to New Zealand stocks in particular for dividends, if they’re looking for that growth potential for New Zealand.”
Power companies were also regarded as defensive stocks, often able to avoid or withstand market volatility.
Cunningham said only about 15 percent of the funds invested on the platform were in NZX-listed companies, with strong support from Air New Zealand, Auckland Airport and Spark.
“Despite that strong US focus, there really is still growing trading in New Zealand, and a really strong buy-to-sell ratio… In recent months for every dollar sold $1.50 was bought.”
The good, the bad, the ordinary
Forsyth Barr expected about 40 percent of reporting companies to have a positive outlook, including speciality milk company A2 Milk, healthcare and pet food firm EBOS, Port of Tauranga and casino operator SkyCity, despite its torrid time in recent years.
A similar proportion was likely to have a neutral outlook, with a handful of companies with potential to disappoint the market.
Among them was the national carrier Air New Zealand, which was expected to deliver a first-half loss, but with hopes of a more positive second-half outlook.
Forsyth Barr senior analyst Matt Montgomerie said companies most exposed to the economic cycle and which were hard hit by the recession such as building product firms, retailers, and service businesses might surprise on the upside.
He said many of the firms had aggressively cut costs, but might not be in a hurry to start spending again.
“This reluctance to re-expand costs creates strong operating leverage … As a result, net earnings growth during upswings can surprise to the upside, often materially outpacing consensus expectations.”
Window on recovery
Amova Asset Management head of equities Michael Sherrock said company reports should provide a steer on the economic turn around, with companies such as transport firm Freightways something of a bellwether.
“For the likes of Freightways, what is customer volume growth looking like? Six months ago, they started to see some pickup in that customer volume growth. How that’s tracking since they last updated the market.”
“The likes of SkyCity as well, somewhat cyclically exposed, but also some regulatory type of issues as well.”
Sherrock, the casino and hotel operator, has been required to implement carded play on pokie machines, and has just taken over the International Convention Centre, which would be pointers for the company’s future earnings.
Others to watch included Fletcher Building, pharmaceutical supplier and pet retailing chain EBOS and Sky Television.
“The market will be very, very focused on (EBOS) given that stock (price) has fallen … on the back of a disappointing result last year. They’ve got a new CEO. What are they telling the market ? And hopefully it’s a positive story, and there’s no disappointments.”
He said Sky TV would be watched to see if it delivered on plans to pay a dividend this year.
Wellington’s mayor says he has confidence in Wellington Water’s current leadership, after its chair resigned in the wake of the Moa Point crisis.
Nick Leggett [ttps://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/586892/wellington-water-chair-nick-leggett-resigns-over-moa-point-sewage-disaster stepped down] on Sunday, saying the failure at the Moa Point treatment plant was deeply serious and had affected the environment, public health and the community.
Mayor Andrew Little said Leggett’s resignation was the right thing to do, and he believed the remaining directors could lead work on restoring the plant.
“Particularly the deputy chair person who is going to be stepping up – Bill Bayfield – I have confidence they [the directors] will continue to lead the organisation to respond effectively, they have to do that in conjunction with Wellington City Council.”
Little said Leggett made the decision to resign, and that it was “the right thing to do”.
“Wellington Water has I think been struggling with some public confidence issues for some time, this further incident doesn’t help. And it’s not a question of blame, it’s about indicating the organisation accepts the seriousness of it.”
File photo. Nick Leggett.RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Little said he spoke with Leggett last week, who raised with him that he was considering resigning.
He said the priority now was for the organisation to set about fixing the plant.
“The focus now though has to be on Wellington Water being supported to get the recovery done, and an assessment of the damage and a plan for reinstating it, and that’s got to be top priority and that’s my expectation as what they’ll be focusing on.”
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Libby (Elizabeth) Sander, MBA Director & Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, Bond University
Since the pandemic, offices around the world have quietly shrunk. Many organisations don’t need as much floor space or as many desks, given many staff now do a mix of hybrid work from home and the office.
But on days when more staff are required to be in, office spaces can feel noticeably busier and noisier. Despite so much focus on getting workers back into offices, there has been far less focus on the impacts of returning to open-plan workspaces.
Now, more research confirms what many suspected: our brains have to work harder in open-plan spaces than in private offices.
What the latest study tested
In a recently published study, researchers at a Spanish university fitted 26 people, aged in their mid-20s to mid-60s, with wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets. EEG testing can measure how hard the brain is working by tracking electrical activity through sensors on the scalp.
Participants completed simulated office tasks, such as monitoring notifications, reading and responding to emails, and memorising and recalling lists of words.
Each participant was monitored while completing the tasks in two different settings: an open-plan workspace with colleagues nearby, and a small enclosed work “pod” with clear glazed panels on one side.
The researchers focused on the frontal regions of the brain, responsible for attention, concentration, and filtering out distractions. They measured different types of brain waves.
Brainwaves are grouped into five different wavelength categories.Shutterstock
As neuroscientist Susan Hillier explains in more detail, different brain waves reveal distinct mental states:
“gamma” is linked with states or tasks that require more focused concentration
“beta” is linked with higher anxiety and more active states, with attention often directed externally
“alpha” is linked with being very relaxed, and passive attention (such as listening quietly but not engaging)
“theta” is linked with deep relaxation and inward focus
and “delta” is linked with deep sleep.
The Spanish study found that the same tasks done inside the enclosed pod vs the open-plan workspace produced completely opposite patterns.
It takes effort to filter out distractions
In the work pod, the study found beta waves – associated with active mental processing – dropped significantly over the experiment, as did alpha waves linked to passive attention and overall activity in the frontal brain regions.
This meant people’s brains needed progressively less effort to sustain the same work.
The open-plan office testing showed the reverse.
Gamma waves, linked to complex mental processing, climbed steadily. Theta waves, which track both working memory and mental fatigue, increased. Two key measures also rose significantly: arousal (how alert and activated the brain is) and engagement (how much mental effort is being applied).
In other words, in the open-plan office participants’ brains had to work harder to maintain performance.
Even when we try to ignore distractions, our brain has to expend mental effort to filter them out.
In contrast, the pod eliminated most background noise and visual disruptions, allowing participant’s brains to work more efficiently.
Researchers also found much wider variability in the open office. Some people’s brain activity increased dramatically, while others showed modest changes. This suggests individual differences in how distracting we find open-plan spaces.
With only 26 participants, this was a relatively small study. But its findings echo a significant body of research from the past decade.
What past research has shown
In our 2021 study, my colleagues and I found a significant causal relationship between open-plan office noise and physiological stress. Studying 43 participants in controlled conditions – using heart rate, skin conductivity and AI facial emotion recognition – we found negative mood in open plan offices increased by 25% and physiological stress by 34%.
Another study showed background conversations and noisy environments can degrade cognitive task performance and increase distraction for workers.
And a 2013 analysis of more than 42,000 office workers in the United States, Finland, Canada and Australia found those in open-plan offices were less satisfied with their work environment than those in private offices. This was largely due to increased, uncontrollable noise and lack of privacy.
Just as we now recognise poorly designed chairs cause physical strain, years of research has shown how workspace design can result in cognitive strain.
What to do about it
The ability to focus and concentrate without interruption and distraction is a fundamental requirement for modern knowledge work.
Yet the value of uninterrupted work continues to be undervalued in workplace design.
Creating zones where workers can match their workplace environment to the task is essential.
Responding to having more staff doing hybrid work post-pandemic, LinkedIn redesigned its flagship San Francisco office. LinkedIn halved the number of workstations in open plan areas, instead experimenting with 75 types of work settings, including work areas for quiet focus.
For organisations looking to look after their workers’ brains, there are practical measures to consider. These include setting up different work zones, acoustic treatments and sound-masking technologies, and thoughtfully placed partitions to reduce visual and auditory distractions.
While adding those extra features in may cost more upfront than an open plan office, they can be worth it. Research has shown the significant hidden toll of poor office design on productivity, health and employee retention.
Providing workers with more choice in how much they’re exposed to noise and other interruptions is not a luxury. To get more done, with less strain on our brains, better design at work should be seen as a necessity.
An Ōtorohanga man in his 80s is devastated by the damage and disarray at his flooded home after the weekend weather event – save the silver lining of a saved pet goat and an heirloom teddy bear that survived the waters.
Kio Kio Station Road resident Colin Payne had to be rescued by a boat, after floodwaters came through his property in the early hours of Saturday, when the region received between 150 to 300 millimetres of rain.
He said he had a feeling on Friday night that things could get bad when the water came up to his gate, which prompted him to move his campervan to a friend’s house in the town centre before returning home.
Payne slept at about 9.30pm, not expecting that floodwaters would gush through his property, and also not knowing about the state of emergency declared in Ōtorohanga around 1am.
He woke up about 4.30am to find his bed surrounded by water.
A family heirloom teddy bear from Colin Payne’s great great grandfather.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The only thing Payne managed to pull out of the water before his rescue boat came – besides his medication and clothes – was an heirloom teddy bear and its chair, which was inherited from his great-great-grandparents.
Returning to check on his house for the first time on Sunday, Payne struggled to come to terms with the rooms with knocked over fridges, a fallen TV, and sentimental items strewn over the muddy floors, in rooms where they would have floated for hours.
“Coming in and seeing the mess here is a bit devastating, 85 years of collections … personal stuff and family stuff and heirlooms,” said Payne.
“How do you describe it… I mean daunting, devastated, everything, just suddenly your life’s expired in a sort of roundabout way, if you understand what I mean, from an asset … the biggest trick is you gotta be very careful walking around in the silt because it’s very slippery.”
Colin Payne said he’s devastated to see 85 years worth of collections and family heirlooms drenched by floodwaters.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
A silver lining amidst the chaos of his flood-damaged home and having to write off his drowned vehicle – Payne was relieved to find out that his pet goat Sophie survived, thanks to the help of neighbours.
“At least my good friend Sophie’s been rescued, that’s my favourite friend, my goat.”
Colin Payne and his partner Frances Rawlings.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Payne’s partner, Frances Rawling – who was not at the house that night – said it was hard to know where to begin when faced with the mammoth task of cleaning up.
“Once the mould sets in… it’s hard to imagine being here again,” she said.
The couple said they have a house in Te Kuiti where they can stay in the meantime.
RNZ / Marika Khabazi
On Sunday morning the rain resumed, and a community member with a quadbike came to help take Payne’s two steers to a safer place.
Craig Janett, who had been helping out, said he felt for the Kio Kio Station Road residents.
“A lot have been lost, one bloke down here lost all his lifestyle block… lost all their stock, washed away, just devastation, the river, the rubbish in the river, the drums, just everything rubbish.”
Payne was moved by the kindness of the community.
A washed over bridge off Kio Kio Station Road.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
“Kio Kio Station Road, K-K-S-R stands for kind, caring, supportive residents, and believe me, that applies to everyone in this street.
“Here’s two people coming this morning and taking my stock away… I know damn well that they’ll be well looked after and they’d take them away and put them onto safer ground, and that’s the kind of community we have in K-K-S-R.”
How soon is the official cash rate (OCR) likely to start to increase? And will any hint of it send what banks charge higher?
For many homeowners and households, that will be the main thing on their minds when the Reserve Bank issues its next update this week.
It cut the OCR to 2.25 percent in November, but what captured the most attention was the indication that it did not necessarily think it would cut rates much further.
Market attention turned to when the rate might start to lift, and wholesale rates increased, taking banks’ home loan rates with them.
Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman took the unusual step of warning that it might have been an overreaction.
In recent days though, all the main banks have again shifted their longer-term rates higher, as inflation worries continue to simmer.
ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said any insight the bank gave into the future path of interest rates would be key for most households.
“Swap rates have lifted meaningfully since the November MPS (monetary policy statement) as markets have reassessed the outlook for monetary policy following the inflationary vibe across recent data releases.
“And that’s put upward pressure on fixed mortgage rates. The February MPS is an opportunity for the Reserve Bank to signal whether it thinks that move is justified by recent data and its updated economic outlook. Households may also be listening closely to what the bank says about the inflation and labour market outlooks, given cost of living pressures remain and the labour market is still soft.”
Mike Jones, chief economist at BNZ, said the Reserve Bank would need to walk a fine line between signalling the OCR would not stay as low for as long as previously thought, and not sending financial markets higher on the expectation of future increases.
“There will probably be a hat tip from the bank to the fact the economic recovery is growing in momentum, but equally confirmation that a period of low interest rates is still part of the plan to ensure it gets going proper and current spare capacity is soaked up.
“There does appear to be some concern out there about whether recent lifts in wholesale and retail interest rates might lean against the fledgling economic recovery. The bank will also be wary of this, but it’s also important to note most mortgage borrowers soon to experience a mortgage rate reset will be rolling on to a rate more favourable than previously. So, there’s still some of the lagged impacts of previous rate cuts to come through.”
He said households would probably also want to see confirmation that the bank still thinks inflation will return to about 2 percent later this year.
Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said it would also be interesting to watch Breman‘s first press conference.
“It will be the first opportunity we get to understand what sort of things she thinks are important, how she chooses to express the trade-offs that she inevitably has to deal with when deciding what to do with policy. Ultimately, is she dovish? Is she hawkish? What sort of factors and variables is she going to make more prominent when explaining to people what she’s doing?”
He said the market had already priced in a lot of cash rate rises this year.
“It’s not to say that it’s impossible that they could price in more, but it feels like the hurdle, the bar is set quite high to really have those rates have to go up much further.
“Perhaps, if she was to say that a September rate hike might be something that’s a realistic possibility, that could be the sort of thing that would leave the market to obviously fully price that in, and maybe even start speculating about an earlier move than that. But it strikes me as relatively unlikely, and that instead she might talk about the possibility of a rate rise at the end of the year. And, you know, possibility could have a capital P or a small p, depending on the nature of the discussion that’s around it.”
He said households might also be interested in what the Reserve Bank expects of house prices.
“We’re not really forecasting a house-price led recovery. We’ve got 4 percent [increase in house prices] this year, which is close to where the Reserve Bank was forecasting them at the end of last year.
“What does she think about that? Does she think that the fortunes of the housing market are tightly tied to the fortunes of the broader economy, or not?”
Westpac last week changed its forecast. It still expects a first increase in November, but then increases at each meeting between February and September 2027.
“We’ve basically upgraded the growth forecasts, so that means excess capacity will get used up a bit more quickly based on our revised view,” Eckhold said.
“We think once they get going they’ll move a bit more quickly, because by the end of the year, if the growth outlook that we are depicting has panned out then it won’t really be appropriate to have interest rates in the 2 percents.”
Watch above: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Tourism Minister Louise Upston announce the deal.
A State of Origin match will be played in Eden Park in Auckland in 2027 following three years of high-level talks with the NRL and the Australian Rugby League Commission.
It is expected that 50,000 fans will pack the stadium for the Queensland versus New South Wales match.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said securing State of Origin reflected the city’s strength as a major sporting centre.
“From the outset, Auckland made it clear we wanted to bring State of Origin to our city, and we’ve worked hard to secure it,” he said in a statement.
“We know how to host major events, and we know the value they bring. This match will mean full hotels, busy restaurants and bars, and thousands of visitors experiencing everything our region has to offer.”
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Maroons celebrates after scoring a try during the State of Origin game two match between the Queensland Maroons and the NSW Blues.AAP / Photosport
Hosting State of Origin is expected to attract more than 10,000 international visitors from Australia, generate nore than 50,000 international visitor nights, and inject an estimated $17.4 million into the Auckland economy.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys AM said the historic clash would give New Zealanders the opportunity to experience the intensity of the game’s greatest rivalry.
“Rugby league is the number one sport in Australia and the Pacific, and the growth we have seen in New Zealand over recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary,” V’landys said.
Sir Graham Lowe, the only New Zealander to coach a State of Origin team as a former Queensland coach, said the occasion would be one to remember.
“Kiwis are excited about State of Origin, but there are only a few of them that have had the opportunity to actually watch it live. This will be a fantastic occasion for Auckland,” he said in a statement.
The 2027 fixture is being co-funded in partnership by Auckland Council Events and the New Zealand Government via the Major Events Fund.
Amelia Kerr has officially been confirmed as White Ferns captain.
Kerr takes over in all formats from fellow Wellingtonian Sophie Devine who stepped down as captain following the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in October.
The 25-year-old, who has represented the White Ferns in 172 internationals, will take on the permanent leadership mantle of both the ODI and T20I sides, having previously led the side in two ODIs and two T20Is.
Her first official outing in the position will be in the T20 and ODI series against Zimbabwe later this month.
“Growing up it was my childhood dream to represent New Zealand and to now have the opportunity to captain my country is a massive privilege,” Kerr said.
“I am following an exceptional group of leaders who have captained the White Ferns before me, so I don’t take the responsibility lightly.
“The captaincy doesn’t change who I am, I am still the same person and will give everything I can to lead this group and hopefully bring our country success.”
Since making her international debut in 2016 at the age of just 16, Kerr has gone on to score 3757 runs and take 201 wickets across both formats and is already the White Ferns’ third all-time leading wicket-taker and fifth all-time leading run-scorer.
Kerr said her leadership philosophy was centred around putting people first.
“One of my favourite quotes is: ‘He aha te mea nui o te ao? He Tāngata, He Tāngata, He Tāngata.
“We are people first. As a group we look out for each other, we celebrate each other’s success and we represent our people.
“Encouraging others and building belief around us so we can all be the best we can be both as people and as cricketers.”
Amelia Kerr at a glance
WHITE FERN #188
Youngest player to ever debut for the White Ferns (16 years and 27 days)
Highest ever individual ODI score for the White Ferns (232* v Ireland 2018)
Only New Zealand player ever to win the ICC World Player of the Year (Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy)
2022 Commonwealth Games Bronze medal winner
2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup winner
2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament
3x winner of the NZC Debbie Hockley Medal
White Ferns third all-time leading wicket-taker (201 wickets)
White Ferns fifth all-time leading run scorer (3757 runs)
Every new climate change headline seems to bring another reason to be despondent about the existential challenge the world faces.
“Sometimes I just want to bury my face in the remaining snow and ice,” British Antarctic Survey director of science Petra Heil told a Wellington audience last week.
Enter Ben Marzeion.
The University of Bremen glacier scientist, in New Zealand for the international Climate in the Cryosphere conference last week, has every reason to be gloomy.
The warming that the world has already locked in – roughly 1.2° Celsius above the pre-industrial average and still rising – means the world is projected to lose 40 percent of all glacier ice over the coming centuries, half of that within the lifetimes of children born today.
But Marzeion’s presentation at the conference was not about that.
Instead, together with colleagues, he has been quantifying the impact that saving one tonne – or even one kilogram – of carbon emissions can have.
“People often really feel powerless when they’re thinking about climate change,” he told RNZ.
“They think, ok, if I change something, I do a little bit, it’s going to be meaningless if no one else is changing anything.”
He and fellow researchers always believed that way of thinking was “really wrong” – so they set about finding the numbers to prove otherwise.
“The main message is that small changes in emissions lead to changes in the climate system, in the Earth’s system, that are surprisingly big, actually.”
The average person on the planet contributes between five and 10 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, he says.
Reducing that by even 10 percent makes a difference.
“One tonne of CO2 reduction keeps, for example, nine tonnes of glacier ice in the mountains that would melt otherwise.”
The same reduction prevents 12 cubic metres of sea level rise.
It keeps 250 grams more fish in that sea, through averted increases in ocean temperatures.
By similar mechanisms, it protects growing conditions enough to create six more kilograms of rice, or a kilogram of meat.
“All those things, and many more, are happening at the same time – it’s not that you have to pick one,” Marzeion says.
An artwork by Olafur Eliasson, The Glacier Melt, highlights glacier loss over 20 years.David St George
The research looked at the effect of even tinier emissions decreases.
“If I take my bike for around three kilometres instead of driving a car, I save one kilogram of glacier ice.”
The numbers sound small, but they are real, and they compound, he says.
“The idea behind this, really, is to show there is no lower limit to meaningful climate mitigation. Anything you can do is helpful, there is nothing that is too small to be relevant.”
He does not want to see the numbers misused to place the burden of responsibility entirely on individuals, though, emphasising that global and national political action is still vital.
“It’s often used as an excuse not just for individual people but for companies or countries not to do anything – saying we are a small country, if we lower our emissions but the US or China is not doing anything, it doesn’t make a difference.
“And that’s simply wrong – it does make a big difference.”
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveils the department’s new dietary guidelines food chart during a policy announcement event.ANNA MONEYMAKER/ Getty Images via AFP
New dietary guidelines from the US have upended the traditional food pyramid, moving protein into the spotlight – but some of the maths doesn’t add up
When the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released in January, it was the graphic on the front – a food pyramid that’s been turned upside down – that grabbed attention.
But the health sector has turned its focus to the finer details; not just what’s actually in the guidelines, but who’s behind it.
“The process for the dietary guidelines in America is pretty rigourous and it actually takes years and years,” says long-time food and health journalist Niki Bezzant.
She says the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee puts together a report with recommendations for the guidelines – this takes years.
But this time, about half of those recommendations were rejected, and a new committee was formed to write new recommendations.
“That was written by some hand-picked people who were all, as it turns out, aligned with beef, dairy, protein supplement industry interests, and it’s unclear exactly how they got to where they got to with the guidelines.
“They claim to focus on gold-standard science, but actually their justifications are lacking, at least according to nutrition experts and certainly nutrition bodies around the world.”
In today’s episode of The Detail, Bezzant and dietician Caryn Zinn look at what’s changed, and the process behind those changes, as well as how this trickles down to New Zealand, and whether we can trust science coming out of the White House.
“That’s the biggest problem – people are going to look at these guidelines and go ‘oh gosh it’s part of that group which is all nutters so it’s meaningless,’ and that’s problematic,” says Zinn.
These guidelines put protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits at the top of the pyramid – which is now the wide part of the triangle. Whole grains are at the bottom. Sugars have disappeared altogether. The visual itself takes a few minutes to unpick.
“I don’t think they’ve done themself a service by flipping it … [my colleagues and my] philosophy was we need to flip the food pyramid in our philosophical thinking about what’s at the bottom and what’s at the top … they’ve actually visually flipped it which has added a little bit of the confusion.”
But Zinn believes the changes themselves are largely positive.
Among the positives for her: an emphasis on whole, real food over ultra-processed foods; a strong message that no amount of added sugar is considered nutritious; the prioritisation of protein, including a boost in the recommended daily intake and focus on animal proteins as opposed to plant-based; and a reduction in the recommended daily servings of grains.
Fat is also in – the guide talks about butter, olive oil and beef tallow, and recommends full-fat dairy and animal proteins without removing fat.
Zinn says this has brought controversy, because of the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease (which she says is a hotly debated topic).
The guidelines suggest keeping saturated fats under 10 percent of total calories – but Zinn says it’s “highly unlikely” that someone could eat fatty meats, oils and butter as suggested and still keep their saturated fat intake at that level.
But how much do these guidelines matter in America, let alone here?
In the US, they’re used to guide policy and food programmes in places like schools and rest homes. But here, they may still trickle through to the way people think about food – for better or worse.
“It might certainly affect people’s attitudes and eating behaviours, because we are all consuming the same content. This stuff is out there everywhere on social media,” says Bezzant.
“The irony is that most people, and this probably is true around the world, don’t follow official guidelines anyway, and certainly in America they do not.
“It’s true in New Zealand as well – we know that less than 10 percent of us eat the recommended servings of vegetables a day, five to six servings.”
“I think the danger is probably that people take the simple messages away, right, and the simple message out of this American guideline is that image [of the inverted pyramid], and it’s just ‘hey eat more steak, and butter, woohoo’.
“And if people go away and do that and they keep on eating their refined grains and their high fat diet and their high sugar and their high salt, no one’s getting healthier from that.”
Check out how to listen to and follow The Detailhere.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
“We’re always behind on something. We’re always juggling too many things. We’re always trying to deal with some company that we need to remember the password for their portal, or we need to dispute an insurance claim … or we need to wait on hold for a thousand hours for something and then get disconnected and start all over again.”
American journalist Chris Colin had struck a nerve. So when he suggested gathering friends to party and do life admin, they found it funny but weren’t surprised. He has a reputation for quirky ideas.
Seven years later, there’s now a waitlist and, after writing about it for The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal last year, the concept has gone viral.
Having a few minutes break in between for socialising is important too, Chris Coin says. It has to be fun.
Sir Russell Coutts admits the smaller fleet drew mixed reviews from sailors.Alan Lee/Photosport
SailGP boss Sir Russell Coutts has confirmed this weekend’s split-fleet experiment will become the norm next year, when the professional fleet grows to 14 teams, but reaction from teams is divided.
New Zealand SailGP off Auckland’s Wynyard Point was marred by a crash that put the Black Foils and France out of the event – and probably more to come – and raised questions about the safety of having 13 boats charging off a start line together at high speed.
Sailors from both teams were hospitalised, with Kiwi grinder Louis Sinclair suffering compound fractures on both legs and French strategist Manon Audinet being assessed for abdominal bruising, after being thrown forward on impact and breaking the boat’s steering wheel.
In response, organisers decided to divide the fleet in two for Sunday’s racing to reduce the risk of more mayhem.
“We’ve been trialling that format for a while now, because we are going to that format next year for all racing,” Sir Russell said.
“It doesn’t really affect that situation that happened yesterday, because they were sailing in a straight line and it could happen with two boats in a match race.
“What it does remove is the congestion at the bottom mark gate and sometimes at the top mark gate. It just means less boats on the racecourse, particularly when they’re going in opposite directions, and particularly when it’s gusty and the course of the boats is varying a lot.
“In reality, it probably wouldn’t make much difference on the first leg of the course.”
Black Foils and France come together during racing off Wynyard Point.Felix Diemer for SailGP
Drivers provided varying reviews of the smaller fields, with some insisting they preferred the bigger fleet, while others relished the ability to sail without their heads on a constant swivel, checking for impending danger.
One of those not convinced was NZ-born Italy driver Phil Robertson, who actually predicted the reduction before it happened.
“I think it was what the sailors wanted and it was the reasonable thing to do, but the spectacle was compromised a bit,” he said. “It will probably get a heavy review and we’ll definitely have some suggestions on how to make the racing a little safer with all the boats on the course, because I think it’s good to have everyone out there.”
Sir Russell acknowledged the feedback was mixed.
“Some of them like the bigger fleet and there’s competitive elements to that too,” he said. “Some think they start better in the bigger fleet, some think they’re better in a small fleet.
“It’s competitive sport and you have to balance the politics with the real desire to make it a safer situation. That’s the role of the league to step in and say we think it’s going to provide safe racing by splitting the fleet in certain conditions, so we did it today.
“Once we grow to seven-and-seven, then eight-and-eight, split fleet will be absolutely fine. We weren’t planning on doing it this weekend, but clearly, with the conditions, it was the prudent thing to do.
“Ultimately, if it’s a question of safety over visual experience, clearly safety has to govern that decision.”
Coutts’ ultimate vision is for a 20-team championship, with split fleets of 10 boats.
Because the French were not at fault, their boat will be repaired first and, ironically, that may entail using the salvageable parts of the New Zealand boat to replace damage to the French boat.
The Black Foils were docked eight event points for causing the impact and presumably driver Peter Burling will incur more demerit points on his new licence, on top of the three he earned in a collision with Switzerland at Perth last month.
“There is a new boat under construction in Southampton, but I checked last night and that’s not due to be completed until June,” Sir Russell said. “Eventually, the league will have two spare boats, so if you had a situation like that, they would race the next day in a different boat.
“We’re not at that level yet. We’re still a relatively new sports property and we’ve got to get to that point.
The French boat will be repaired before the Kiwis, because they weren’t at fault for the incident.James Gourley for SailGP
“I think the reality is they’re out of the season standings now. Realistically, they’re not going to score any points for the first three events at least and they’re going to get some penalty points.
“They’re obviously one of the top teams in the league and it’s a tragedy that it’s happened to them, but that’s sport. Sometimes you get the unexpected and unwanted situations, but they’re a good team and they’ll come back.”
Meanwhile, Coutts confirmed Auckland would likely be retained on the SailGP calendar, despite delays in formalising a hosting agreement next year.
He admitted the hold-up was a clash with Ocean Race round-the-world event, which will also stop in Auckland early next year.
“Everyone’s super-enthusiastic, including SailGP. We’ve agreed all the major terms, the financial terms to have it here long term.
“The one stumbling block is the Ocean Race, which has an agreement prohibiting other events within 5km of their race. They are saying they don’t want SailGP at this point, but I think eventually, they will realise it’s a win for everyone to have both events here.
“I think it’s a win for Auckland City and both events. We’re restricted in our shipping dates, so we can make the event before and the event after.”
New Zealand Alice Robinson at the Winter Olympics, 2026.www.photosport.nz
Queenstown skier Alice Robinson missed out on the medals in the Giant Slalom at the Winter Olympics.
Robinson finished eighth in a very tight Giant Slalom competition, missing out on the podium by just 0.13 seconds.
Italy’s Federica Brignone completed a golden double on home snow adding the giant slalom title to the Super-G won last week, while U.S. Alpine ski great Mikaela Shiffrin again missed out on a medal finishing 11th.
Robinson made a couple of minor mistakes on her first run and was sitting in 10th position. She managed to improve a couple of places on her second run.
“I was pretty disappointed,” Robinson said, describing the moment when she first crossed the line to see that she’d missed out on a medal spot.
“I came down, and I saw I was in fourth (and that point) and only 12 hundredths behind. It was hard, but then watching the rest of the race play out, it actually ended up a bit better than I thought.”
Robinson finished eighth equal in the Super G last week.
“There have been so many emotions for me in the past month. I really wasn’t sure what to expect today. I think GS has been a bit of a question mark for me the past two months. From having such a good start to the season and then I was really struggling a lot, especially in the last race,” Robinson said.
“So, today I really didn’t know what was going to happen. I felt a lot better on my skis but I didn’t really feel like I was going to be in the running for a medal. Then to have it be so close and let it slip away, it was quite sad but I’m proud at the same time.”
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand at the Winter Olympics, Italy, 2026.www.photosport.nz
Snowboarders top qualifying
Dane Menzies and Zoi Sadowski-Synnot have topped their respective snowboarding slopestyle qualification.
With bad weather forecast the competition was brought forward a day with Menzies putting in a strong first run which included a switch backside 1260 into frontside 1440, finishing with a 1660.
His score of 86.06 put him in the top spot, and there he stayed.
“It felt pretty good for sure, I definitely was not expecting that,” said Menzies. “I didn’t expect the judges to score that high, but they’re liking my selection of rails, so that’s good.”
In the women’s qualifying rounds, defending Olympic champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott made an immediate statement, posting an opening score of 81.73 to move into second place.
She went big on run two, adding a 1260 to her jump line and lifting her score to 88.08 to take over first place.
“It feels really good to land,” said Sadowski-Synnott. “There was a lot of pressure going into today, but I’m just grateful that we got good weather so that all the girls could show their best snowboarding.”
Lyon Farrell and Rocco Jamieson finished 15th and 18th respectively in the men’s slopestyle qualifying, while Lucia Georgalli was 20th in the women’s.
The women’s slopestyle final is scheduled for 1am Wednesday morning (NZT) with the men’s on Thursday at 12:30am (NZT).
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A privacy risk assessment was undertaken where instances of inappropriate use by Corrections’ staff were identified.RNZ / Blessen Tom
Corrections staff have been warned about the use of artificial intelligence tools after some staff were found to be using it to draft formal reports.
Corrections said any misuse of technology is taken “extremely seriously”, and that they have made it clear to staff that any use of AI tools outside of their approved use is “unacceptable”.
RNZ understands there have been instances where staff used AI to draft formal reports such as Extended Supervision Order reports.
In response to questions from RNZ, chief probation officer Toni Stewart said Corrections’ use of AI was currently limited to Microsoft Copilot. Other publicly available AI applications are blocked on the Corrections network.
“This ensures AI use at Corrections occurs within an environment where we can manage privacy and security controls.”
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
Staff use of Copilot was governed by its AI policy, which was in line with guidance from the government chief digital officer.
“The policy is explicit that personal information, including any identifying details, health or medical information, or details relating to people in Corrections’ management, must not be entered into Copilot Chat.”
Stewart said the uptake of Copilot remained “relatively low” with about 30 percent of Corrections staff engaging with the tool since it was introduced on Corrections devices in November 2025.
“Copilot is intended to be used solely as an assistive tool to create and refine content that does not contain sensitive information. Corrections staff can only access the free Microsoft Copilot Chat feature that is part of our existing Microsoft 365 licence and is a standalone chat function, without integration into our system data.”
Stewart said the policy was clear that Copilot Chat must not be used under any circumstances to draft, structure, analyse, or generate content for reports or assessments that contain personal information. Staff may be subject to auditing, with all prompts searchable and exportable.
“We have recently become aware of a small number of incidents where staff have used Copilot to assist with their work in a way that does not comply with our AI policy and guidance.
“We’ve taken action as soon as we’ve become aware of these instances and made it extremely clear that any use of Copilot outside of its approved use is unacceptable.”
A privacy risk assessment was undertaken where instances of inappropriate use were identified.
“Our leaders, particularly within Community Corrections where staff write a number of reports, are actively working to ensure proper AI use is an ongoing conversation with staff.
“Staff are regularly reminded of the AI policy and other relevant guidance.”
Stewart said Corrections was “actively working” to ensure any ongoing use of AI was “safe, secure and appropriate”.
“Corrections has an AI assurance officer, a function held by the director cybersecurity, who is accountable for guiding safe and secure adoption of AI. This includes external reporting to the government chief digital officer.
“Corrections participates in the All of Government Community of Practice on AI, managed by the government chief digital officer. We also have established the AI working group to provide formal governance of AI which includes embedding safe and ethical AI practices across the department and provide consistent advice on its safe use.”
Any misuse of technology was taken “extremely seriously”, Stewart said.
“We are committed to protecting the privacy of the people we work with and maintaining the professional integrity of our assessments, reports, and case documentation.”
As of Friday, no notifications had been made to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, a Corrections spokesperson confirmed.
“Alongside our existing guidance, our privacy team are working with the relevant work groups to provide further guidance on the use of Copilot in the Community Corrections space. Any information entered into Copilot by Corrections remains within the Corrections’ domain.”
A spokesperson for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) said in a statement that the Privacy Act applied to the use of personal information, including through AI tools.
It was the responsibility of agencies to understand the technology they use and to ensure use met privacy requirements, the spokesperson said.
“Corrections has stated that its policy prohibits staff from entering personal information into Copilot Chat or using Copilot to prepare reports or assessments containing personal information.
“If this is correct, then privacy concerns would be limited to any cases in which Corrections staff use Copilot in breach of Corrections policy. Where Copilot is used in a way that breaches Corrections policy, OPC would expect Corrections to take appropriate action to remedy this.”
Rain warnings for Canterbury.Supplied / MetService
Wild weather is expected to hit much of central New Zealand overnight, with multiple warnings and states of emergency.
MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Warning for Banks Peninsula, starting from 2am Monday and a Heavy Rain Watch for Canterbury Plains and foothills between the Rakaia River and Amberley.
Five districts have now declared a state of emergency – Manawatū, Rangitīkei, Tararua, Waipā and Ōtorohanga.
Manawatū District Council is the latest to make the declaration – in a post on social media, the council said it has activated its emergency response team and is closely monitoring river levels.
Heavy rain, rising rivers, slips, flooding, strong winds, and power outages are likely, the council said.
It advised people to take the declaration seriously and prepare now, while there is still daylight, make sure devices are charged and people have a battery-powered radio at the ready to listen to news updates.
The Rangitīkei, Tararua, Waipā and Ōtorohanga districts are also under states of emergency.
In a post on social media, Rangitīkei District Council said Mayor Andy Watson had made the declaration and the council had activated its emergency response team, and is closely monitoring river levels.
The council said it had also activated its process to close the Napier-Taihape Road.
It warned people to take the declaration seriously and prepare, while there is still daylight, including making sure devices are charged, and there was a battery-powered radio handy to listen to news updates.
An orange heavy rain warning has already been upgraded to a red warning – the highest level. The warning affects Manawatu, Rangatikei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway One from 6pm tonight.
MetService said the heightened warning means there is a threat to life from dangerous river conditions and significant flooding and slips.
It says the weather conditions will isolate communities and make some roads impassable.
Several more weather warnings and watches have been issued for the east and lower North Island and the top of the South Island.
This latest burst of stormy weather comes as several regions reel from severe storms that have already closed roads, flooded properties and damaged infrastructure.
Hutt warnings
The Hutt City Council is also warning that the Waiwhetū Stream could rise rapidly overnight.
Those in the Lower Hutt suburbs of Waiwhetū, Moera, Gracefield, and Seaview are advised to evacuate immediately, and not to wait for an official warning, if rising flood water is seen.
Those needing to evacuate are advised to seek shelter with friends and family if possible – and to take pets and essential items with them.
Residents are asked to call 111 if their life or property is at risk.
They are also urged not to drive or walk through flood water as it is dangerous and may be contaminated.
Wellington trains cancelled
No trains are running in Wellington on Monday morning.
KiwiRail said a Wairarapa passenger train collided with a downed tree on Sunday.
“We are expecting winds of up to 130kph across the Wellington region overnight and on Monday morning. This poses a significant risk to the overhead electric cables across the metro network,” KiwiRail chief metro officer David Gordon said.
“Working with Metlink and Transdev Wellington, we have decided to close the metro network until network-wide daylight inspections can be undertaken. Our teams will be out on the tracks from 6am Monday, but it will take a number of hours to check the network.
“As a result, trains will not be running during the Monday morning peak. We will aim to reopen the network at 10am, depending on any damage discovered and repairs needed.”
Monday morning’s Capital Connection (Palmerston North – Wellington) train has also been cancelled.
While the world has focused on the atrocities in Gaza, Israel continues its support of illegal settlements, hostility and apartheid in the West Bank. Asia-Pacific specialist journalist Ben Bohane reports from Bethlehem for Michael West Media.
SPECIAL REPORT:By Ben Bohane
We are no more than 5 minutes out of Bethlehem on a crisp December morning when my Palestinian driver — let’s call him Ahmed — stops and points to a curl of smoke rising in the valley below, near Beit Jala.
“That’s a local restaurant the Israeli’s are burning since last night. They demand permits even when it is on family land. Israel then gives demolition orders, and no one can stop them.”
It’s the day before Christmas. I’m in the West Bank and Israel for a month to see the situation for myself, to try and understand how this comparatively small area continues to hijack history and our news agenda.
Photojournalist and producer Ben Bohane . . . “Israel has killed more journalists in the past three years than any other government in history.” Image: BB/MWM
The international Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) states 249 media personnel have been killed so far by Israel in Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Israel and Iran since the Gaza war began.
Israel has killed more journalists in the past three years than any other government in history,
assassinating more than all media personnel killed in all the wars of the 20th century combined.
Israel has also now banned many reputable international NGOs from operating there. In late January, the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) finally acknowledged the death toll tally compiled by Palestinian health authorities as accurate, saying it believed 71,000 people had been killed so far — the death toll is now more than 72,000.
I’ve come to the other front, the West Bank, as Israeli settlers and the IDF establish new illegal settlements and make life difficult for Palestinians just trying to eke out a living.
While I’m there, Israel announces 19 new settlements, bringing to 69 the number of new settlements approved in the past few years.
They are slowly circling and strangling Palestinian towns by taking the high ground on hilltops, establishing their own roads to link up with other settlements, and destroying ancient olive groves which locals have long relied on for a meagre income.
Some of these trees are many hundreds of years old, and their desecration seems somehow symbolic of Israel’s attempts to change history and geography.
“We are trapped here”, says Ahmed. “Ever since October 7, Israel has closed off our access to Jerusalem and the rest of Israel. A lot of businesses are struggling to survive after 5 years of shutdowns — first it was covid, and then the Gaza war. No tourists for years.”
Unless they are employed in one of a handful of jobs, such as in hospitals or working for a Christian organisation, Palestinians in the West Bank can’t leave. Denied both Palestinian statehood and Israeli citizenship,
West Bank Palestinians are caught in a limbo where they can’t travel into wider Israel or beyond.
“Israel controls all our movements, all our water, and controls our petrol supply”, says Ahmed. “The only thing they don’t control is the air we breathe, and if they could control that, they would.”
Bulldozer warfare We visit a home recently bulldozed by settlers and fields uprooted because they were considered too close to the expanding nearby Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit. As locals lose access to their olive orchards, the only trees safe are those within towns or around their homes.
I see a young boy with a wheelbarrow full of seedlings and uprooted olive saplings moving towards a nearby field. Ahmed translates:
“The boy says that part of their resistance is to immediately replant the olive trees when settlers chop them down. The olives aren’t just an income for us, they are part of our identity on this land.”
We have to be quick when visiting the contested edges of these towns and fields, as settlers are always watching from nearby hilltops and the IDF can be on the scene in less than 5 minutes. On two occasions, my driver yells to get us back in the car for a hurried exit when he spots settlers driving down to intercept us.
Returning to Bethlehem, the annual Christmas parade is underway. Hundreds of Palestinian, Arab and Armenian Christians in uniforms march along roads leading to Manger Square in the heart of Bethlehem.
Palestinian Authority police guard the route and churches, including the Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity, first begun by Emperor Constantine’s Christian mother Saint Helena in the 4th century. Under this Byzantine church is a grotto where Jesus was supposedly born.
This is the first time in two years that Christmas celebrations, including a huge Christmas tree, have taken place. With few foreign tourists, shops in Bethlehem are happy to see many Muslim families from across the West Bank visiting with children to see Santa and the holy sites. It’s a peaceful time with Christian and Muslim families celebrating together.
I met Father Issa Thaljieh, a Palestinian (Greek Orthodox) priest overseeing the Basilica.
“Issa” is the Muslim name for Jesus. He says the number of Christians continues to dwindle, from 10 percent of the Palestinian population during the British mandate period 100 years ago, to around 1 percent today. Most live overseas now, with Israel incentivising their departure.
Apartheid One thing I hadn’t known until I came here is that Israelis are forbidden from entering any West Bank towns. At the entrance to many towns I visited, including Jericho and Bethlehem, are large road signs in red warning Israeli citizens not to enter.
Although usually framed as a security measure to prevent kidnapping, it has the additional impact of preventing ordinary Israelis and Palestinians from mixing together and stops Israelis from really understanding what is going on across the West Bank. It underlined the sense of apartheid, along with the long winding separation wall that snakes between Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the rest of the West Bank.
Always interested in art and graffiti as forms of resistance, I cruise a length of the wall, near two refugee camps inside Bethlehem and come across artist Banksy’s “Walled Off” hotel, which had only reopened the week before after 5 years of closure.
Upstairs is a gallery supporting local artists, downstairs a museum about the wall and “occupation”, along with a chintzy piano bar styled like a frontier saloon.
The hotel faces a section of the wall emblazoned with graffiti and promises “the worst views in the world”. The wall began construction substantially in 2002, runs for 810 kms and is Israel’s biggest infrastructure project. Banksy’s museum quotes the man put in charge of the build, Danny Tirza:
“The main thing the government told me in giving me the job was,
to include as many Israelis inside the fence and leave as many Palestinians outside as possible.
Down the road, a number of local stores have popped up selling cheap Banksy merch, and apparently, Banksy is fine with all the rip-offs.
Other days are spent visiting Jericho and Hebron with its shrine containing the tomb of Abraham, patriarch of all the monotheistic faiths.
It is a town often at flashpoint between Palestinians and hardcore Israeli settlers who have moved right into pockets of the town, protected by IDF soldiers. A day trip to Ramallah is aborted when my driver says that Israeli forces had entered that morning to destroy dozens of shops and shot two people.
“It’s too dangerous today to visit, and besides, it would take us 5 hours to get through the checkpoints instead of one hour as normal,” he says.
Every day across the West Bank, Palestinians must navigate security challenges, declining business and hungry families. Given the impunity with which Israel operates in Gaza, Palestinians across the West Bank are still standing their ground, but without much hope that the international community will stop Israel’s encroachment.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s government wants to extinguish any hope of a two-state solution, but Palestinians will not cede their homes — or their olive trees — easily.
Ben Bohane is Vanuatu-based photojournalist and producer who has reported for global media for more than three decades on religion and war across the world, mainly in the Asia-Pacific region. His website. Republished with permission,
Jeffrey Epstein didn’t operate in a vacuum. His crimes were grotesque, systematic, and, crucially, protected for decades. That alone should unsettle anyone who believes power is held accountable.
What’s disturbing isn’t only what he did, but what didn’t happen afterwards.
How does a trafficker move across borders, fly politicians and royalty, launder wealth, avoid serious prosecution for years, and then conveniently die in a high-security facility with cameras malfunctioning and guards “asleep”?
That’s not a coincidence. That’s institutional failure at best, complicity at worst.
The real scandal is the silence.
Names were known. Networks were hinted at. Evidence existed. Yet accountability stopped at Epstein himself, the perfect firewall.
How power protects itself Once he was gone, so was the urgency. Files sealed. Investigations stalled. Media interest redirected.
This is how power protects itself.
Whether you call it the Deep State, the ruling class, elite immunity, or simply entrenched systems of power, the pattern is familiar:
The powerful are insulated, the truth is managed, and justice is selective.
Epstein wasn’t an anomaly. He was a symptom.
And until transparency replaces secrecy, and accountability reaches upward instead of downward, the question will remain:
Who was Epstein really working for?
And who benefited most from him never speaking?
Maher Khalil Nazzal is a Muslim Palestinian refugee living in Auckland and co-chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA).
Justice Michele Wilkinson-Smith voiced concerns about how widespread slavery was in New Zealand, including cases where youths could be brought here ‘essentially to work as domestic help or in jobs to support the family’.
INZ compliance and investigations manager Steve Watson said slavery was among the most serious crimes in New Zealand.
“It was a very disturbing case, and the victims did not deserve to be treated in that way,” he said. “It’s a very, very good sentence, and sends a very clear message that this type of slavery and exploitation won’t be tolerated. It shows that we as a country won’t tolerate it, and that it is one of the worst offences on the statute book. And [the sentence] should serve as a deterrent to others.”
INZ provided significant support to the police and the prosecution, he said, and he urged others to report offending they witness.
Moeaia Tuai in court at his sentencing on Thursday.RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Timeline of a slavemaster
“Slavery and other forms of exploitation, they are serious crimes and they’re often hidden in plain sight,” Watson said.
“So addressing serious exploitation is a priority for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, right from policy settings through to our operational arms. MBIE and Immigration New Zealand will continue to prosecute people where we find evidence of this sort of behaviour.”
Former trafficking victims have expressed concerns about how much is being done to improve the detection of slavery and prosecute it.
“There have been few cases involving slavery in New Zealand to date,” said Wilkinson-Smith, noting the only previous major prosecution was that of Joseph Matamata in 2020.
The prosecutor in the current case noted that the female complainant had been held as a slave for even longer than Matamata’s male victims.
It was no mitigation that vulnerable victims would accept slavery as being better than a return to extreme poverty, the judge told Tuai.
She said the rapes, other violations and indecent assaults added another level of gravity to Tuai’s enslavement and theft of the young woman’s income.
“She was in a very real sense your slave. She did the work and you got the benefit.”
2003 – 2004 – Tuai and his wife emigrated to New Zealand, he worked as a prison officer for Corrections.
2017 – Tuai brought two young people to New Zealand and put the older male one to work at a boarding house belonging to his wife Senia Tuai’s sister.
2020 – The older victim, by now brought to work in Australia and joined by Tuai, ran away.
2021 – The younger female complainant, brought back to NZ, worked seven days a week for two months in laundromats.
2022 – 2024 – She continued to work, with an estimated $78,000 of her wages going to Tuai.
2024 – She ran away and alerted police to the rapes.
2024 – 2025 – Police and MBIE investigation into the slavery offending.
Teenager Peta Trimis celebrates an outrageous strike for the Central Coast MarinersElias Rodriguez / www.photosport.nz
Chasing a fifth straight win and club record, the Wellington Phoenix women suffered a 2-1 defeat to bogey team Central Coast Mariners in their A-League clash.
Players from both sides battled fierce winds hitting the Wellington region with blustery conditions slowing the tempo of the match at Porirua Park on Sunday evening.
A stunning free kick from 19-year-old attacker Peta Trimis put the Mariners in front in the 16th minute as she curled a right-footed strike into the top corner.
Phoenix striker Mackenzie Anthony hit the equaliser in the 28th minute scoring her first goal for Wellington.
Central Coast’s Tamar Levin used the strong winds swirling for the reigning A-League champions to score on the stroke of halftime.
The defeat ends the Phoenix’s four-game winning run as they were outplayed by a side showing greater patience and superior finishing skills in the howling winds.
Wellington are second on the competition ladder, two points behind leaders Melbourne City.
A fifth State of Emergency has been declared ahead of severe weather expected to strike tonight and overnight.
Manawatū District Council is the latest to make the declaration – in a post on social media, the council said it has activated its emergency response team and is closely monitoring river levels.
Heavy rain, rising rivers, slips, flooding, strong winds, and power outages are likely, the council said.
It advised people to take the declaration seriously and prepare now, while there is still daylight, make sure devices are charged and people have a battery-powered radio at the ready to listen to news updates.
The Rangitīkei, Tararua, Waipā and Ōtorohanga districts are also under states of emergency.
In a post on social media, Rangitīkei District Council said Mayor Andy Watson had made the declaration and the council had activated its emergency response team, and is closely monitoring river levels.
The council said it had also activated its process to close the Napier-Taihape Road.
It warned people to take the declaration seriously and prepare, while there is still daylight, including making sure devices are charged, and there was a battery-powered radio handy to listen to news updates.
An orange heavy rain warning has already been upgraded to a red warning – the highest level. The warning affects Manawatu, Rangatikei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway One from 6pm tonight.
MetService said the heightened warning means there is a threat to life from dangerous river conditions and significant flooding and slips.
It says the weather conditions will isolate communities and make some roads impassable.
Several more weather warnings and watches have been issued for the east and lower North Island and the top of the South Island.
This latest burst of stormy weather comes as several regions reel from severe storms that have already closed roads, flooded properties and damaged infrastructure.
We’ll be bringing you the latest weather news updates in our live blog through the afternoon and evening.
