Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland project manager has been sentenced to three months community detention for defrauding nearly $30,000 through Covid schemes.

Shelvin Kavish Swamy was sentenced on Tuesday in the Auckland District Court, after pleading guilty to obtaining the funds by deception.

In May of 2020, Swamy applied for a loan through the small business cashflow scheme despite not being eligible.

The business he applied with, Swamy Investment Limited, had no discernible business activity at the time.

In the following two years, he applied for seven resurgence support payments and three Covid support payments, totalling $32,800, under the name Northshore Plant Holdings Limited.

Roughly half of the funds were used on expenses like groceries, petrol, fast food, and alcohol.

Swamy received $28,351.01 he was not entitled to.

Inland Revenue said Swamy took advantage of schemes operating under a high-trust model during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Debra Anne Bell acknowledged that, despite losing his job as a project manager working in the construction industry, Swamy had repaid $24,000 and noted his previous good character.

She convicted Swamy, ordering him to replay the remaining $4,351.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A man has been arrested after violent, anti-Indian graffiti was discovered outside a school in South Auckland.

The message, which incited violence against the Indian community, was first spotted on Saturday near Papatoetoe Central School by nearby residents, who in turn alerted police.

The graffiti on the footpath near a gate has since been covered.

Police said at the time they were investigating the incident as a hate-motivated crime.

Counties Manukau West area commander Dave Christoffersen said a local man had been arrested this morning.

The 61-year-old has been charged with offensive behaviour and wilful damage, and is expected to appear in Manukau District Court later Thursday.

Meanwhile, a separate piece of graffiti carrying an identical message was found inside a public toilet on Campbell Road in Royal Oak on Wednesday.

It’s unclear when the graffiti in Royal Oak could have been written.

Marcel Morgan, manager area operations for Howick and Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Boards, said the graffiti in Royal Oak had been removed by Auckland Council contractors.

Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby on Monday said she had been seeing increasing anti-migrant rhetoric, including towards the country’s Indian community.

“I know from my engagements with many ethnic communities the fear these messages generate for people,” Derby said.

“Regarding this particular incident [in Papatoetoe], I am deeply concerned about the violent racist rhetoric and its impact on community members’ sense of safety and belonging. … Everyone should be able to live in their community, work or attend a school in this country free from racial harassment and discrimination.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The last remaining members of the government’s advisory group on retail crime have defended the unit’s work after Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith confirmed Tuesday it would wind up months earlier than planned.

Himanshu Parmar is the only remaining member of the Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime alongside chair Sunny Kaushal.

Parmar has spoken publicly for the first time since the resignations of Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young, Foodstuffs North Island senior manager Lindsay Rowles and Michael Hill national retail manager Michael Bell prompted Goldsmith to confirm the group would end its work in May, despite originally being set up for a two-year term through September.

On Wednesday, Goldsmith told Morning Report the group was created to provide ideas for the government to push back on crime, considering it to be a success as it had done what it was set up to do.

“Three out of the five [members] left for a variety of reasons over the summer, and I sort of had a choice about trying to reappoint three and keep it going for six months or make the pragmatic decision to wrap it up slightly early,” he said.

Goldsmith told Morning Report the group had three months to finish its work.

“I think that [Kaushal] has been very focused on delivering policy documents, which we were appointed for, and that’s what the focus should remain on, not people’s personal relationships with each other,” Parmar said, referring to reports of tension within the group.

Parmar is also a member of the Dairy and Business Owners Group that Kaushal had previously chaired.

Young had earlier told RNZ her relationship with Kaushal had become untenable, saying he was not the right person to chair the group, which had an “unpleasant environment”.

However, Parmar defended the resignations, saying he had been told that some members left due to employment choices.

“What has been explained to me is two of the members left because they’ve been promoted within their business or have got new jobs,” he said. “They’ve had to move on with their lives.”

Earlier this year, Goldsmith also defended the resignations.

He told RNZ that two of the resigning members were promoted into other positions, while one left, and this wasn’t the “crisis of the century”.

Kaushal also previously told RNZ the resignations reflected normal leadership movement in an organisation.

The advisory group has also faced criticism over its spending, which became a flashpoint following the resignations.

The group has been questioned over the cost of catered meetings held around the country and its inner-city Auckland office space, rented for $120,000 a year.

It has also faced questions about value for money after it was revealed Kaushal invoiced more than $230,000 for work in its first 12 months.

Speaking on Wednesday, Kaushal also defended the group’s work, saying it operated within its $1.8 million annual budget, which was funded through the proceeds of crime fund.

“I’m not bothered by criticism,” he said. “My focus is on the difficult goal, which is fixing retail crime and making sure no one feels unsafe at work.

“We are funded by the money seized from the criminals and gangs, and we are spending their money to fix a problem [that] has been there for a long time.”

He said the group was operating well within its budget and was overseen by the Ministry of Justice finance team.

Kaushal also said that he is not shaken by criticism from the members within the group and is focused on delivering outcomes for the victims.

“I have no idea of her [Young’s] motivation,” he said.

“It’s well known that we had different views on some of the group’s recommendations … she’s representing the big retailers and I’m speaking on behalf of small to medium-sized enterprises across the country hit by retail crime.

“I have always appreciated her perspective.”

Parmar told RNZ the group’s spending was relatively small compared to the amount retailers had spent on security measures such as fog cannons and bollards during the previous government’s term.

“[Regarding] what money is being spent, I have no control in my capacity as a member of that group, just like the rest of the members, on how and where the money gets spent,” he said.

He said the Ministry of Justice had monitored the spending, and he was confident the minister was satisfied with how the money was being used.

Kaushal said the group had delivered five reports to the government, and those were eventually going to represent major reforms in the Crimes Act.

“This is going to create tougher consequences for criminals,” he said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Indian government has formally raised concerns with New Zealand authorities after Sikh religious processions in Tauranga and South Auckland have been disrupted by protesters linked to Destiny Church.

Two Nagar Kirtan processions – a Sikh religious tradition involving public processions with the singing of holy hymns to mark significant occasions such as the anniversaries of Sikh gurus – have been disrupted in recent months.

In a written reply to a question raised in India’s lower house of parliament, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said the matter had been taken up with the New Zealand government.

The Indian High Commission in Wellington was also in close contact with Sikh community leaders, Margherita said.

The response came after Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Punjab MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal asked for details about the incidents to be shared.

RNZ has approached the Indian High Commission for comment.

On 20 December, a procession organised by the Nanaksar Sikh Temple in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa was interrupted by a rally organised by True Patriots.

Videos later posted by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki showed protesters approaching the Sikh group wearing shirts bearing slogans such as “Kiwis first”, “Keep NZ, NZ” and “True patriot”, alongside a large banner reading “This is New Zealand, not India”.

A separate Nagar Kirtan procession organised by Gurdwara Sikh Sangat in Tauranga was also disrupted on 11 January, despite the event having prior approval from the city council and police.

In January, Sikh leaders called for calm and dialogue following the disruptions.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the Indian government had raised concerns about the events in Tauranga and Manurewa.

“New Zealand’s ethnic communities, including the Indian community, are a vital part of our diverse society, and we recognise and support their right to practice their religion,” the spokesperson said.

“We also recognise that New Zealanders enjoy freedom of expression, which includes the right to protest lawfully and peacefully.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Organisations representing small businesses have expressed concern about the early termination of the ministerial advisory group on retail crime announced by Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith on Tuesday.

Created in September 2024 for a period of two years, the group has faced criticism from the Labour Party on spending.

Three out of the original five members have resigned in recent months, with Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young publicly questioning the leadership of chair Sunny Kaushal as she departed.

Goldsmith, who had earlier defended Kaushal’s leadership and the advisory group’s work, confirmed Tuesday the entity would wind up in May.

News of this development sparked concern among retailers that the advisory group wouldn’t have time to make any recommendations on ways to reduce youth crime before it disbanded.

After police arrested a 14-year-old on suspicion of stabbing a dairy owner in Christchurch in December, Kaushal told RNZ his team would start work on youth offences soon.

“We have delivered five reports so far to government proposing law changes – from shoplifting, to trespass, to citizens’ arrest and move-on orders,” Kaushal said, indicating the group’s next priority was youth offences.

“I can’t comment on specific measures at this time, but I am personally concerned about how we deal with parents who have created an environment that contributes to their children offending,” he said in December.

In a subsequent interview with the New Zealand Herald on Tuesday, Goldsmith didn’t suggest that youth crime was a priority.

“It’s been very successful in getting all the work done, and they’ve got a couple of issues that they’re going to wrap up before they finish, which is one on facial recognition and the other one on the security industry,” he said.

Goldsmith clarified that remark on Friday, saying the government was “particularly interested in advice around facial recognition and the security industry”.

“However, any additional advice the [ministerial advisory group] wishes to provide before it concludes its work is always welcome,” he said.

Nevertheless, retailers expressed concern that the group’s work on youth offences would be left unfinished.

Jaspreet Singh Kandhari, general secretary of the New Zealand Indian Business Association, said his organisation had made a submission to the group with suggestions to tackle violent youth crime.

“The disbanding of the ministerial advisory group following some members’ resignations raises concerns about the future direction of key elements within the framework under review,” Kandhari said.

“In particular, the proposed reforms relating to youth offending are crucial and provide a significant opportunity to enhance deterrence and community safety.

“We urge the justice minister to ensure the substantial work and progress already made are not lost, and meaningful steps are taken within the next three months, before the end of the electoral term, to advance youth offending law reforms.”

Dairy and Business Owners Group chairperson Ankit Bansal, the National Party’s Palmerston North candidate at this year’s general election, also called for “meaningful action” on youth crime.

“Retailers are expecting meaningful recommendations to address youth crime as we know that the young people are used by organised criminals to commit crimes on their behalf,” Bansal said.

“I am sure the advisory group is already working on and will be using the rest of their time to come up with potential solutions in this space of tackling violent youth crime in the retail sector.”

Jagjeet Singh Sidhu, secretary of community business organisation Little India, said the advisory group’s termination meant issues such as youth crime and youth education would be left unresolved.

“[That’s why] our organisation is not happy with the government shutting down the advisory group before it could complete its work, especially in the violent youth crime space,” Sidhu said.

“We had specifically put in our submission to amend the Sentencing Act 2002, Crime Justice Act 1985 and Oranga Tamaki Act 1989 to allow for the arrest, detention in remand custody and punishment of young offenders under the age of 16.”

Sidhu said the Indian community would like to see recommendations on the above before the advisory group was wound up in May.

Mark Scherer, general manager of the Sandringham Business Association, criticised the work done by the advisory group.

“We do not agree with many of the recommendations and have been dissatisfied with the overall deliverables from the advisory group,” Scherer said.

“We will be writing to them to express our concerns over this process and concrete steps going forward.”

Himanshu Parmar, who alongside Kaushal is one of the remaining members on the advisory group, said the pair would continue to work on youth crime through to the group’s termination and had sent a consultation document to retailers before Christmas.

He said many large and small retailers had already made submissions and the group was now waiting for its policy team to prepare an information pack for members to review and comment on.

Parmar said youth crime remained one of the most pressing issues that were typically raised by retailers.

“You ask any retailer, big or small,” he said. “They’ll tell you how a very small number of youth offenders are terrorising everyone. They’re seeing the same small cohorts committing repeated crime. If we don’t come up with good lawmaking in this space, it’s just going to keep repeating itself.”

When asked whether the advisory group would make submissions to the government on youth crime before its term ended in May, Parmar said the decision rested with the chair and ministers.

“I’m just a moving part of the group,” he said. “It’s up to the chair and the ministers to make sure it gets submitted and picked up.

“Anything we submit now can’t immediately become law. It’s a big process. There’s already stuff in front of select committees, including work we submitted earlier on trespass laws and shoplifting fines,” he said.

“But it’s my sincere hope that any policy work regarding youth crime is picked up by the current government and future governments, because it’s too important to ignore.”

Kaushal also said the group’s focus would shift to youth crime.

“We know youth crime is a priority for retailers, and we are working with ministers to complete our work programme before we wrap up in May,” he said.

“We would be happy to submit our report before May, as we are working closely with the minister.”

Kaushal dismissed criticism from some quarters that the advisory group had failed to deliver satisfactory results.

“I am very proud of the progress achieved and quality of the policy work produced,” he said.

“We have delivered faster than expected in terms of five high-quality reports [that] are major reform packages.

“These are strong, practical, evidence-based reports backing the government’s focus on law and order, and a zero-tolerance approach to retail crime.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Asian Christians in New Zealand are preparing to mark one of the most significant events in the Christian calendar on Sunday with a blend of faith, family and cultural tradition.

For Christians, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But the days leading up to Easter, known as Holy Week, carry equal spiritual weight, marked by rituals that reflect sacrifice, remembrance and renewal.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey, greeted by crowds laying palm branches in his path.

In many Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, worshippers are given small crosses woven from palm leaves, symbols of both his welcome and his crucifixion, often kept in homes throughout the year.

Christians have also observed Lent in the lead-up to Easter, a 40-day period of fasting and reflection, symbolising both the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness and Jesus’ 40 days of fasting.

For Jithin Jose, who moved to New Zealand from Kerala to Auckland 11 years ago, these traditions remain central to family life.

“Holy Week is very important for the community,” he said.

“Palm Sunday is especially meaningful. Many people keep the palm leaves throughout the year.”

His wife, Remya Sunny, observes Lent, while he typically skips it.

In Kerala, he said churches traditionally distributed young tender coconut leaves instead – a practice that continued to hold deep cultural significance.

However, it was Maundy Thursday that resonated most with Jose.

Observed on the Thursday before Easter, the day marks the Last Supper when Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples.

Among Malayali Christians, it is known as Pesaha Vyazham and is marked by a distinctive family ritual.

“Maundy Thursday, or Pesaha Vyazham, is the most memorable day,” Jose said. “We come together as a family and have pesaha appam.”

After evening church services, households prepared pesaha appam, an unleavened rice bread paired with sarkara paal, a sweet dip made from coconut milk, rice flour and jaggery.

The meal symbolises the Last Supper and is eaten together by the entire family.

“We only have it once a year, and everyone from young children to grandparents takes part,” he said.

Instead of wine at Christ’s Last Supper, Kerala’s pesaha appams are paired with sarkara paal.

The bread and dip are often adorned with small crosses made from palm leaves blessed on Palm Sunday.

Jose said the ritual balanced reverence with moments of levity.

“Family and friends gather as the head of the household recites prayers and breaks the bread,” he said.

“In our family, whoever finishes first gets jokingly called ‘Judas of the Year’ because Judas left the table first.”

Jose said passing these traditions on to his children was important – not just as an expression of faith, but as a way of preserving cultural identity.

“We take them home [to India] during this period so they can learn more,” he said. “It’s not about forcing religion but helping them understand where they come from.”

Easter also holds deep significance for New Zealand’s Filipino community.

“Easter is huge for the Filipino community,” said Delia Richards, manager of Philippine Culture and Migrant Services.

“We have a large Christian population, and it’s a time for families to come together.”

Richards moved to New Zealand in the 1990s from Leyte, Philippines.

She said the observance stretched across Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and culminating with Easter Sunday.

Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus’s crucifixion, remained one of the most important days for the community, she said.

“Going to the Stations of the Cross is an important tradition, and we encourage our children to take part,” Richards said.

The devotion traces 14 moments from Jesus’s condemnation to his burial, reflecting on his journey to Calvary.

Jose said Good Friday observances in Kerala carried their own distinct practices.

Services often concluded with kaippu neeru, a drink made from bitter gourd leaves, neem and other acerbic leaves that are crushed into a paste and mixed with vinegar and water.

This is prepared to represent the vinegar given to Jesus when he begged for water during his journey to Calvary.

“Kaippu neeru does not go down easily,” he said.

New Zealand’s Korean community also marks Easter with its own traditions, where food and fellowship played a central role.

“Easter is an important religious event for us,” said Kevin Park, who has lived in New Zealand for 30 years.

“Sometimes we gather at one of the biggest churches, boil lots of eggs and share them with friends.”

He said decorating eggs was an important part of the celebration.

“We wrap them in coloured paper, ribbons and lace,” he said. “It’s a way of sharing joy with others.”

Richards said Easter egg hunts had also become part of Filipino celebrations in New Zealand, even if they were not traditionally observed in the Philippines.

Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Jesus and the conclusion of Holy Week, with communities gathering for church services, shared meals and family visits.

Food remains a central theme across cultures.

“The lechon – roast pork cooked for hours – is often the highlight,” Richards said. “We’ll also have adobo (meat simmered in a savory, tangy sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns).”

For Indian Christian families, the end of fasting gives way to a celebratory Easter banquet on Sunday.

“We break our fast with special Easter curries and appam,” Jose said.

“Where I’m from in Kottayam, we might also share a drink to mark the day.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

More than 7000 people attended one of Auckland’s largest Holi celebrations in Henderson on Sunday as South Asian communities across New Zealand marked the Festival of Colours.

While several Holi celebrations were held earlier in March, festivities continue across New Zealand through the end of the month.

The event on Sunday, organised by the Waitākere Indian Association, drew thousands to Henderson Trust Arena for a day of coloured powders, music, dance and food.

Holika Dahan was marked on 2 March, where bonfires were lit to symbolize the victory of good over evil.

Rangwali Holi, or Dhulandi, was then celebrated on 4 March, where participants threw coloured water or powder at each other as they sang, danced and enjoyed festive foods.

The festival also marked the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Many legends are associated with the festival.

One recounts the story of Prahlad and Holika, where the former’s unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu saved him from the flames of a pyre as his malevolent aunt, who had lured him onto the flames, met her demise.

This tale symbolises the victory of good over evil and the importance of faith.

Another popular legend revolves around the courtship of Lord Krishna and Radha.

Krishna, envious of Radha’s fair complexion, playfully applied colours to her face – beginning the tradition of smearing coloured powder onto others during Holi and infusing the festival with elements of romance and joy.

Holi festivities in Auckland usually begin with Krishna Holi, but that did not happen this year as construction work on a temple meant Kumeu missed out on celebrations.

However, many community groups held their own events across the city.

The New Zealand Telugu Association hosted its Holi festival on 1 March at Three Kings Reserve, while the Sandringham Business Association and Sandringham Project in Community Empowerment held celebrations at Sandringham Reserve on 7 March.

The Waitākere Indian Association’s event was among the largest, with thousands gathering at Henderson Trust Arena.

“After two years of absence, our Holi festival came back with one of the biggest gatherings ever,” said Sunil Kaushal, president of the Waitākere Indian Association.

Kaushal said people travelled from across the North Island to attend.

“People came from Hamilton and from the far north to attend the festival,” he said.

“There were people of all ages attending the festival and having a good time, from kids to an uncle who was 70 years old.”

Outside Auckland, around 3000 people gathered at Tauranga Memorial Park to celebrate Holi.

“To hold a special Holi gathering at the beautiful waterfront was a blessing,” said Bela Dasi, organiser of Holi Colour Splash.

Dasi said the event received positive feedback from the community.

In the capital, the Indian High Commission led the festivities.

“The occasion was particularly special as it also marked the High Commissioner’s last day in Wellington, making the celebration a memorable one,” the Indian diplomatic mission said in a Facebook post.

The Wellington Indian Association marked Holi in Kilbirnie on 2 March with a pooja, while another celebration was hosted by the Nepalese Society of Wellington at Avalon Park in Lower Hutt on 7 March.

In the South Island, one Christchurch Holi festival was cancelled.

Christchurch Holi – Festival of Colours was cancelled after shipping delays meant the event’s colour powders did not arrive on time.

Organisers Revel Events said the festival would return to Hagley Park in 2027.

Despite the cancellation, other Holi celebrations were still held across South Island.

The Selwyn Holi – Festival of Colours, hosted by the Indian NZ Association of Christchurch, drew more than 5000 people to Brookside Park in Rolleston on 8 March.

“The festival provided an opportunity for people from many cultures to experience the beauty of Indian traditions while strengthening community connections,” said Parminder Kaur, president of the Indian NZ Association of Christchurch.

Kaur said the Selwyn community responded warmly to the event.

“Many described it as one of the most joyful and colourful community events in Selwyn,” she said.

Further south, the Dunedin Indian Association marked Holi on 8 March at Bayfield Park.

The event featured a DJ, dance performances, competitions and food.

Another celebration organised by the Indian Social and Cultural Club is scheduled to take place at Victoria Park in Rangiora on this weekend.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Papatoetoe man has been arrested over violent, anti-Indian graffiti that was found in Auckland.

The message, which incited violence against the Indian community, was first spotted on Saturday near Papatoetoe Central School.

Another piece of graffiti with the same message was found inside a public toilet in Royal Oak.

The 61-year-old has been charged with offensive behaviour and wilful damage.

Counties Manukau West Area Commander Inspector Dave Christoffersen said a local man was arrested on Thursday, and is due in Manukau District Court later in the day.

“Given the threatening nature of the graffiti, our team has been making enquiries throughout the week which has led to a quick arrest,” he said.

Inspector Christoffersen said police were aware the incident had caused concern for communities.

“I can reassure the community that we have assessed this particular event as an isolated incident and that there is no wider risk to the community.

“We have made this assessment with information obtained through the investigation and after interviewing the man who has been charged.”

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby will be moving out of Auckland’s Eden Park stadium in what the chairperson of the stadium calls a “win-win” situation.

Auckland Cricket announced it would move into a $10 million development at Colin Maiden Park, while Auckland Rugby was yet to announce its plans.

Eden Park Trust Board chairperson Simon Bridges told Morning Report it was for the best and opened Eden Park up for bigger events.

“On our side, the stark reality if you think about cricket is that cricket games happen at the same time big concerts do, fundamentally,” he said.

“For us it gives flexibility, we want to wash our face, we want to be commercial and do a good job for Auckland and New Zealand, allows us to have the highest value events and concerts and the like, without, in the end, sometimes conflict with cricket and rugby.”

He said the split was also a positive step for Auckland Cricket and Rugby.

“It is a win-win, from their perspective they are getting these fit-for-purpose long-term facilities that are their own. If you go out to Colin Maiden, for example, [Auckland] Cricket is getting a bigger ground than the second oval where often cricket is played at Eden Park, and it’ll be designed to their specification,” he said.

“And when it comes to rugby we’re not so clear, a lot of that lies in their hands, but the signal is for an exit [from Eden Park].”

Bridges said Eden Park would put more emphasis on larger, international events.

“It is the chance, the prospect, for us to do the highest value events and concerts,” he said.

“If you’re New Zealand’s national stadium, you really try to make sure you’ve got the best events, culture, concerts, you name it. Having greater flexibility is not only important it’s probably crucial in the long term.”

Cricket and rugby fans would still have a home at Eden Park, Bridges said.

“We aspire at Eden Park to remain the home of the international stuff, we want to be there for the one-dayers, some of the big T20, and we want to be there for the All Blacks.”

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Rescuers in Auckland were in the middle of asking for a helicopter to fly them to Great Barrier Island where a man had fallen down a cliff when they discovered they were no longer allowed to make direct requests – so they didn’t go.

Details of eight rescues in the last two years that hit delays or triggered ructions between Fire and Emergency (FENZ) and Police are revealed in emails and incident reports newly released to RNZ.

“We had no way of getting to Great Barrier Island and Police SAR [search and rescue] did not want us to attend,” said a FENZ email in April 2024.

At both Great Barrier and a similar blocked attempt by a crew to fly to Waiheke Island just days before, the people were eventually rescued; nevertheless a national manager emailed FENZ’s operational leadership team:

“The process of mobilising requests via police can create lengthy response delays, non-response, and frustration within our crews.”

Ten months ago they were still talking about “inter-agency squabbles”.

Just last month Police tried to stand down a FENZ lines rescue team that went on to pluck a woman off a cliff around midnight at Tāwharanui Peninsula, as RNZ reported on Tuesday.

‘Clumsy’

RNZ began looking into this after Police admitted making a mistake at a rescue after a fatal cliff fall in Hahei, Coromandel, in January 2025.

A 12-year-old boy fell and died and a 13-year-old girl was trapped 10 metres up a cliff for four hours from 8pm to midnight.

Police in Waikato told RNZ they thought the girl had died so refused to approve an air ambulance helicopter to act as a rescue chopper and fly a FENZ lines (ropes) teams from Hamilton. Instead, the team drove to Hahei, holding up the rescue.

This sparked a flurry of emails up to national command level at FENZ. In them, front-line rescuers, communications centre people and managers talked about other similar problems.

“This is a further instance where we have been delayed in reaching the scene of a rescue due to police not approving AAH [air ambulance helicopter] to transport our crews,” one told HQ in Wellington.

Other instances

RNZ asked about the other instances. Some involved choppers, some not. Choppers used to get involved when a lines team was over an hour by road away from a rescue scene. We go through five of these below, having already reported on three: Hahei that occurred in January 2025, Taupō in December 2025 and Tāwharanui last month.

Lines rescuer Toby Kerr told RNZ this week, “The helicopter procedures which once were good accessibility to response are now clumsy.

“It’s not collaborative and it’s causing confusion,” said the Auckland City Fire Station union representative.

The police said they were “comfortable” with things.

They were always the lead agency in category one search-and-rescues, by far the most common type.

“Police is comfortable with the current operating procedures in place which focus on the chain of command and control. Police will always assess which appropriate assets to deploy when we are the lead agency,” they said.

Yet the issues have been escalated to the Minister Mark Mitchell. He sought and got a briefing on 26 March titled ‘Police search and rescue aviation process’.

RNZ has asked to see it.

Wellington, August 2022

An agreement was signed to make clear police were in charge of approving air ambulance helicopters to go to rescues.

FENZ was not a party to the agreement signed by Police with ambulance agencies (Hato Hone St John, Welington Free and national bodies), Maritime NZ which runs the Rescue Coordination Centre, and the Search and Rescue Secretariat.

FENZ found out about it mid-rescue.

“Following this procedural change, attempts to respond line rescue teams via Police for AAH support have been declined,” a national manager told the operational leadership team in May 2024.

Waiheke, early April 2024

A rescue was underway on the island and a level three lines rescue team from Auckland was trying to get a chopper to go (level three or L3 is advanced – they can hoist people up as well as lower them down).

A team usually requires a large machine to take five or more firefighters and 200 kilograms of ropes and gear.

A few minutes in, the airdesk at St John told them the Westpac rescue chopper “no longer respond to assist with transport of L3 lines crews to incidents – they state this is now a police issue … has been like this for 12-18 months”.

“We are only finding this out now,” specialist response manager Aaron Waterreus wrote later.

The Official Information Act reports were not clear what happened next at Waiheke.

But after it the Westpac crew called, querying whether FENZ had changed procedures and “didn’t want them to transport our high angle crew”.

Waterreus alerted his national and regional commanders to the change to the “longstanding” practice of asking St John direct for a chopper.

“Oddly, the Westpac crew in Auckland were not aware of this change.”

Great Barrier, 22 April, 2024

A man had suffered possible head injuries falling on to rocks on the island late at night.

St John began scrambling a chopper with a winch saying it “could be” a lines incident. A FENZ team began to get ready around 11.30pm.

A quarter-hour later, St John called to say it could not OK them and they needed the police’s say-so.

The airdesk explained to FENZ that St John had received a memo on 19 April “advising that it is not something airdesk facilitates anymore … ambos don’t fund but NZ police do”.

RNZ previously reported on the memo.

At 12.20am, the lines crew stood down. A commercial chopper was not an option as “these companies don’t fly at night”. Air ambulances were able to fly not just at night but in bad weather, which made them “essential” for lines rescues, other FENZ emails said.

“At this point we reached a bit of a dead end,” a communications centre shift manager wrote later.

A Police email said an air ambulance went anyway to Great Barrier and winched the man out “without any input from FENZ”.

Waterreus by email said Police had declined FENZ’s request and looked at sending their own Eagle.

May 2024

Waterreus raised the Great Barrier case with Police national operations and search-and-rescue managers in May.

The upshot was that the police wanted to be told every time a firefighters’ lines crew was being sent out, even by road, whether level 3 or level 2. If the crew needed a chopper to get there, they would have to get Police approval.

FENZ agreed to this even though Waterreus said a few days later, “We are mindful that this potentially could cause delays in responding a Level 3 team.”

To questions about the interim arrangement, he added, “Yep, it’s all about as clear as mud.”

A group manager in Hamilton responded, “The concern around this is another agency ie Police dictating how we can use or require our own resources.”

Blockhouse Bay, 3 September, 2024

A person fell off a cliff. It was not a chopper job but tensions flared when Police queried why a FENZ lines crew drove to it, since a Police lines team also went but was not needed. The person got airlifted out.

It prompted a northern comms centre manager to ask, “Are we now expected to seek permission from the police before we mobilise a road response or are we still able to use our best judgement to ensure we respond the most appropriate resources?

“We often end up stuck in the middle once the crew catch wind of a job and ask us to respond them or why we haven’t responded them and police telling us we are not needed.”

Tokomaru Bay, 13 September, 2024

A vehicle went 30m down a bank at Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast around tea-time, so Hamilton firefighters asked St John about a chopper to take them.

“This can be done but it needs to be approved by SAR – as this is not a medical response the funding will need to come from SAR not ambulance,” it replied.

A chopper went but not the lines crew.

Money

The question of funding had also come up during the Great Barrier rescue and in the FENZ-Police talks in May, which talked about “a car down bank” scenario.

Inspector Craig Rendel, the manager of Police operations and emergency management, told Waterreus, “Your example where a car down bank that needs your lines rescue. This is not a SAR its an extension of FENZ existing role in response to a crash so the bill would be FENZ not NZP SAR.

“If we can’t do that then if its not a SAR we won’t be able to approve it and alternate arrangements will need to be worked out.”

Musick Point, 2 June, 2025

A woman badly injured falling on to rocks near Bucklands Beach was flown out by rescue chopper without lines rescue getting involved.

But the FENZ crew were upset at being sidelined and discussed with St John a procedure for getting an early heads-up just in case. RNZ reported on this previously.

A half-dozen firefighters and managers discussed in emails if Fire and Emergency should be doing more to step up and exercise its legal mandate to do lines rescues.

At this point Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally stepped in.

He said he had met Police on 4 June and they had agreed the Musick Point job “and a couple of others of which I am aware, could have been coordinated more efficiently and effectively”.

Nally at this time was fresh out of a meeting called by Health New Zealand to remind FENZ that air ambulance choppers were a “last resort” to transport its crews as they needed to be clear for medical emergency jobs.

Nally on 5 June told his executives and firefighter union reps, “The outcome must be one that is focussed on what is best for NZers when they are in trouble – inter agency squabbles should not occur and certainly not affect response.”

He referred to raising this with Police and the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) already.

“Between us we are pulling together the senior people of all agencies involved (and there are heaps) to ensure there is agreement on the processes involved which should lead to the best placed and most capable resource being deployed.”

Every agency’s resources needed to be in an RCCNZ database “so when SAR rescue jobs come in the best placed resource, regardless of who owns it, is deployed by good processes and pragmatic SOPs.

“Secondly it is about how rescue helicopters are prioritised, tasked and deployed which has caused a few headaches this year”.

However, lines rescue trainer and Auckland union representative Josh Nicholls told RNZ this week since that June 2025 email, “nothing has changed”.

What the agencies say

None of the agencies agreed to an interview and instead all issued statements.

FENZ in February said, “There are no communication challenges between our agencies, and we work well together.”

In more recent days it said incidents were “often complex and require coordination across multiple agencies”. This was Police’s job and they met regularly about it, FENZ said.

The Rescue Coordination Centre said it had “prioritised conversation” to ensure coordination of search and rescue assets “continues to be effective”.

Police said they and FENZ had “committed to meeting further to assess whether there are opportunities to improve inter-agency communications”.

They also defended their deployments, saying their incident controller would figure out what resources could be called on, then plan and deploy them.

If they took the 111 call first, they led.

“If the call is received through Fire and Emergency and is deemed a rescue only they run it and task their own assets.”

It was about assessing the correct asset at the time, said Inspector Rupert Friend of the major operations group.

“In many instances rescue helicopter is not the correct asset, as in order to fit additional staff members key medical equipment must first be emptied out, which is a time-consuming exercise. It is recommended air ambulance helicopter (AAH) assets are deployed only if it offers specific capabilities which other assets do not, thereby keeping them available for their primary role of air ambulance.”

Asked if which agency paid the bill was much of a problem, Police said, “While understanding the necessity of rescuing people who are in danger, it is important that all agencies are fiscally responsible.”

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some households are facing new, higher water bills in the coming financial year as a shake-up to water services gets underway.

Councils are investing nearly $48 billion dollars over the next decade in an effort to upgrade old, failing infrastructure under the Local Water Done Well model.

New water entities in Waikato, Wellington and the Selwyn District are among the first to establish entities under the new system.

Water services, charges for ‘rapid’ growth in Waikato

Water charges were set to jump by $174 in Hamilton and Waikato district this coming financial year, and residents would pay a separate water charge to the new organisation from July.

But both areas had projected significant increases in charges beyond that, with Hamilton City Council forecasting bills would increase by 28 percent and Waikato District Council by 14 percent over the next decade.

Iawai is the region’s new water entity, which will deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services from 1 July.

Its chief executive Peter Winder said the organisation had a major challenge in both renewing degrading water assets, and investing in infrastructure for the growing region.

The population of both Hamilton and Waikato district was set to increase by about 50,000 people in the next 10 years, Winder said.

“That is quite rapid – and will require significant investment in treatment plant capacity for both water and wastewater across the district.”

The organisation was proposing an extra growth charge on drinking water and wastewater supply for new builds of $500 in total – $200 per year for 25 years for drinking water, and $300 per year for 25 years for wastewater.

Winder said significant business investment in north Waikato could not proceed until water infrastructure in the area caught up.

Winder said years of under-investment in water treatment plants and pipes could no longer be ignored.

“Addressing that problem will require price increases, so there’s a squeeze coming across the whole of the country.”

‘Balancing act’: New water boss in the capital weighs failing assets with affordability

In Wellington, raw sewage was still being spewed into Cook Strait every day, about two and a half months’ on from the Moa Point disaster.

New Tiaki Wai chief executive Michael Brewster said weighing much-needed investment with affordability concerns was a tight “balancing act”.

He said it would take at least 10 years for renewals and upgrades to start working – when the city would see fewer leaks, pipe bursts and sewage spills.

“[It’s getting to the point where] You’re actually consistently investing enough so you’re maintaining the network, so you don’t have this issue we have right now which is, do we push it all down the road and wait for the next generation to pay, it’ll just get worse, how much can we afford to do now?”

Tiaki Wai had recently forecast bills increasing by about 14 percent for this coming financial year, and reaching about $6800 per year by 2036 for some households.

The Commerce Commission said it was scrutinising the entity’s financial model.

Brewster said improvements were possible, but when asked whether they could be done in an affordable way, he answered: “It depends on how to define affordable, affordable is in the eyes of the customers at the end of the day, so difficult for me to say what’s affordable being a new person. It’s certainly achievable if the money’s there, if the funds are there.”

Brewster said he led Tasmania through major drinking water problems from 2013 – under a large amalgamation of 29 council services into TasWater.

“At our peak I think we had 29 towns in Tasmania that couldn’t drink the water … either had to boil it or couldn’t drink it. So we addressed all of those over a two and a half year period.”

He had visited the main water treatment plants in the Wellington region, including Seaview and Porirua, which also faced significant issues and needed close attention.

Years of experience had shown him that people deeply cared about water services – when they did not work.

“Most of the time customers don’t sit out there and think about the water business – they’re usually ambivalent to the whole thing, but when you don’t get it right, immediate outrage.

“So understanding what those outrage points are and understanding your job as a water business is to be responsive, be there when they need them, to show them there’s a way forward and improvement journey.”

Bills set to increase 18 percent in Selwyn

In Selwyn, water bills were proposed to increase by 18 percent in the coming financial year as the new council-controlled organisation, Selwyn Water, took over.

For households receiving both drinking water and wastewater services, the expected annual increase was $280.

Mayor Lydia Gliddon said the 18 percent rise was a decrease on the 24 percent initially projected.

She said the council had strict expectations around affordability.

“Affordability is front of mind for us. It is front of mind in our statement of expectation to Selwyn Water. And we’re expecting them to be finding as much efficiency as they can so services remain affordable for our people.”

Gliddon said Selwyn was a growth district and investment would be high, and the “pain” would be ensuring “growth paid for growth”.

Selwyn Water chief executive Alex Cabrera said the company would release its full Water Services Strategy in May – and be consulting with the community then.

The immediate priority was ensuring water services were safe and reliable, Cabrera said.

“At the same time, we are building the foundations of a modern water utility and investing in infrastructure to support Selwyn’s growth, renew ageing assets, and strengthen resilience to future challenges such as climate change.”

Commerce Commission setting up water ‘league table’

Under Local Water Done Well, all councils must implement their water plans.

Legislation required councils to implement their Water Services Delivery Plans – including new service delivery arrangements, by 2028.

The Commerce Commission was regulating water organisations under the Local Water Done model, chair John Small said.

It was requiring new water companies to publicly report each year including on water costs, charges, and how well they responded to faults.

“It’ll be a bit like a league table in the sense that everyone will be able to look at this and say ‘how’s my company doing relative to others? Are they hopelessly inadequate, or are they one of the leaders of the pack.’”

He said the commission may have the ability to intervene in pricing, but that needed approval from government.

Small said the commission could only look at whether a company was over-charging relative to its costs, not whether bills were unaffordable.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Pensioners are turning to foodbanks to get by, as a new report says the pressure is growing on those relying on NZ Super alone.

Good Shepherd has released the report, which focused on the housing experiences of women over 65.

It follows concerns being raised that the recent adjustment to NZ Super is not enough to keep up with growing pressure, particularly in fuel prices.

NZ Super lifted 3.1 percent this year, in line with last year’s rate of inflation. But the cost of essentials has risen by more than that overall figure, and rates and fuel are expected to continue at a faster pace this year.

Good Shepherd said many women were facing significant challenges because of having more limited income as well as the lifetime effect of low pay, having taken time out of the workforce to look after children and other factors.

Its report said a consistent theme from the women interviewed was that housing insecurity had stemmed from system settings that had not kept up with the realities of ageing for single people.

The women reported wanting more security of tenure, dignity in living independently, safety and affordability.

“In every interview, women spoke about the same underlying pressure: the discrepancy between the cost of living and the NZ Super was growing. Whether renting or owning, many were spending more than half their weekly income on housing before they could think about food, power, transport or healthcare.

“Women managed their budgets with immense discipline – heating only one room, going to bed early to save power, shopping at discount stores, growing vegetables, through DIY – but still found themselves stretched to the limit. These were not small lifestyle adjustments. They had real health consequences.”

Even women who owned their own homes were facing pressure from things like insurance and maintenance.

“For many, these pressures were magnified by what can be described as a ‘single person penalty’. Living alone was essential for their safety, dignity and emotional wellbeing, but it meant carrying all household costs on a single fixed income. Women described living alone not as a luxury, but as a protective factor as they aged.”

‘… you can’t budget what you don’t have’

Good Shepherd policy and advocacy lead Brittany Goodwin said retired women were often dealing with the effect of a gender pay gap through their working lives and it became a compounding problem as they faced rising costs.

“There’s a point at which you can’t budget what you don’t have.”

Good Shepherd has been piloting a programme to help with older women’s housing costs, addressing issues such as the problem of pulling a bond together for a new rental property.

“You might be able to pay the rent week to week, but you can’t pay that upfront cost … heat pumps, all of those kind of things that go into your house to make it liveable.

“So, what we’re trying to do is be able to support them a little bit and provide a loan environment where that’s possible. A lot of women of that age can’t get traditional lending because the affordability requirements just aren’t there … you might not be able to remortgage your home because the bank sees that as risky.”

She said people facing high housing costs were often just going without other things.

“This is a housing problem as much as anything. We do not have affordable housing. We do not have a diverse stock of affordable housing. People don’t have anywhere to live and they don’t have anywhere to go. So, that’s a fundamental challenge as well.

“It’s not just as simple as, oh, raise NZ Super by X dollars … it’s a big puzzle. And we need to have that collective support of different systems in order to actually make it have a difference for these people’s lives.”

Salvation Army data shows the proportion of people seeking food support who are over 65 has increased slightly over the past two years.

In the last year, 859 women over 65 had sought food support, and a total of 1793 people over 65.

In the past 12 months, people aged over 65 were 5.5 percent of total support, up from 5.3 percent in the first six months of 2024. The proportion of over 65s seeking support who were women jumped from 30.9 percent last year to 34.5 percent this year.

A spokesperson said NZ Super was a major protective factor for people over 65.

“Homelessness and the high cost of rental accommodation has been a key driver of use of our foodbanks in recent years, which has increased the numbers of single people overall (around 49 percent in total, made up of 30 percent single men and 18.7 percent single women). Of these single women, the highest proportion of users is 35-49 years (41.6 percent) followed by 19-34 (28.9 percent) and 50-54 (24.7 percent).”

David Verry, a financial mentor at North Harbour Budgeting Services, said the pension was often insufficient.

“Try filling a car up at the moment. This goes for single males too and even couples, although some of the costs can be spread between the two more adequately.

“Without KiwiSaver or the like being available then it is a pretty dire existence. If someone is not in a mortgage-free property, then they are likely to be needing an accommodation supplement. It’s a real basics approach. Various reports say that a single person on a pension will need between $180,000 and $355,000 of KiwiSaver or savings for a no frills lifestyle.”

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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