Source: Radio New Zealand

Police allege an organised crime group they’ve linked to the killing of a New Zealand man corrupted prison officers and bail officials.

It’s understood the man that was killed, Auckland courier driver Tuipulotu Vi, was not involved in the drug world.

RNZ earlier revealed that Tanginoa Tangi, one of three people charged with murdering Vi in August 2024, flew back to the USA where he has since been charged with attempting to murder someone else. If convicted there he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

The homicide investigation, dubbed Operation Block, is linked to Operation Mexted, a joint investigation by the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) and Customs, which targeted a transnational organised criminal cell.

Nine people are before the courts in relation to Operation Mexted.

Last week, Judge Yelena Yelavich lifted a suppression order on parts of a court document that details police allegations against the group. The rest of the document remains suppressed pending an appeal to the High Court.

Police claim the group, which included both New Zealand and US citizens, was responsible for the importation and dealing of methamphetamine and the trafficking of firearms.

The financial gains from the group’s activities were allegedly laundered through various construction and other companies in an attempt to conceal their source.

Vi’s death followed a series of shootings in the South Auckland area, which police claim were arranged by the syndicate, but which failed to reach the intended target.

The court document setting out police allegations against the group, details the roles police believe each defendant played in the operation.

One of the defendants, a 35-year-old Auckland man, is accused of being one of the senior members with direct reporting back to a more senior member in the US.

Police say that once he was arrested in September 2024, another person who was his “lieutenant” assisted him from outside while he was remanded in custody. This person’s role included laundering the syndicate’s financial proceeds as well as administration of the syndicate’s activities.

Police allege this included corrupting prison officers and bail address managers “to facilitate the movement of the syndicate’s property”.

After the 35-year-old man’s arrest, police claim the person also took control of a cryptocurrency account through which about $4.9 million had been transferred since the start of 2025.

Police accuse the syndicate of using various methods to traffic illegal consignments of drugs and firearms into the country, including using corrupt agents at international airports in the US and in New Zealand as well as New Zealand Post.

They claim the group rented Airbnbs at multiple addresses throughout Auckland to assist them in their activities.

In June 2025, the American syndicate members were arrested. Following this, police say the other members started attempting to move their property and assist the members in prison.

The remaining members also moved addresses.

In July 2025, three members were captured on CCTV checking into the Park Hyatt Hotel in downtown Auckland. Police allege that between 2023 and 2025 one of the “lieutenants” spent $164,000 on room bookings at the hotel, including rooms that cost as much as $1400 a night.

In that same month, police claim the “lieutenant” contacted a Corrections officer at Mt Eden prison who had been “corrupted” by the group and asked to move an associate of the syndicate to another part of the prison.

They are also suspected of arranging the officer to provide cigarettes to another person in prison.

Police allege that after the arrest of the American defendants, one of the members of the group started communicating with higher members of the syndicate, both in New Zealand and overseas.

In a 10-day period in August 2025, the man is accused of importing 7 consignments into New Zealand from the US containing almost 18kgs of methamphetamine. Forensic analysis to confirm the precise amount of methamphetamine is ongoing.

The court document also claims that while on EM bail the 35-year-old engaged in various mobile chat communications with a senior offshore member of the syndicate about ongoing efforts regarding their drug importations.

In September 2025, the man received a photograph from another defendant, who was at another EM bail address, while he was at the gym as well as photographs of him outside his bail address wearing his bail bracelet.

Later that month the 35-year-old was arrested again while walking along Tamaki Dr in Auckland with a mobile phone, in breach of his bail conditions.

After his arrest, one of the staff at the bail support service, was caught on camera clearing his room before police arrived, including removing “high value items” including a Rolex. Police claim the “lieutenant” called the staffer on Instagram while he was clearing the room.

That afternoon, the “lieutenant” called the manager of the bail support about the 35-year-old’s arrest. They were overheard saying “what are we gonna do damn it” to which the manager replied: “they can just bugger off”.

The “lieutenant” was arrested two days later at the Park Hyatt Hotel.

That same day police issued a press release announcing the five-month operation.

Acting Customs Investigations Manager Simon Peterson said at the time Customs used its “investigative and specialist expertise” to track the syndicate.

“Customs identified the suspects smuggling cannabis plants and resin into the country, tracking their smuggling activities throughout and gathering evidence.

“The offenders now face charges for the importation of 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as importation charges for cannabis.”

The US national

RNZ has obtained court documents in relation to the charges Tangi faces in the USA.

He’s accused of attempted murder, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, fleeing a pursuing police officer’s vehicle while driving recklessly, and possession of a firearm.

He has pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial next month.

A spokesperson for the local District Attorney’s office told RNZ the office was “generally aware” that Tangi had another pending matter in New Zealand and that they were aware an extradition warrant existed.

Tangi was facing a possible life sentence with the possibility of parole, the spokesperson confirmed.

“Regarding the New Zealand matter, the DA’s office does not litigate extradition proceedings. However, we expect that once Mr Tangi’s case here in California concludes, the extradition process to New Zealand would move forward at that time.”

RNZ sent several questions to Tangi’s lawyer, who declined to comment.

“We cannot comment at this time and do not foresee being able to offer anything in the near future.”

In a statement to RNZ on Friday afternoon, police confirmed a third person had been charged with murder in relation to Vi’s death.

“The man is currently in custody in the United States for offences committed in that country and is now subject to an extradition process,” Counties Manukau CIB detective inspector Shaun Vickers said.

“We are working with the relevant authorities in relation to this.

“This is the third person charged over to Mr Vi’s death and our investigation remains ongoing.”

As the matter is before the courts, police are limited in providing further information, Vickers said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hundreds of thousands of dollars is being directed by the government to try to curb rife uncontrolled dog breeding in Auckland and Northland.

The funding comes after a spate of serious dog incidents, including the death of 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore in a remote Northland settlement in February. The SPCA says three of the last four fatal dog attacks had been in Northland.

Almost $500,000 of money from the Lottery Minister’s Discretionary Fund is going toward desexing.

The SPCA, which is continuing calls for a law overhaul, is putting up a further $700,000.

There was an urgent need for preventative action to protect people, animals and communities, the SPCA said.

Together, the money is enough to desex about 3000 dogs from what’s thought to be up to 51,000 across both regions that are not desexed.

It’s enough to stop around 7500 puppies in a year or about 45,000 across the lifetimes of desexed females.

Unregistered or roaming dogs that have not been desexed were specifically in the SPCA’s sights.

The programme is for early intervention, stopping litters, reducing roaming and lowering the chances of people suffering serious bites.

The funding is ringfenced, and the programme will run from this coming 1 April to 31 March 2027.

Before Mihiata Te Rore was killed by a pack of dogs at a property at Kaihu, near Dargaville, the government appeared uncertain on the idea of law changes.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts had said there was no time for changes before the election and would not commit to changes if the government stayed in power.

After the death, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was open to changing the law.

The three dogs that attacked Te Rore were later put down.

The SPCA said there needed to be more than money, and that the current laws lacked teeth.

With the announcement on Wednesday, the SPCA called for an “urgent and comprehensive overhaul” of dog control laws as well as standardised national guidelines for every council.

It also wants a national database for dog bite incidents, strong and enforceable breeding rules, and updated Code of Welfare and ongoing funding for desexing.

In Auckland, one of the regions targeted, animal control staff have been busier than ever.

Last year Auckland Council got almost 17,000 reports of roaming dogs and more than 1300 reports of dog attacks on people.

Each year the council impounded about 10,000 dogs – releasing most of them – and it too has been calling for an overhaul of the decades-old Dog Control Act.

“We want people to be out and about, enjoying our parks, going for walks and having the fear of being attacked by a dog is not something that we want,” it said last month.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

One of Auckland’s largest new housing developments – the Sunfield community near Ardmore Airport in South Auckland, given the go-ahead under fast-track rules – has raised the ire of local politicians.

Developers Winton envisage nearly 4000 homes, a town centre, retail and healthcare buildings, three retirement villages and approximately 26 hectares of parks and reserves and ecological areas. Regional development minister Shane Jones says it will deliver up to $3.2 billion to the economy and support more than 24,000 jobs over the 10- to 15-year building period.

But concerns have been raised that it sits on a flood plain, is located near an airport, and does not have the extensive transport, water and sewerage infrastructure needed to support it.

The fast-track panel that gave the go-ahead did attach a number of conditions, including the need for stormwater and drainage management plans. But Kelvin Hieatt, the chair of the Papakura Community Board, and Auckland councillor Richard Hills, chair of the Policy and Planning Committee, say those have not been met.

“We’re sort of downstream of everything, and you consider what’s got to go into that suburb and if there is a major storm, major flooding coming through, eventually their systems get overwhelmed and it’s going to be coming downstream,” Hieatt told RNZ’s Nine to Noon on Wednesday.

“Our Papakura stream is the receiving environment and it’s going to come out through our communities. So that’s the last thing we want to see.”

Hieatt said the land Sunfield was being built on was peat, “so what doesn’t drain away has to run off. And particularly when you’ve got these large storms moving through, once the ground is soaked, it has to go somewhere. You couldn’t build in enough residue, residual infrastructure up there to accommodate it. It’s got to go somewhere once you overload it.”

He said the presently rural area presently had no treated water, stormwater, power, communications infrastructure or plans for transport.

“There’s nothing. Everything’s got to come out from Papakura to that area. There was some planning in the past… but that land is noted after, particularly after the Anniversary Day storms and then Cyclone Gabrielle as being flood-prone and at-risk. There’s a lot of work gone into the future development strategy to keep those areas rural…

“One of the things with this development is there’s supposedly no cars on site.”

Sunfield’s plan involves electric shuttle buses once the population hits a certain level. But not before then. Hills called it bad city planning.

“They don’t even start the electric bus until 445 households are already in there, and they’re going to give them temporary parking for the first part of their lives there and then have the electric bus come in and I guess the cars just magically disappear… It is not normal city planning, and people expect us in all those neighbouring neighbourhoods to this site to deal with it, and we may not be able to.”

Hieatt said future residents might not appreciate being so close to an expanding airport either.

“We [don’t] want another Western Springs, where we have infrastructure that’s been in for decades, decades and decades before people move in, all of a sudden they think, ‘Oh, well, it’s my peace and quiet.’ Hang on a sec, you’ve moved in at the end of a runway, you know?”

Hills said there was little the council could do to slow down the development until it met its standards.

“Fast-track supersedes all. I mean, we only get a couple of days to respond. Most of the work can’t be done. If you look through the Watercare responses, they say they didn’t [have time to check] some of the evidence they needed.

“So it doesn’t mean that there won’t be still resource consenting processes for housing in that development… but even through this process, there’s been no work on the overland flow paths, which is a normal process. There’s sort of no real suggestion about how stormwater is dealt with in a flood situation.

“It does deal – or supposedly deal – with lighter storms or heavy rain. But we know from 2023 and from this year across New Zealand how drastically things can change and where you build is just as important as how the infrastructure is around it.”

He said unless the developer planned to look after the development “forever”, eventually problems would end up back with the council.

“We have no plans for wastewater and water supply in that site anytime soon. And so it’s just pulling out-of-sequence infrastructure spending from current urban areas to these areas, which I’m assuming we’re going to be forced to do under the fast-track.”

He said the council was not trying to stifle development, but there was only so much it could do, particularly if rates were getting capped.

Winton was invited to join Nine to Noon to talk about its plans, but no one was available.

In a statement, it said the engineering solution for the Sunfield community had been designed by a ‘tier 1’ engineering firm, and the work had been peer reviewed by a further two equally well qualified independent engineering firms.

It said the stormwater solution for Sunfield was based on stage one of the Awakeri Wetlands, which serviced part of the Sunfield site, which was designed and constructed by Auckland Council and was currently operational.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

An iwi-led charter school will open in Porirua later this year.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced the Ngati Toa-run secondary school for children in Y7-13, Kura Toa, would open in the third school term.

Seymour said Ngāti Toa’s education organisation, Puna Mātauranga, would work with the school along with Te Pikau o te Rangi, an iwi-designed service that supported learners.

He said the school and others opening this year would take the total number of privately owned, publicly funded charter schools to 21.

Seymour said Kura Toa would provide pastoral care founded on an iwi framework and would track students’ physical, mental, cultural, and social wellbeing.

He said it would ensure none of its students were falling through gaps in the education system.

Seymour said 28.5 percent of Māori students in Porirua left school without achieving NCEA Level 1, compared to 17.8 percent across all students in Wellington and 32.9 percent achieved NCEA Level 3 or higher, compared to 43.8 percent of all students in the region.

He said Māori youth were referred to attendance services at a rate of 23 per 1000, nearly twice the Wellington rate of 12.8 per 1000.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Fire and Emergency (FENZ) has once again postponed its final decisions about restructuring.

Originally, FENZ said it would decide before Christmas on a proposal made last November to cut 140 positions and make changes to 700 roles in total.

It pushed that back to January, then again to Wednesday.

It has now been postponed again.

“The release of Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s organisational structure consultation decisions has been postponed until we have received the second determination from the Employment Relations Authority,” it said.

This second Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ruling was in response to two unions challenging FENZ’s consultation process.

FENZ said the ERA’s first ruling aligned with its position that it was not required to consult with the unions before issuing its change proposal last November, and that it can consult with them at the same time about the reason for changes and actual proposed changes.

The two sides were scheduled to go back to facilitated bargaining for two days in late March.

The Professional Firefighters Union earlier dropped a proposed ban on some administrative duties, such as doing fire reports.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Four teenagers have been charged over an Auckland home invasion that resulted in a high-speed chase across the city, ending on Karangahape Road with a forced stop.

The accused – aged between 15 and 17 – are due to appear in the Manukau Youth Court on Wednesday.

They face charges of aggravated burglary and the driver has been charged with assaulting a person with a blunt instrument and failing to stop.

It started with an alleged armed home invasion in the sleepy eastern suburb of Howick and ended with police forcing a stolen ute to stop on Auckland’s Karangahape Road.

Manukau area commander Shanan Gray said four people, one armed with a machete, carried out the home invasion in Howick before stealing a white Ford ute and heading south, shortly after 3pm on Tuesday.

The superintendent said the ute reached high speeds and drove dangerously, sometimes on the wrong side of the road, as the four people made their way through Manukau and Ōtara.

The police helicopter watched from above and Gray said at times, the ute crashed into cars and rammed patrol cars as they headed into the city.

Members of the police armed offenders squad (AOS) joined in the chase and a sponge round was fired.

Gray said a police dog was also used in the arrest.

The drama unfolded in the afternoon as commuters began making their way home from work.

A shopkeeper who only wanted to be known as Dave said the ute was heading into oncoming traffic when it was stopped.

“It was like full speed, boom. And the cop’s car … it just hit from the side. At that moment one guy jumped from the car with his hands up.”

A bridal shop worker, Jessie, was talking with a client when she heard two collisions outside on the street and what sounded like an explosion and a gun shot.

“I saw this white ute that had seemingly been the one that had crashed earlier, a bunch of men all kind of piled out of the car and all kind of got down on their stomachs…

“It had clearly been a police chase that had been going on for a while, because there were lots of police cars and police on them right away, and police dogs as well,” she said.

The worker said she was pretty shaken and locked the doors to their shop.

“We’re definitely kind of accustomed to some craziness happening outside on K’Road, so we’re definitely quick to lock our doors on occasions to keep our team and customers safe.

“But yeah, definitely nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Two other vehicles were involved in the crash.

She said one of the vehicles that the white ute crashed into looked like it had a young couple in, but she said they looked unhurt.

“It is extremely lucky that the reckless behaviour of these individuals did not result an anyone suffering serious injuries.”

Gray said two of the accused needed hospital treatment following the events.

“The victim of the aggravated burglary in Howick was shaken by the violent event that took place and has been provided support.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

With interest in electric vehicles increasing due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, questions have been raised over the reliability of New Zealand’s power grid, should there be an influx of EVs plugging in.

Petrol prices have risen past $3 per litre, and EV dealers told RNZ’s Morning Report they’ve seen a spike in sales since the Middle East conflict started to hit fuel prices.

But, if more Kiwis do make the switch, could the electricity network handle the extra demand from charging at peak times?

Drive Electric, an organisation established to advocate for cleaner transport options in New Zealand says even under the most extreme predictions of EV uptake, there’s no risk of the country running out of power.

Kirsten Corson, the chair of Drive Electric told Morning Report if all cars in New Zealand went electric, there would only be an increase of 20 percent in demand for electricity.

Corson says most people charge their cars overnight during off-peak hours, so are paying around $3 per 100 kilometres.

On top of the savings that can be made, Corson says smart charging set ups can often earn money with cars essentially becoming “batteries on wheels,” by allowing EVs to feed electricity back into the grid.

“Potentially, a car could put $2000 worth of value back into the electricity system. If you’re looking at something like a truck it was around $10,000 and a milk tanker was around $25,000 of value it could put back into the grid.”

Despite that, New Zealand has dropped behind other counties in the EV field.

“Embarassingly so, we’ve gone from a leader to a lagger. Over the last ten years we’ve seen around one in 10 new car sales are electric, compared to globally where one in four car sales are electric.

“The Australians are even ahead of us with one in five new car sales being electric, so we’re really behind the eight-ball. And, in China, one in two car sales are electric,” Corson said.

Corson says the government’s decision to drop incentives for EV purchases is concerning .

“We obviously want to see energy independence in this country, which we currently don’t have.” she said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A person has been critically injured after a scooter and vehicle crashed in central Auckland on Wednesday morning.

Police are at the intersection of Mayoral Drive and Cook Street.

The injured person has been taken to hospital.

Cordons are in place on Mayoral Drive near the intersection of Greys Avenue and Cook Street, as well as at the intersection with Hobson and Cook Streets.

Police say motorists should avoid the area if possible.

The Serious Crash Unit will attend, with a scene examination and crash investigation to begin.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Department of Corrections says a sharp rise in allegations of sexual assault by prisoners against staff is largely due to the introduction of a digital complaints function on in-prison kiosks.

However, a prisoner advocacy group says the increase reflects longstanding issues that were only now becoming visible.

Figures released to RNZ under the Official Information Act show there were 615 allegations of sexual assault made by prisoners against staff in the 2024/25 financial year, with the highest numbers recorded at Auckland Prison (152) and Mt Eden Corrections Facility (127).

However, Corrections said the “overwhelming majority” of those complaints were not substantiated.

Of the total, 343 were recorded as entered in error, 82 were withdrawn by prisoners and 99 were referred to alternative complaints processes because they did not relate to staff misconduct. The figures show 91 were not upheld, while just three allegations were upheld and one resulted in Police charges.

So far in the 2025/26 financial year, 153 allegations had been recorded, with similar trends in outcomes.

Corrections attributed the increase in complaints since 2023 to a new feature added to prisoner kiosks, allowing inmates to directly submit allegations against staff.

The President of the Corrections Association, Floyd Du Plessis, described the kiosks as fixed, wall-mounted touchscreen terminals available to prisoners in day rooms.

“They’re similar to an iPad-type system,” he said. “They’re bolted to the wall, and prisoners can access them during the day.”

Through the kiosks, inmates could communicate with case managers, request to speak with staff, access information, order canteen items and lodge complaints.

The complaints function covered a wide range of issues, from prisoner rights and general concerns to allegations about staff conduct, Du Plessis said.

Corrections said the kiosks also included a free-text field, which the department said had shown many complaints categorised as sexual assault were not, in fact, allegations of that nature.

Du Plessis said in his view many of the complaints were “malicious” or stemmed from misunderstandings of routine prison procedures.

He pointed to examples where prisoners had made sexual assault allegations following standard rub-down searches, which were part of daily safety protocols.

“There’s nothing sexual in that … it’s just a duty staff have to perform,” he said.

“While we do have a small number of these complaints that do come through, it is very small, and most of the allegations that do come through end up having no result because there’s no substance or basis to it,” he said.

The union wanted a limit on the number of complaints a prisoner could file each day.

“At this point, removing the complaints wouldn’t be reasonable … but potentially limiting the number of complaints a prisoner can make on any day – absolutely,” he said.

Du Plessis said complaints were initially assessed by senior officers, with further action depending on their seriousness. In some cases, staff could be reassigned or suspended while investigations were carried out.

He said access to CCTV footage often allowed incidents to be reviewed quickly.

“If it’s blatantly malicious, then it can very quickly be resolved and the staff member is not affected,” he said.

‘Kiosks didn’t cause the problem’ – advocate

However, People Against Prisons Aotearoa spokesperson, Dr Emmy Rākete, rejected the suggestion that kiosks were behind the rise in allegations.

“The introduction of digital kiosks has allowed the full extent of this problem to finally be visible for the first time,” she said.

“The kiosks didn’t cause an increase to occur. They’re just letting us get a clearer view at how many people in prison feel that they’ve been sexually violated by Corrections staff.”

Rākete said her organisation’s advocacy work with prisoners meant the figures were “not surprising”.

“It’s broadly in line with what incarcerated people have been telling us … that this is a problem, that this happens and that when it does happen, there are very few avenues to address it.”

Rākete also questioned Corrections’ interpretation of the data, particularly the high number of complaints that were withdrawn or not upheld.

“To point to every complaint that didn’t end in an investigation or charges being placed and say that it was frivolous, that doesn’t really hold a lot of weight with us,” she said.

She said prisoners’ dependence on staff could influence whether complaints proceeded.

“People in prisons are totally dependent on the institution … they are totally vulnerable to people running these institutions.”

Rākete said withdrawals should not be taken at face value.

“If I was raped in prison by a prison guard and I finally had an anonymous means to place that complaint and someone came knocking on my door … I can think of a lot of ways that I could be compelled to withdraw that complaint.”

She called for stronger independent oversight of complaints.

“There needs to be clearer external means of investigating and protecting the rights of incarcerated people.”

Private prison data missing

Corrections noted that the figures did not include Auckland South Corrections Facility, which was operated by Serco New Zealand under a public-private partnership and maintained a separate complaints system.

Rākete said that raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability.

“People have a right not to get raped … the Crown can’t subcontract out work that violates people’s rights to private contractors and wash its hands of the situation.”

She said the public had a right to know how many allegations were being made in privately run prisons.

Rākete said the spike in complaints following the introduction of kiosks should be treated as a warning sign, not dismissed.

“The fact that as soon as Corrections provided a more anonymous means of reporting sexual violence … there was an immediate uptick in reports … should be very concerning.

“That to me indicates that there is a problem here that this new system has made visible for the first time.”

The Department of Corrections was approached for comment.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Finance Minister Nicola Willis might be being optimistic if she thinks inflation at 3.7 percent is a “worst case scenario”, one economist says.

Willis told media on Monday that in the event of a prolonged conflict in Iran, lasting until the end of the year, inflation could hit that level, as modelled by Treasury.

Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said that seemed light.

Data on Tuesday showed food prices up 4.5 percent over a year, alcohol and tobacco up 0.2 percent month-on-month and electricity up 1.6 percent month-on-month, a bigger jump than expected. Domestic airfares were up 12.8 percent compared to January and more than 10 percent over a year.

“It just makes me a bit nervous in terms of how realistic it is to expect inflation to moderate through the course of this year.

“There are so many little bits you can look at and go oh there’s issues there … which suggests it’s going to be perhaps more difficult to get it back down to 2 percent than the Reserve Bank might have been anticipating.”

He said he would be redoing forecasts over the next couple of weeks and would increase his expectations.

“My instinctive reaction to the number from the Finance Minster yesterday of 3.7 percent being a worst-case scenario … it felt too light to be a worst-case scenario.”

At ANZ, senior economist Miles Workman said the bank’s had updated its forecast.

“The Middle East conflict is no longer shaping up to be a short, sharp shock.”

It now thinks inflation will peak at an annual rate of 3.6 percent in the third quarter of the year, with oil prices hovering around US$100 a barrel for some time yet before falling again towards the end of the year.

“Base effects, together with the assumption that oil prices eventually normalise, see annual inflation troughing at 1.4 percent in Q3 2027 before stabilising around 2 percent over the medium term. There are risks on both sides of this.”

Westpac said it now did not expect inflation to get below 3 percent until the end of the year.

Mike Jones, chief economist at BNZ, said it would be the second quarter data on for inflation that bore the full brunt of the direct effect of rising fuel prices, although there would be some impact on the March month of the first quarter.

“Things are clearly still moving around but we recently bumped up our Q1 inflation forecast to 2.9 percent , with Q2 rising to 3.6 percent.

“As always there are overs and unders to balance [from Tuesday’s data] … But we’re left with a bit of upside risk on that 2.9 percent forecast for Q1. We didn’t see quite the extent of seasonal declines in fresh fruit and vegetable prices we’d factored in.”

ANZ said it did not think the change to the outlook for inflation would affect its official cash rate predictions yet.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hundreds of speeding fines issued on a single day in Lower Hutt have been cancelled and refunded, after NZTA Waka Kotahi decided road signs had created confusion about the speed limit.

The transport agency issued 279 fines for speeding captured by a mobile safety camera on Rata Street on 16 November.

Motorists had received fines for driving above 30km/h on that day. Some had even been issued multiple fines for the same day.

Locals complained online and to the agency, saying road signs did not make a 30km/h limit clear.

A variable speed limit sign near Rata Street School, which caps the speed at 30km/h during school drop-off and pick-up times, created confusion as to what the speed limit was outside of these times.

Another sign further down the street signals a 30km/h limit but has a ‘Kura/School’ warning on it, implying there is another school zone, despite not being near a school.

Nikki Anglesey was fined $170 for going 51km/h down the road, which she thought had a limit of 50km/h, as there were no schools near where she was driving and it was a Sunday during the summer school holidays – well outside of school pick-up and drop-off times.

“It’s the first time I’ve had a speeding ticket in forever. I was kind of shocked because of the amount.”

She originally “shrugged it off” but decided to challenge the fine because she thought the signs were “really not clear”.

After Anglesey’s appeal was rejected, she requested more details about where the camera was and on what basis the fine was issued.

“I got very vague responses to that,” she said.

Anglesey consulted the NZTA’s website to find out the speed limit on Rata Street, but was given conflicting answers.

“If you click on the street, it will say 30[km/h], but if you put in your address, it will say 50[km/h].”

She decided to apply to go to court. But the case never got that far.

Following a review by NZTA, the transport authority decided on a blanket reversal of all fines for that day, acknowledging that signs had “created a genuine uncertainty”.

“NZTA acknowledges that the speed limit signage in place at this site was not clear,” it said in a statement.

“Concerns were raised by affected drivers that the different signs caused confusion about the time period that the 30 km/h speed limit was enforceable. We accept this situation was confusing for drivers and this is why we rescinded the infringement notices we issued.”

Anglesey found the letter notifying her of this decision “interesting”.

“They don’t give you much detail, but they said: ‘we’ve changed it because of public feedback’. That’s kind of weird. Shouldn’t you change it because the signage is not right? Or because no one still knows what the speed is on the street?

“Somebody, whoever’s in charge, needs to make a decision on what the speed actually is and whether that’s consistent for the whole street.”

Anna Chinn, an RNZ staffer, received three fines for that Sunday, when her partner had been driving.

“I have had maybe in my entire adult life two speeding tickets. That’s news to us that it’s 30[km/h] all the way on Rata Street.”

Chinn was ecstatic when she found the fines had been cancelled or were being refunded.

“Getting three speeding fines refunded is just like three Christmases coming at once.

“I’m grateful to everybody who had the capacity and went the whole hog and made sure that NZTA refunded those tickets.”

Speed limit changes causes confusion

Rata Street had a 50km/h speed limit outside of the school zone up until 2024, when the limit on the street was reduced to 30km/h.

In January 2025, the central government required local councils to reverse all speed limits lowered since January 2020 back to their previous limits by 1 July and introduce variable speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times.

Outside Rata Street School, the speed limit is 30km/h at all times.

The council is rolling out speed limit reversals near schools in batches, with Rata Street School in the third and last one.

Streets with schools in the first batch had speed limits outside of drop-off and pick-up times revert to 50km/h in January. Those in phase two are currently implementing changes.

A Hutt City Council spokesperson said: “There are variable speeds on Rata Street and motorists need to be vigilant especially when driving past the schools on this street.

“We are making some changes that will make things clearer for motorists and we have been in touch with the community about this.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Firefighters are still battling a blaze at a large distribution warehouse in the central North Island.

The fire in Milson, Palmerston North was first reported at 6.32pm on Tuesday.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said the first crew was on the scene by 6.39pm and found the building “well ablaze”.

Everyone was safely evacuated from the building, the spokesperson said.

More than a dozen crews have been working through the night to bring the blaze under control, with resources being pulled in from Wellington.

“Twelve fire appliances and about seven support vehicles from the Manawatū area are attending. Further fire trucks from Whanganui, Paraparaumu and Porirua are also attending.”

The fire was now “largely contained”.

“It’s too early to determine a cause of the fire, however a fire investigator is in attendance,” the spokesperson said.

In an update on social media at 4am on Wednesday, the Palmerston North Fire Brigade said the fire was proving hard to control.

It said “high fuel loading of various types, large industrial shelving and the type of building construction making it difficult to reach the main areas of fire”.

It asked people to avoid the area during their morning commute, saying JFK Drive would be shut for some time between Rangitikei Line and Fairs Road in both directions.

“Reminder if you’re down wind of smoke to shut your windows and leave air conditioning off and if you feel at danger to please call 111.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Seven Oranga Tamariki workers are accused of bashing two teens – or failing to stop them being bashed – in a tiny phone room at Korowai Manaaki in Wiri.

Prosecutors said the staff had gratuitously assaulted the boys after the teens had barricaded themselves in the two-by-1.5 metre room for more than an hour.

When the staff eventually got the door open, the six male defendants “stormed the booth in quick succession” and when they emerged, the teens appeared slumped over and injured.

But defence lawyers said the staff were using legal restraint to keep themselves and the teens safe in a high risk situation where the boys were destroying the booth, setting off sprinklers and flooding the unit.

Joseph Kirifi, Tapu Brown, Aidan Va, Quentin Schmidt, Susana Sofara, and two others with name suppression are on trial at the Manukau District Court and today pleaded not guilty to two charges of ill treatment or neglect of a child on 23 May 2023.

The crown told the jury that the charge meant each defendant had either assaulted the young people themselves, or failed to take reasonable steps to stop others hurting them.

Crown prosecutor Katie Karpik said the 16- and 17-year-old boys, who have name suppression, had been refusing to come out of the booth on the day in question, setting off the sprinklers.

They both had convictions for violence, were difficult to managed and one had escaped onto the roof before, she said.

When staff were finally able to open the door, the staff were frustrated and “elevated”, she said

“Despite there being only two youths in that small phone booth room they became significantly outnumbered by the defendants, she said.

“All seven defendant were in the room at one stage….and all six male defendants were in it for three minutes with two youths.”

Witnesses in the following days noticed black eyes and other injuries, she said

“The crown suggests such injuries are the result of gratuitous assaults and not necessary and reasonable levels of force.”

One of the defendants, Aidan Va, already had a conviction that for harming a boy at Korowai Manaaki about a month earlier, she said

He had arranged and filmed a one-on-one fight between two boys, she said.

She noted that did not mean he was guilty of the latest charges.

Relating to today’s case, he had sent a text to a friend saying he had “f***ed up” two boys and it was “crack up,” Karpik said.

The investigation that led to today’s charges was not sparked by a complaint from the boys, but other case workers had noticed their injuries.

When asked about them, the boys had lied and blamed them on things like falling off a chair, she said.

“They appreciated snitching was not the done thing,” she said.

No solid evidence, says defence

Each defendant has their own lawyer, and many wanted to make clear each defence was likely to be unique.

But most pointed out that, under law, the justice facility staff are entitled to use force against young people as long as it is reasonable.

They noted their clients were well trained and had used known, safe tactics to restrain the boys.

Joseph Kirifi’s lawyer Rasyad Ismail said his client was responding to a fast past situation that had escalated in the unit.

“Staff had no choice but to force entry into the room,” he said.

“The situation unfolded in a custodial environment where staff are sometimes required to intervene quickly to manage behaviour and to maintain safety,” he said.

Each of the boys had a long history of serious violence, including escaping custody, he said.

Several of the lawyers noted prosecutors did not know what happened in the booth – so, they could not separate who was alleged to have done the assault and who was alleged to have allowed it.

Shannon Withers, defending one of the men with name suppression, said the Crown case was “inferences at best, guesses and speculation at worst.”

He noted there were a lot of small people in a very small space where the boys had been destructive. That meant there could have been accidental injuries.

Emma Priest, for another with name suppression, noted the text messages the Crown was relying on for some of its case should be taken with a grain of salt.

They could be black humour among friends, she said, noting the use of emojis.

The trial is likely to take several weeks.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A New Zealand citizen living in Dubai says they feel abandoned by the government as conflict intensifies, describing constant missile activity, shortages and a lack of clear evacuation support.

Speaking anonymously, the expat told RNZ that conditions on the ground were far worse than portrayed publicly.

“Everything is not normal. It’s absolutely not business as usual,” they said.

“We’re getting constant alerts on our phones to take shelter. You can hear missiles being fired and intercepted. From my balcony I can see drones and fighter jets.”

The New Zealander described waking to “waves of bombs” and ongoing air defence activity in residential areas.

They said essential services were under strain, with supermarkets facing shortages and rising prices and hospitals unable to admit patients for non-critical care.

“I took a friend to the emergency department and they needed surgery, but they were turned away because hospitals are saving beds due to the conflict.”

The resident also described a crackdown on documenting events, saying authorities had warned people not to take photos or videos under any circumstances.

“Even if it’s your own apartment, even if a drone flies into it, you can be arrested for taking a photo.”

They alleged spot checks were being carried out, with officials reportedly searching phones and detaining people found with images of incidents.

“There’s no real explanation anymore. It’s just: don’t do it, or you’ll be arrested.”

‘I feel abandoned’

The expat said they had been monitoring the SafeTravel website prior to the conflict affecting Dubai, but no timely warning was issued.

“There was no early indication this was coming. The communication has been really patchy,” they said.

The resident described repeated failed attempts to contact New Zealand consular services during an emergency.

“I called the emergency number and it went to voicemail. I didn’t hear back for two days.”

Compounding the situation, the New Zealander said they lost access to their finances after a cyberattack coincided with a web service outage.

“My account was being drained and I couldn’t stop it. The banking systems were down. Even my bank manager said he couldn’t do anything.”

Despite reporting the cyberattack and theft, they said no assistance was provided.

“I contacted the consulate and got nothing. I’m sitting here with a drained account, waiting for my next payday.”

Confusion over evacuation flights

The resident also raised concerns about the lack of clarity around evacuation efforts.

They said New Zealanders were asked to register interest in evacuation but were not given details about timing, destinations, or costs.

“At one point we were told the flights would just drop us somewhere and we’d have to make our own way home,” they said.

“There was never a clear plan.”

They also questioned reports that evacuation flights were under-utilised.

“The next thing we heard was that planes were flying home empty because there wasn’t enough interest. But people here are saying they were never properly offered a seat.”

Commercial flights remained an option, but the expat said prices were prohibitively high and conditions unpredictable.

“People are paying thousands for tickets, but then the airport shuts, or roads are blocked, and they can’t get there… and they don’t get refunds.”

Others were attempting to leave by road, despite legal and logistical barriers.

“People are buying cars just to try and drive across borders. But the advice we’re getting doesn’t match reality. In some cases you can’t even legally do what’s being suggested.”

The New Zealander said what many expatriates wanted most was clear, direct guidance.

“I asked them: should we leave? And they wouldn’t say yes.

“If they had said, ‘leave now, here’s the plan,’ I would have gone immediately.”

Instead, they said many feel left to make life-or-death decisions with limited information.

The New Zealander said they felt others lacked sympathy for expats as they believed that those living in Dubai were wealthy or insulated from hardship.

“I’m not an influencer. I’m just trying to support my kids through university,” they said.

They said other New Zealanders in the region had shared similar concerns.

“Everyone feels the same. We feel like we haven’t been given enough information or support.”

“It’s really scary and I’m definitely not the only one who feels abandoned.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was approached for comment.

Its Safe Travel website continues to warn against travel to the United Arab Emirates, due to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the current risk posed by military strikes and armed conflict.

“We encourage you to monitor local media for updates and follow the advice of local authorities.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand consumers are being warned laptops, smart phones and even fridges are going to cost more as the price of key components jump by 400 percent.

Since the AI boom, manufacturers had pivoted away from making hardware like RAM and hard drives for general consumers – instead focusing on creating the more lucrative equipment for AI and data centers.

It was creating a shortage of key elements for phones, computers, even cars and dishwashers, prompting supply chain problems – driving up prices.

And according to experts, there was no signs of those prices slowing down for years.

In other words, if you need a new laptop or smartphone, do it now before the hikes continue.

Compulsion Tech’s managing director Ben Maxwell said the situation took a rapid turn late last year.

“The prices have just been crazy … I’ve never seen anything like it.

“Initially we sort of saw memory prices jump about 100 percent just within a few weeks and that was early Q4 last year. It almost continued with weekly price increases or sometimes even every few days.”

It became hard for Maxwell to get his hands on stock.

“There was no consideration of it even smoothing out or going down, it just kept creeping up for both RAM and solid-state drives.”

RAM was the flashy, fast memory that a computer processor accessed, while solid-state drives were the storage or hardrive for your technology. Both were two of the most important parts of computers.

“A 32 gig RAM kit used to sort of cost around $150. It’s now $750 for that same kit.

“It’s about 400 percent more expensive than it was in Q4 of last year.”

Maxwell said it was a similar increase for solid-state-drives.

“So just in those two parts alone and your standard computer, that’s 1000 bucks in extra price rise.”

But the increased price tag did not necessarily mean you were getting the best of the best either.

“You might have been able to buy a laptop last year for say $2000 … probably could have had two terabytes of storage, and 32 gigabytes of RAM.

“Now that same sort of model of laptop might cost two and a half grand or more, but it will actually also come with half the storage.”

Maxwell said it was a huge case of “shrinkflation”.

He said his business bulk bought components last year to try and slow the increases for its customers.

Why is it happening?

Chief executive and futurist at Gorilla Technology Paul Spain had been keeping an eye on this for a while.

“What we’re seeing is a situation where there’s constraints on the amount of components available for the general public, and businesses, because there’s just been so much demand for technology to go into the new AI data centers.”

But it was not as simple as a supply and demand problem.

“What’s actually used in the AI data centres is different from what we tend to use in our smartphones and our computers.

“They’ve allocated their production resource to be more focused on what’s needed in those AI data centres than what is needed in our everyday consumer and business devices.”

Spain said one of the biggest producers of tech for consumers, Micron, had withdrawn from the consumer market altogether to focus on production for AI data centres.

Which meant what RAM and SSDs were available for consumers came at a premium – giving the term ‘RAMageddon’ huge traction.

Spain said it was not a short term problem.

“We’re told it could be a number of years before this issue is resolved if the demand on AI data centres keeps up, because it takes quite some time to build or increase capacity at these manufacturing facilities.”

The shortages were moving into other components like gaming and graphics cards.

What should consumers do?

Consumer New Zealand’s product test journalist Nick Gelling said it was time to buy.

“It’s kind of we’re at the stage now where if you think that you will need to buy some tech in the next year or so you should really consider replacing it now, before the prices rise further.

“We just don’t know where this is going to go.”

He said consumers were already facing a likelihood they would be forced to pay more money for products that were worse than older models.

Maxwell agreed.

“It’s going to be a pretty hard sell if a customer’s been saving up to buy a computer that, say, was three grand in November, and then they’re finally coming around to buy it in January and February, and now that same machine is four or four and a half grand … significantly more expensive with less specs.”

He said consumers were holding off purchasing because of the huge pricing leaps.

“It’s actually having a much wider effect than just the core computer market … you’re not buying a computer anymore, so less keyboards and mice and monitors and accessories to go with are being sold.”

Paul Spain said it would also impact businesses trying to manage the equipment they needed and families who were trying to get the right devices for school and study.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A man who threatened four drivers with a machete in Australia in a series of attempted carjackings will be deported back to New Zealand.

John Suafai Semau held a 64-year-old man in a headlock while trying to flee an accident scene in Queensland in 2022 and steal his car, and rammed that vehicle into another car who blocked his getaway.

A truck driver carrying a shovel stopped him stealing another car, which had a man, his mother and their dog inside.

His last attempted carjacking was on a woman who had just loaded her shopping when he approached with the machete.

The father of eight was jailed for four years for armed robbery, unlawful entry of motor vehicles assaulting a police officer and supplying drugs.

The Australian administrative review tribunal heard that the 38-year-old had lived in Australia about half of his life.

“The applicant drove a car into a parked car and then drove off. A 64-year-old man followed the applicant as he was driving and later approached the applicant about driving into the parked car.

“The applicant put [him] in a headlock and wrestled with him, pushing and shoving him to the ground several times. In the course of that struggle, the applicant returned to the car and retrieved a machete and held it towards the 64-year-old man.”

Witnesses watched him wave the machete in the air and strike the top of the driver’s side door frame. He got in the car, while the older man tried to stop him.

The tribunal heard the offending had been ‘highly traumatic’ to the general public.

“I raised with the applicant that death of a person was a possible consequence of further offences and he did not disagree,” said appeal decision-maker Dominique Murphy.

“It is of note that a significant proportion of the Applicant’s serious criminal offending involved him driving a car, committing offences while driving or in the course of driving.

“The use of a machete would be a terrifying experience for any person.”

Semau said he suffered a workplace accident in 2018 which resulted in him not returning to work, and the year afterwards his baby son died aged only five weeks old.

He said he collapsed internally and made reckless harmful decisions, including taking methamphetamine.

His rehabilitation and weekly counselling meant that he could be safely managed in the community under supervision because he now understood the warning signs he previously ignored.

Murphy said his removal would not be in the best interest of his children. The youngest is three and has a congenital heart condition and her five-year-old brother has level 3 autism.

“The five eldest children would be aware of the applicant’s criminal offending and his incarceration, which will have had a negative impact on those children. These children have written multiple letters and cards about their close relationship with their father and their love for him.”

But she ruled that was outweighed by the seriousness of his offending.

“The applicant, as a non-citizen who committed the serious crimes described in these reasons, should generally expect to forfeit the privilege of staying in Australia.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A Department of Conservation (DOC) ecological report reveals that native plants are making a comeback in the blackened fire-charred areas of Tongariro National Park, but warns that invasive weeds and animal pests pose a risk to a full recovery.

One species – the Volcanic Plateau speargrass – normally hidden amongst dense, tussock, flax and mānuka scrub – has surprised scientists with its abundance.

In November, fire swept through about three thousand hectares of New Zealand’s oldest national park which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its cultural and natural significance.

Set alight accidentally through a car tyre rim creating sparks on State Highway 47, which ignited dry roadside vegetation, some held fears for native flora and fauna in the fire zone.

DOC technical advisor and botanist, Paul Cashmore, said the park had a history of fires dating back thousands of years and would recover naturally over time.

“Essentially we’re really pleased with the level of regeneration of native species that’s occurring to date given it’s only a few months since the fire actually occurred.

“Key species such as red tussock, which is a major component of the ecosystem there, was regenerating within six months of the November fire across a really wide area.”

The fire ground also held surprises.

“Some other particular species such as our Volcanic Plateau Speargrass, which is one of our threatened native North Island endemic species that occurs in the area, appeared to have survived the fire.

“So, it appears there’s a more significant population there than we previously thought and that’s likely to increase now that there’s more open habitat available post fire.”

Cashmore, who said animal and birdlife would repatriate the fire-zone as plant species got re-established, said weeds such as broom and gorse and browsing animals such as deer, hare and possum were threats that would need monitoring.

“One of our memorable experiences in the field was walking into a completely intact stand of Hall’s tōtara, with a chorus of native birds including toutouwai/robin.

“Remnant patches of vegetation like this act as refuges where flora and fauna have survived, which can assist with natural recolonising of the burnt area.”

Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro rununga member Te Ngaehe Wanikau said the report was a stark reminder of the damage the fire inflicted.

“From a cultural perspective Tongariro in our eyes is our tipuna, he’s our koroua and a part of him has been impacted, so our priority first and foremost is as hau kāinga is to restore his korowai and then to work hand in hand with DOC so they can address some of the ecological impact.”

Ngāti Hikairo would play a cultural role in the recovery, identifying areas of significance to iwi members and helping to maintain the rahui.

“The rahui itself what it does is it provides firstly the required works to be done in a safe manner without public interference. It gives awareness to everybody and it keeps everybody culturally, physically and spiritually safe.”

Crucially, tracks including the Tongariro Crossing would be accessible during the 10-year rahui.

Cashmore said despite the optimistic outlook DOC and its partners still had plenty of work ahead of them.

“We’ll continue working closely with Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro to monitor and act, particularly where it comes to weeds and deer.”

Visitors could help by staying on the tracks.

“Walking on the burnt area can introduce new threats like weeds and can directly affect the recovery of slow growing alpine plants.

“So, if you’re keen on naturing in this World Heritage listed landscape, we ask you to respect the 10-year rāhui by keeping off the firegrounds and sticking to the marked tracks.”

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said the ecological report confirmed whispers he had been hearing.

“We had a hint things were shaping up to be quite positive, but to have this confirmed by those specialists in this area is great.

“What I do understand too is that we’ve got funding from central government to the tune of over $3 million to accommodate any costs associated with weed control or planting and it could well be we have pest control as well.”

He said it was a shot in the arm for the region.

“It’s a destination, of course, well known to people. The Tongariro Crossing, for example, is part and parcel of Tongariro National Park, but also that we’ve got the tussock and we’ve got other species in that particular area and walks that go amongst all those areas.

“So, I think it’s great we are seeing some recovery sooner rather than later. We thought it was devastation and daunting the actual magnitude of the fire.”

The full police and FENZ report into the fire was yet to be released.

Police have confirmed there was no evidence of the fire being deliberately lit or criminal intent being involved.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Should teachers give children lollies and chocolates for good behaviour?

Some do even though Health Ministry guidelines say schools should not serve sweets or chocolate at all.

A teacher RNZ agreed not to name said rewarding children with sweets was surprisingly widespread – she saw it in about 20 schools she worked in recently across Auckland and Northland.

Northland parent Kali Kahn told RNZ teachers at her son’s first school routinely rewarded children with sweet treats.

“Lollies were given out in classrooms and in the playground for good behaviour like picking up rubbish in the playground or incentives to help clean up, as rewards for good work in the classroom,” she said.

Kahn said her son’s current primary school gave chocolate and lollies as special prizes.

She said neither approach was a good idea – especially in the far north.

“I absolutely don’t think that’s okay that teachers are giving out lollies as incentives or as rewards in the classroom or outside of the classroom in the playground. Within the school grounds the school should not be providing high-sugar foods to kids,” she said.

“There’s really poor dental health amongst our children. There’s high rates of teeth extractions, there’s high rates of cavities … We have rising rates of obesity and metabolic disease in children, it’s getting younger and younger our obesity levels and diabetes levels.”

Dental Association-Colgate oral health promotion manager Anishma Ram told RNZ lollies seemed to have become a common reward at schools.

She said the association obviously opposed the practice, but it also recognised that teachers seemed to lack other options for cheap, small rewards.

“Somewhere along the line it has become so readily available that we don’t have any other option,” she said.

Northland principal Pat Newman said his school rewarded classes with iceblocks a few times a year but some teachers also gave lollies.

He did not see a problem.

“The dental health that we’ve got in Northland is not caused by the few lollies or treats that they get at school. It’s probably caused by either the heaps of lollies they get from home or the malnutrition that they’re not getting the good food that they need. Or juice. Juice is one of your big ones up here,” he said.

“My attitude is they’d have to eat a hell of a lot of what we give out at school to actually damage their teeth. If they get one iceblock every couple of weeks it’s not going to do a hell of a lot of harm. If it means that they’re at school, well they’re better off at school and learning than not.”

Newman said teachers gave rewards for good behaviour.

“Going out and seeing them doing something nice, helping someone or going out and picking up some rubbish without us telling them. What we’re doing is we’re using it more for around citizenship and also for good work, but a lot of ours is around citizenship because that’s crucial,” he said.

In Rotorua, Kaitao Intermediate principal Phil Palfrey said he opposed the use of sweets as a reward or treat.

“It gives out the wrong message. We all try and cut down the lollies our kids eat and here we are at school saying ‘oh well, we’ll give out lollies’,” he said.

He said instead of sweets, the school’s teachers constantly gave praise for hard work and good behaviour.

They also had a system of awarding cards that could be cashed in for a pizza for the class – an item that would appear to sit in the health ministry’s no-no list, but one that Phil Palfrey reckoned was okay.

“I eat a pizza once every three months and I eat pretty healthily. These kids would only get probably at the most two or three pizzas in the whole year so I don’t think that’s too bad,” he said.

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