Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

Saturday’s draw is a must-win.

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seniors Minister Casey Costello has been approached for comment.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

Bus trips, airport terminals locations of interest

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

Health New Zealand has listed the following locations of interest:

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

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

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

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

Outbreak continues across regions

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

As of Friday, regional case numbers were:

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

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

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

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

Vaccination demand surges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

The contaminated Kmart products include:

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

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

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

Thousands of children potentially exposed as schools continue to close

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Kmart products could test positive

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

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

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

What households should do

MBIE has issued instructions for consumers:

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

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

Workplaces and schools urged to treat contamination seriously

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strikes are still planned for 21 and 28 November.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The trial continues.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You need an external mechanism,” he said.

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

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

“You can multiply those numbers by 10 to 20.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more:

You can learn more about LATU, here.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Police were called to beach at about 7.30pm Friday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

What is the Jefferson Fellowship?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And what did you learn from your time in Thailand?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more:

You can learn more about the Jefferson Fellowship, here.

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Secure the ticket

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

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

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

Deposit the money into a savings account

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

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

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

Think about who to tell

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

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

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

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

Have a plan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knowing the difference would help to make wealth last.

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

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

Pay off debt

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

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

Be careful with gifting

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

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

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

Write a will

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

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

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

Tax

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Simon Williamson’s grandfather was in his late twenties when he rode his horse from St Bathans in Central Otago to Tekapo in South Canterbury.

The lambs he sought were too expensive but a good deed proved life-changing.

He met a man who took a liking to him and offered him the chance of owning a high country station called Birchwood in the Ahuriri Valley.

He bought it and his family and descendants lived there for 64 years.

It was then sold to the Crown and the Williamson family, in turn, bought another station, Glenbrook further east, straddling State Highway 8 south of Twizel.

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

At 4000 hectares and carrying 3000 merino sheep and a couple of hundred cattle, the sheep station is a lot smaller than the stations of Grandad Ted’s day.

Back in the late 1800s a sheep station would have up to 60 staff and contract staff.

Nowadays, Simon said, it is a little different.

“Now the boys have gone off to school, just Kirsty and me are full time and one full-time man who’s gold that’s worked for us for quite a long time now.

“And he’s rock solid. So there’s really only three of us.”

But with the stock numbers and a bit of cropping they try and make everything fit, so it is “doable”.

Simon’s wife Kirsty is a vital part of Glenbrook Station with her four dogs.

She works the sheep and cattle and plays an integral part in the daily running of the farm.

She also runs a tourism venture, welcoming cruise ship guests on-farm for a high country station experience.

“The buses come in and we give the guests lunch, with everything grown here,” she said.

“I think they just like the chance to get up a driveway. You know, they often drive down the road, and never really know what’s up here. So they get a chance to experience it.”

Glenbrook Station is in an extreme environment with harsh, cold winters and extremely hot summers.

Simon said, back in the early days, some winters you could lose almost a quarter of your stock and it took a long time to replace them.

“The winter of 1895, Benmore Station had 100,000 sheep shorn that season and … they got an early storm with metres of snow.

“In those days, there was no access out there. You only had a horse, and the snow covered the sheep over out on the flats.”

The shearing numbers were down to 40,000 the next season, so the numbers told it all.

“They lost 60,000 sheep in piles, so pretty devastating, those sort of events and history.”

Simon said when they took over the land there was no irrigation to speak of and it was not well understood at the time.

Six families took a punt and joined forces to pay for a scheme.

“We struck a good winter, and they got the whole canal right through from Lake Ohau.

“The whole canal cost about $4m to build, and it irrigated 4000 hectares of farmland and is still doing so to this day.”

He said modern, efficient pivot irrigators had been game-changers.

“We started with this irrigator here. It is 900 metres long, and it irrigates 275 hectares, pumping 200 litres of water a second to put six millilitres of water on 275 hectares.”

There’s something about the high country, a kind of romance, with books like Mona Anderson’s “A River Rules My Life” in 1963 helping build an image of isolation, adventure and beauty.

But Simon said there are plenty of challenges.

“Wilding pines are a real problem.

“They just need money thrown at them, so that they don’t become a problem forever, but it is solvable at the moment.”

He said when the rabbits disappeared in the late 90s the pine tree problem really exploded, but he’d rather live with killing a pine tree than rabbits destroying everything.

But the main purpose of Glenbrook is to grow fine merino wool for export.

It heads to Vietnam or China to be scoured, spun and woven into outdoor wear and socks, and ends up in stores in the US.

“It’s a wonderful product, and it’s natural, and merinos suit this country.

“It’s cold in the wintertime, hot in the summertime, and I believe that you farm, what your country suits, and I believe that merinos suit this sort of country.”

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

A $55,000 reward for information leading to those responsible for killing endangered sea lions in the Catlins a year ago has been extended to cover the killing of three sea lions at the Waitaki River mouth, north of Ōamaru, in August.

The New Zealand Sea Lion Trust (NZSLT) initially offered a $5000 reward for information leading to the killing of a sea lion pup and its mother, found shot in late 2024, and the death of another young female that had to be euthanised after being found with stab wounds in November last year.

The eight month old pup was shot and left to die in September, and its mother was found dead weeks later 100 metres away from where the pup had died.

A wave of support and donations saw the reward soar to $55,000.

But prosecutions have to be brought within twelve months of the offence due to statutory limitations in the Marine Mammals Protections Act, Sea Lion Trust co-chair Shaun McConkey said.

He said the reward has been extended, and will remain open until the end of August for information leading to those who killed the sea lions in Waitaki.

“Sadly I think the opportunity to prosecute someone for the Catlins killings has passed. But for the Sea Lion Trust one of the positives to come out of it is the number of people who are incensed about it, the number of people who are disgusted by it, and the number of people who are willing to give money towards finding the culprits and preventing it from happening again.

“There is certainly a lot of support out there for sea lions and other wildlife, and there’s enough people who have had enough of this type of thing going on.”

The three young males were found at the Waitaki River mouth, north of Ōamaru on August 10.

The New Zealand or Hooker’s sea lion – one of the rarest sea lions in the world – is nationally endangered.

They were hunted to the point of extinction, eradicated on the mainland for around 200 years, only returning in the 1990s when a sea lion named ‘Mum’ made her way to the Dunedin coast to give birth.

There’s thought to be around 10,000 sea lions left, mostly found on remote sub-Antarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands, though the main breeding colony on the Auckland Islands has halved in size in recent decades.

Sea lions are drawn to isolated sandy beaches, which made it hard to monitor the animals or install cameras in many areas, leaving the Trust reliant on information from the public, McConkey said.

“I’m just hoping that someone’s opened their mouth and boasted about doing this at the pub or something like that, and someone’s been listening and noted it and will be able to tell the police.”

It’s not known what was used to stab the sea lion killed in the Catlins, but McConkey said people would have been able to approach the animal, despite their size.

“If you were to go up and stab a sea lion, they’d most likely try and run away rather than attack you. They’re not especially aggressive animals, but there’s always someone who’s either incensed enough or macho enough to do this and it makes them look big and tough, but I really don’t understand it.”

Locals described the small colony at the Waitaki River Mouth where the dead and wounded animals were found as almost tame.

Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to injure or kill protected native wildlife such as sea lions and anyone who does so can face punishments of up to two years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000.

Mainland populations were doing better than their sub-Antarctic counterparts, where colonies were extremely vulnerable to disease and steep declines in numbers had been seen, likely due to wider ecological issues, including growing competition for dwindling fish stocks and the effects of climate change.

On the mainland, the animals faced threats from dogs, drivers and humans.

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 Taranaki family has paused work on the rebuild of their coastal bach, after a pair of nesting little blue penguins – or kororā – took up residence beneath its floorboards.

The Vile family, who are redeveloping a classic two-bedroom bach at Urenui Beach, are now patiently waiting for a chick to fledge.

Scott Vile, who’s owned his Urenui bach for about five years, knew he’d have to pause his summer renovation plans, when he discovered a penguin incubating an egg.

“Basically, I lifted a piece of chipboard there and they weren’t under there when I started in October, so me being me, I just went for it.

“Then my curiosity caught me out and I checked again on a Sunday, before I went to leave, and hello, there was a penguin sitting on an egg just nesting away, so I quickly made the phone call and got some help really.”

Coromandel couple Tracey and Peter Kendall told Morning Report on Friday they were at their wits ends, after their resident rowdy penguins migrated underneath their bedroom – keeping them up at nights.

Scott and wife Natalie were more relaxed about his find – they contacted the Department of Conservation and put the project on hold.

“Basically, we’re waiting for the penguin to fledge, so it will leave and go to sea, and once it’s fledged, we can continue on with the project and carry on.”

The timeframe was open-ended.

“Oh, it is just what it is. We’re pretty cruisy and, once we’re allowed to start, we’ll get in and begin chipping away at it.”

Scott said the bach had a history of penguins nesting under the floorboards and, at one stage, had a perspex viewing hatch in the floor.

“Late at night, they scoot out to sea, and they come back in when we’re having BBQs and a few drinks at night, and you can see them come back in.

“Kinda like little drunken sailors, they come in and hit their heads on the floorboards, ‘Donk, donk, donk’ you can hear them as they get back to their home.

“It’s just living in harmony really, just both us in the bach and them under the floor.”

Scott said the couple’s children, Bentley and Jordan, were thrilled by the discovery of the nest.

“We’ve been amazed by how fast the chick has grown. It’s been pretty cool to watch them grow.”

DOC tipped off Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga Pou Taiao about the penguin discovery.

“We actually all met here and had a look, and sure enough, there were a couple of little fuzz balls under the deck there. It was just really awesome, and we’re so grateful for Scott and his whānau for just being so accommodating of them, and willing to put their summer time on pause for us and the kororā.”

McKay helped monitor kororā for a joint Ngāti Mutunga – Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society project.

“There’s been kororā around this coastline for as long as I can remember and, from the stories I’ve heard, they’ve been around for generations now.

“We have two areas that we monitor closely – Wai-iti and here at Urenui – and there are plenty of kororā coming and going.”

McKay expected the Vile family could soon get back to work.

“We actually microchipped this penguin on Monday, so it had shed enough of its fluff, of its down feathers to be chipped. It should only be a couple of weeks now, [before it fledged], I imagine.”

Meanwhile, Scott Vile wasn’t worried about penguins causing him to lose sleep.

“We first encountered them up the coast at Wai-iti, so we’re pretty used to them and I sleep like a rock anyway, so they’ve never bothered me.

“Like I say, we just live together harmoniously. They come and go as they please, and we do the same, so it’s always been a good little relationship.

“We just need them to leave for a couple of months, so I can build a bach and then they can come back.”

DOC Taranaki principal operations advisor Kelby Clements said the Vile family’s decision to pause their project for the penguins’ benefit was “naturing at its best”.

“This is a great example of how small acts of naturing make a difference to protecting our precious native species.

“By pausing their project, Scott and his family have made a real difference to this little family of kororā, and that will contribute to our understanding of the species’ local population.”

There were originally two kororā – which were the world’s smallest penguin species – under the Vile’s bach, but one did not survive.

Clements said little blue penguin populations had been declining where they were not protected from predators and threats to the birds increase where there was human development in coastal areas.

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

After a death on a construction site, a coroner’s report has called a braking system found in some 70,000 vehicles around New Zealand “inherently unsafe”. Waka Kotahi disagrees.

Every time Selwyn Rabbits hears of a vehicle accident in the news, his first fear is that it is the same dodgy brakes as those on the runaway vehicle that killed his son nearly eight years ago.

“You get an instinct,” Rabbits says, a former military engineer and director of crane company Lifting Management.

His son Graeme Rabbits was crushed in January 2018 when the brakes failed on a telehandler, which rolled down a slope and pinned him against a concrete mixer at a construction site in west Auckland where he was working.

Selwyn started investigating soon after Graeme’s death and discovered several fatalities caused by vehicles with cardan shaft brakes since 2010.

The brakes are in around 70,000 vehicles in New Zealand, they are a common and cheaper form of braking system, with a single mechanism connecting to the gearbox rather than at the wheels.

Last week, in a major development, Coroner Erin Woolley found the parking brake was “inherently unsafe”. The finding was rejected by the Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) – but is in line with Rabbits’ own conclusions after nearly eight years of extensive investigations.

RNZ’s senior Checkpoint producer Louisa Cleave and reporter Jimmy Ellingham have been in close contact with Rabbits for many months but he was only prepared to go public with his story after the coroner released her findings.

Cleave tells The Detail how she became aware of Rabbits’ research into his son’s death through his niece, a friend of hers.

“I was immediately taken in by the detail that he had put together, it was an extensive amount of work in terms of other accidents that he had discovered, linked to the same braking system.

“One was just the previous year to Graeme’s death and I can only imagine when he started looking and started discovering all these other accidents and deaths how he realised that this was something that was a major problem,” Cleave says.

She says Rabbits was very insistent that he would not step outside of the coronial process and speak about the case because that’s where he would get the answers. It was always clear that any reporting would be based on her findings.

The Coroner referred to six fatal incidents involving vehicles with cardan shaft brakes since 2010, including one after Graeme’s death.

Her report said that Graeme’s death happened because the cardan shaft brake in the telehandler he was using to tow out the concrete truck failed to hold when it was parked on a slope.

It had been subject to a comprehensive servicing regime, and the Coroner said it would not have been obvious to Graeme, or any other person on site, that the brake would suddenly let go in the way that it did.

According to the report, what happened to Graeme could happen to any other person and more needs to be done to educate the users of vehicles with cardan shaft brakes about the inherent danger they pose.

The Coroner also strongly encouraged NZTA to acknowledge that relying on a cardan shaft brake as the only brake on a vehicle is inherently dangerous, because even a well maintained brake can fail without warning.

NZTA does not accept that finding.

In an interview with Checkpoint, NZTA’s deputy director of land transport Michael Hargreaves says since 1 December 2022, there have been significant changes to the Certificate of Fitness process, including roller brake testing.

He says that has led to fewer vehicles failing.

“In 2020, about a third of these vehicles used to fail, in 2025, after the roller brake test, it is now around about five percent,” he said.

He did not accept the Coroner’s finding that the brakes could fail whether or not they had passed the test.

“Our view and the assessment that we have made is that if we target the factors around poor maintenance and operational use, which is what we have done, those safety benefits will flow.”

Several reports on the NZTA website are dedicated to the brakes’ limitations and how to operate and maintain them. Over the years it has updated and added to the advice.

In July 2022, it issued a safety alert for them “to raise awareness of the limitations of the brake mechanism, including the potential risks of parking on slopes”. That was in addition to a WorkSafe bulletin on driveshaft parking brake failures.

The Transport Agency also requires vehicles with the braking system to display warning stickers.

Rabbits says NZTA has not done enough and he is seeking a meeting with the chair of the agency, Simon Bridges.

He knows it’s not viable to ban all of these vehicles outright as it would be hugely costly and inconvenient. But he wants more done to warn drivers and he wants to see new imports stopped.

Cleave says his call to action is backed by many in the industry.

The National Carriers Association has sent an updated alert to its 1500 members off the back of the coroner’s report.

Heavy vehicle compliance expert Steve Bullot says the system has a fatal design flaw.

Cleave says she has spoken to a number of other people in the industry who echoed those concerns.

In a written statement to Checkpoint, the NZTA board chair Simon Bridges says Rabbits’ request is being considered, and a response will be provided directly to Rabbits.

Any legal advice to NZTA or its board members in connection with the coronial findings and recommendations is legally privileged and confidential.

Rabbits is determined and says he has a lot of supporters. His objective has always been to prevent another death or injury.

“I come from a military background, I was an engineer in the air force and I’ve always believed that you’ve got to make the system right so that it performs, it does its functions just like the Navy is doing with the Manawanui.

“This has not been a grieving father. I’ve always approached this logically, constructively. And I’m a strong believer that if you do that, sooner or later someone will take notice.”

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some residents at an Auckland retirement village want to put the brakes on a policy that would ban any more electric vehicles (EVs) within its gates.

Fairview Lifestyle Village in Albany said it was concerned about the risk an EV fire would pose to the busy community’s residents and homes.

While rare, EV fires can be more difficult to put out than petrol car fires and the village said it was unclear who was legally responsible for managing that risk.

The policy was still in mediation, and residents who already owned electric vehicles would be allowed to keep them, but they were not letting any new EVs into the gated North Shore community.

As well as cars, the policy extended to e-bikes, e-scooters and wheelchairs.

Retirement Village Residents Association chief executive Nigel Matthews told RNZ’s Checkpoint this was the first case concerning electric vehicles that he had seen.

While the issuing concerned some retirement residents, he said it was great that consultation was underway.

“We have been aware that this has been an ongoing discussion since early February, March of this year and, unfortunately, some of these processes take a while.”

Matthews said concerns about the risks of EVs had seemingly been increased via the media.

“There’s been obviously a tension in the media – as soon as there’s an EV that blows up or catches fire, it’s on the front page. [If] it’s a diesel or a petrol car, you won’t hear about it.”

He said the issue was complicated by policies being formed after people had already moved in with EVs.

“Prior to people moving in, no policy on this. However, there’s obviously – you know – discussion that has occurred, and now they’re wanting to put in a policy, which would ban charging in your own garage and obviously underneath in the car parking area of the apartment.

“I get it, but you know, if the council imposed a sudden policy change on me and said, ‘You can no longer charge your EV in your own personal garage’, we need to actually change that. I would then want to engage in consultation and I’d want there to be some sort of resolution.”

Despite the decision causing frustration for some, he said the retirement village had acted properly.

“The law’s pretty clear – if operators change something that’s going to have a material impact on you, then you must consult. These operators have done exactly that.”

There was currently no end in sight for that consultation.

“At some point, there’s going to have to be a resolution at the end and you’ve got some residents that clearly want to be able to continue to use their EV.

“It’ll be like telling someone who drives a Ford now, ‘You can no longer drive your Ford, but we’ve got some Holdens you might like’.”

Matthews said, if the village wanted to look at also banning things like electric bikes and wheelchairs, they would have taken a broader look at the issue.

“I’ve seen the YouTube clips where things have exploded – either ebikes and EV of some sort that are being charged and then just caught alight… but I’ve also seen it with cell phones.

“At what point do you actually stop and say, ‘We need to have a bigger holistic look at this and come up with some sensible parameters?’”

Fairview Lifestyle Village said its overriding concern and objective was the safety of its 300 residents, as well as staff, visitors and property.

It said, in New Zealand, the legal responsibility framework around the safe management of EVs in residential care settings was completely undefined, so it had to define its own safety parameters.

It said it had taken a measured approach in consulting on and developing a policy to address the current technology and set guidelines for future advancements.

Fairview Lifestyle Village said it anticipated debate, and welcomed ongoing robust conversation to ensure that the policy ultimately implemented was fit for purpose and put residents’ safety first.

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

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown told local media he had requested a meeting with New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister regarding the funding pause, but was declined.

It comes as a second round of funding to the realm nation has been paused by Aotearoa, bringing the total funds held to nearly $30 million over two years.

Brown has declined an interview with RNZ Pacific.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Brown said the government continues to engage in good faith with New Zealand and that discussions are ongoing, “so it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time”.

However, speaking to Cook Islands Television (CITV) in Cook Islands Māori, Brown said he had received criticism for not meeting with New Zealand’s prime minister or foreign minister.

“I want to confirm to you all that I did send a letter to the prime minister of New Zealand and [New Zealand foreign minister] Winston to arrange a meeting between leaders, New Zealand’s leader and myself,” Brown, addressing Cook Islanders direclty, told CITV.

“I wanted to elevate these discussions to the prime minister’s level. But they sent their response, they wanted the discussions to be done between our officials.”

He said the Cook Islands was doing what New Zealand requested by leaving the meeting for officials to come up with solutions.

Uncertainty over what the problem is

The disagreement between the two governments stem from partnership agreements that Cook Islands signed with China at the beginning of the year.

The New Zealand government believed it should have been consulted over the agreements, while Brown disagreed.

Brown told CITV the agreements signed with China are “all over and done with”, and New Zealand has had an in-depth look at them.

“There is a part of the document we signed that [New Zealand] say they have a problem with but they have not been able to confirm with us what exactly it is that they have a problem with.”

Kiwis ‘running’ to Oz, Cook Islands economy ‘all good’

Brown said his government is able to cover the amount that New Zealand has put on pause because of a strong economy, driven by the tourism sector.

He said the money New Zealand had paused would normally be disbursed to education and health.

“Looking to New Zealand, they are having issues with the state of their economy, it’s going backwards, the people are running away from New Zealand for Australia to find better opportunities.

“But our status however, it’s all good, hence we were able to afford to cover the amount of money that we did not receive from New Zealand.”

Relationship between to nations ‘not like it was back in the day’

Brown said the relationship with New Zealand had evolved.

“For our relationship today, it is not like it was back in the day where New Zealand was like a parent, and we were the child,” Brown said.

“We have reached 60 years of self-governance; we are our own people, we have our own land, we have our own ocean, our own being, our relationship now is the relationship between friends, not of a parent and child.”

Brown said he wanted the friendship to grow and not go backwards – where New Zealand spoke for the country on the world stage.

“The younger generations and their young ones, they are able to fulfill roles that were once held by westerners or New Zealand… they can fly our flag, be our voice, out there in the world.”

But Brown said he did not want to change the free-association relationship between the two countries, which he has always maintained. It comes after several calls from New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters for Brown to hold an independence referendum.

“When looking at the state of this relationship, what we are pushing firmly for is that this relationship continues, and is strengthened, continuing on into the future,” Brown said.

Peters’ response

A spokesperson for Peters said they had nothing further to add to a statement issued last week.

Part of it said there had been a series of constructive discussions between New Zealand and Cook Islands officials aimed at remediating the breach of trust.

“However, Prime Minister Mark Brown continues in his public statements and actions to promote a vision of the New Zealand-Cook Islands relationship which is inconsistent with the free association model,” the statement said.

“He appears to wish for the Cook Islands to reap all the benefits of the free association relationship while being subject to none of the mutual responsibilities.”

A spokesperson for Brown in a statement told RNZ the Cook Islands remain committed to the relationship of free association with New Zealand.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A four-wheel drive has rolled on Tokerau Beach in the Far North, leaving at least one person with critical injuries.

Emergency services were called to the beach at about 7.30pm Friday.

Fire and Emergency said its crews were still working to free one person from the wreck.

St John said two ambulances and two helicopters were at the scene, one patient in a critical condition and another in a serious condition.

More to come…

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 specialist multi-agency family violence unit was unaware a man had been in a relationship with a woman he harassed and stalked, making nearly 600 calls to her in two weeks, before fatally stabbing her 55 times.

Corrections had asked police to check the suitability of the woman’s address for the man to live at.

On Thursday, Nathan Boulter – who had a long history of stalking and assaulting ex-partners – pleaded guilty to murdering a woman in Parklands, Christchurch, on 23 July.

The woman had been in a brief relationship with Boulter. After she ended it, he harassed, stalked and threatened her, making nearly 600 calls in two weeks, before hiding outside her home, then stabbing her 55 times with a hunting knife, as she arrived home with her children.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A specialist multi-agency family violence unit was unaware a man had been in a relationship with a woman he harassed and stalked, making nearly 600 calls to her in two weeks, before fatally stabbing her 55 times.

Corrections had asked police to check the suitability of the woman’s address for the man to live at.

On Thursday, Nathan Boulter – who had a long history of stalking and assaulting ex-partners – pleaded guilty to murdering a woman in Parklands, Christchurch, on 23 July.

The woman had been in a brief relationship with Boulter. After she ended it, he harassed, stalked and threatened her, making nearly 600 calls in two weeks, before hiding outside her home, then stabbing her 55 times with a hunting knife, as she arrived home with her children.

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