A rāhui is in place on the southern coast from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay, which covers anything the water touches or can touch with the high or low tides.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Wellington mayor says the current blanket direction for people to stay off all south coast beaches is not sustainable when test results show little risk, and is hinting at a possible change of policy.
There was a major sewage spill earlier this month – the city’s southern coast has been off limits since the Moa Point treatment plant failed catastrophically, pumping millions of litres of untreated sewage into the sea.
There is currently a rāhui in place on the southern coast from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay, which covers anything the water touches or can touch with the high or low tides.
Public health advice has been that people should not swim, surf, dive, fish, collect kai moana, walk dogs along the shore until further notice.
Mayor Andrew Little said the city and regional councils, Wellington Water and public health officials were now getting a picture of the level of risk, with nearly three weeks of monitoring of the impact of the untreated sewage being discharged into the Cook Strait on south coast beaches.
“We wanted to see what happened with the storm last weekend. We’ve worked our way through that and we’re showing good results in terms of a little or no contamination.
“On that basis, what we are looking at being able to say to people is: ‘here are the results, this is what it shows, the risk is pretty low, you make your own decision about whether you want to go onto the beach and and have a swim in the sea’.”
Little said they would also look at having a place where people could go daily to get an update on the risk and factors that could affect it on any given day.
“We can’t keep telling people just to stay away from the beach, stay away from the sea and producing testing results that show little or no risk.”
Little said they had to be practical and realistic.
“It is summertime, this is a beautiful part of Wellington to go to and if there is little or no risk, then let people make the decision about whether they want to use the amenity.”
Little said some risk remained near the outfall pipe, which could be used again.
“But in terms of [places] like Lyall Bay, Princess Bay, Houghton Bay, Island Bay, Ōwhiro Bay the testing results are showing little or no risk.”
Little said they had also had “good discussions” with iwi representatives about the current rāhui.
“They will continue to maintain a position that the health of the sea is at risk.
“But they’re clear to me that that doesn’t affect the public health advice we give about going onto the beaches and having a swim in the in the on the beaches.”
Health New Zealand directed RNZ’s requests for comment to the Wellington City Council and Wellington Water.
RNZ has contacted Wellington Water, the regional council, and Wellington iwi Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
After toppling Venezuela’s leader earlier this year, the Trump administration has turned its sights on Cuba. The near-total blockade of the island is now posing the greatest challenge to the government since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.
Cuba is quickly running out of oil, creating a dire political and economic crisis for the island’s 11 million residents.
US President Donald Trump’s embargo has prevented any oil tankers from reaching the island for months. A ship carrying Russian fuel is now reportedly on the way to the island to attempt to break the blockade, but the US has seized other ships that have previously tried.
The Trump administration has also threatened tariffs on any nation that tries to send Cuba fuel, putting Latin American leaders in an uncomfortable position. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has called out the embargo as “very unfair”, but she’s been careful not to antagonise Trump by putting an emphasis on the Cuban “people”, not the government.
This is not the first time the US has isolated Cuba, or coerced Latin American leaders to take part. Cuba has been under a US embargo for the past 66 years, which has stunted its economy and caused widespread human suffering.
The island has always found a way to get by, but can it survive this new round of American pressure?
Animosity grows in the 1950s
The Cuban Revolution caught the United States by surprise in 1959. During the Cold War, the US had supported dictatorships in Latin America, such as Cuba’s Fulgencio Batista, with political, financial and military support, creating widespread anti-US activism across the region.
After coming to power, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro instituted modest reforms to land tenure and infrastructure to support the impoverished people. Then-US President Dwight Eisenhower opposed these moves because of their impact on US commercial interests on the island. This opposition turned into a US embargo of Cuban sugar imports in 1960.
Fidel Castro and his revolutionary fighters in the mountains of Cuba in 1956.Wikimedia Commons
In response, Castro looked to the Soviets as an export alternative. Eisenhower retaliated by refusing to ship oil to Cuba, leading Castro to sign an oil deal with the Soviets and eventually nationalise American and British refineries. In 1961, Castro declared his adherence to “Marxism-Leninism”.
Castro and Cuba were hugely popular throughout Latin America. When the Cuban military defeated the CIA-trained force of exiled Cuban fighters at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, Castro was lauded for standing up to the US, though few knew of the military and intelligence support coming from the Soviets.
And when President John F. Kennedy began the campaign to remove Cuba from the Organisation of American States (OAS) in 1961, most Latin American democracies moved to block it.
To bring the those leaders to his side, Kennedy used a carrot-and-stick approach. He proposed an “alliance for progress” to meet the “basic needs of the [Latin] American people for homes, work and land, health and schools”. But his government also passed the Foreign Assistance Act, which established a total blockade of the island and prohibited US aid to any country providing assistance to Cuba.
The OAS removed Cuba as a member the following year and, in 1964, voted to embargo all trade to Cuba, except food and medicine.
Life under the embargo
The embargo prevented Cuba from reaching the modern technological age. Instead, it existed in socialist bubble, emphasising the care of its people over economic development.
Nonetheless, Cuba’s Cold War economic growth was comparable to its neighbours. In 1970, the nominal GDP per capita for Cuba was US$645 (A$900), slightly lower than Mexico and about double the Dominican Republic. By 1990, it was US$2,565 (A$3,600), about 80% of Mexico’s and more than triple the Dominican Republic’s.
Cuba was not industrialised, but the country did reach full literacy before any other Latin American nation and extended health care to all Cubans. Cuba then exported its teachers and doctors throughout Latin America, and beyond.
A Cuban doctor treats a cholera patient in Haiti in 2010.Sophia Paris/MINUSTAH via Getty Images
However, life on the island was still difficult, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
With no clear replacement for Soviet imports and subsidies, the economy began to buckle. From 1990 to 1994 (a time known as the “Special Period”), food production decreased by 40%, leading to food rationing, malnutrition and other health issues.
Protests broke out across the island in 1994 and some 35,000 Cubans fled on boats for Florida.
A boat in the Bay of Havana carries fleeing Cubans away from the island and towards the United States in August 1994.Jose Goitia/AP
Cuba and the US after the Cold War
However, the end of the Cold War brought newfound sympathy and assistance from Cuba’s neighbours. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, for example, provided Cuba with oil in exchange for Cuban doctors.
Then, in 2009, the OAS voted to readmit Cuba and allow for regional trade and tourism again.
US President Barack Obama followed suit in 2014, saying the US embargo of Cuba had “failed”.
His administration then initiated what would become known as the “Cuban thaw”. Then-President Raul Castro visited Washington in 2015 and, the following year, Obama became the first US president to visit Cuba since 1928.
Obama did not end the embargo, but he did open the door to US tourism, providing a lifeline for Cuba’s economy.
US President Barack Obama, centre, with his wife Michelle Obama and daughters take a walking tour of Old Havana in 2016.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
The White House claims Cuba presents a “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States, saying the island is cooperating with “dangerous adversaries” on intelligence activities, chief among them Russia and China.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned Trump’s embargo, saying “we do not accept anything like this”.
If Russian oil makes it to Cuba, more aid could follow. If that eventuates, the US will have invited Russia into its backyard again, laying the foundation for another Cold War-style stalemate, with the Cuban people once more trapped in the middle.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
Two new federal polls by DemosAU and Fox & Hedgehog have the combined primary vote for Labor and the Greens dropping as One Nation continues to surge. There’s no sign of a boost for the Coalition from Angus Taylor replacing Sussan Ley.
At the 2025 federal election, the combined primary vote share for Labor and the Greens was 46.8%, while the combined share for the Coalition, One Nation and Trumpet of Patriots was 40.1%. In the two polls below, the total right vote is 49% and the total left vote 41–42%.
A national DemosAU poll for Capital Brief, conducted February 16–20 from a sample of 1,551, gave Labor 29% of the primary vote (down one since a mid-January DemosAU poll), One Nation 28% (up four), the Coalition 21% (steady), the Greens 12% (down one) and all Others 10% (down two).
No two-party estimate was given, but seat projections had Labor winning 76–85 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, still enough for a majority but down from 87–95 in January. One Nation was winning 43–54 seats, up from 29–38, the Coalition 9–20 (10–22 previously), the Greens an unchanged 0–2 and all Others 3–7 (6–11 previously).
Anthony Albanese’s net positive rating was down three points to -17, with 46% giving him a negative rating and 29% positive. Taylor’s initial net positive was -4 (28% negative, 24% positive), up 14 points on Ley. Pauline Hanson’s net positive improved four points to -1 (38% negative, 37% positive).
In a three-way preferred PM question, Albanese led with 37% (down two), followed by Hanson at 25% (down one) and Taylor at 19% (up three from Ley).
Cost of living was rated the most important issue by 45%, followed by housing at 18% and immigration at 13%. Respondents were asked which of Labor, the Greens, One Nation or the Coalition were best for various issues.
Combining One Nation and the Coalition against the combined Labor and Greens gives the right a 44–32 lead over the left on cost of living, a 41–32 lead on housing and a 53–26 lead on immigration.
A national Fox & Hedgehog poll for the News Corp papers, conducted February 17–19 from a sample of 1,625, gave Labor 30% of the primary vote (up one since an early January Fox & Hedgehog poll), One Nation 25% (up four), the Coalition 24% (down one), the Greens 12% (down two) and all Others 9% (down two).
In a “three party preferred”, where Greens and Other voters are asked which of Labor, One Nation or the Coalition they prefer, Labor had 44% (down two), One Nation 29% (up four) and the Coalition 27% (down two). Respondent preferences gave Labor just a 51–49 lead over the Coalition, a two-point gain for the Coalition. Labor led One Nation by 53–47, a three-point gain for One Nation.
Albanese’s net approval was unchanged in the latest Fox & Hedgehog poll.Joel Carrett/AAP
Albanese’s net approval was an unchanged -15 (47% disapprove, 32% approve). Taylor’s initial net approval was +3 (26% approve, 23% disapprove) (Ley’s net approval was -13). Albanese led Taylor by 40–35 as preferred PM (39–31 vs Ley). Hanson’s net approval was up 12 points to +9 (44% approve, 35% disapprove).
On reducing the capital gains tax discount, 35% both supported and opposed. By 59–17, respondents supported an immigration ban from “high risk” areas. By 64–15, respondents did not think “ISIS brides” should be allowed to return to Australia.
Resolve poll on international relations
I previously covered the mid-February federal Resolve poll for Nine newspapers. In further questions, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a net likeability with Australians of -60, United States President Donald Trump -41, Chinese President Xi Jinping -26, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu -20, United Kingdom PM Keir Starmer -5 and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky +22.
The US’s net likeability was -17, down 21 since October and 34 from two years ago. China’s was -24, the UK’s +41, Japan’s +53 and New Zealand’s +67.
On the greatest threat to Australia in the next few years, 31% said China (down 23 since January 2023), 17% the US, 5% Russia and 31% all equally.
By 62–11, respondents thought Taiwan was a sovereign nation rather than a region of China. On any conflict between China and Taiwan, 36% thought Australia should support Taiwan, 7% support China and 38% not take sides.
On the Ukraine-Russia war, 40% thought Australia should maintain its current support for Ukraine, 16% increase its support (down nine since March 2025) and 21% decrease or withdraw support for Ukraine (up seven).
Tasmanian federal EMRS poll
A Tasmanian federal EMRS poll, conducted February 16–19 from a sample of 1,000, gave Labor 30% of the primary vote, One Nation 24%, the Liberals 18%, the Greens 13%, independents 12% and others 2%. One Nation only received 6.0% at the 2025 federal election in Tasmania.
Labor led the Liberals by 60–40 after preferences (63.3–36.7 at the last election), and they led One Nation by the same 60–40 margin. Figures for the five Tasmanian federal seats were given, based on samples of 200 per seat.
In Braddon, One Nation and Labor were tied 50–50, from primary votes of 34% One Nation, 31% Labor, 16% Liberals, 7% Greens and 10% independents. Labor was winning all other seats easily. Albanese led Taylor as preferred PM by 45–31 statewide.
Queensland DemosAU poll: LNP far ahead
A Queensland state DemosAU and Premier National poll, conducted February 10–20 from a sample of 1,044, gave the Liberal National Party (LNP) 34% of the primary vote (down three since the October DemosAU poll), Labor 28% (down one), One Nation 21% (up seven), the Greens 10% (down two) and all Others 7% (down one).
The LNP led Labor by 56–44 after preferences, a two-point gain for the LNP. All Queensland polls now have the LNP far ahead.
LNP Premier David Crisafulli had a net +16 approval, with 39% positive, 38% neutral and 23% negative. Labor leader Steven Miles was at net -10. Crisafulli led Miles as preferred premier by 43–32 (44–32 previously). By 44–36, respondents thought Queensland was headed in the right direction (42–38 previously).
Two new cases of measles have been detected and both have been linked to international travel.
Health New Zealand said locations of interest include Auckland International Airport and Waitākere Hospital’s emergency department.
Health officials are attempting to contact people on flight SQ281 from Singapore.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Richard Vipond said measles is a serious and highly infectious illness.
He said anyone with symptoms should phone health care providers before turning up to prevent the spread and the best form of protection was the MMR vaccine.
A new residential development is set to deliver more homes and an economic boost for Hawke’s Bay following the Fast-track approval of the Arataki subdivision in Havelock North says Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.
CDL Land NZ Limited lodged its application in July 2025 to provide up to 200 new homes across an 11-hectare site.
“Approval has taken just 5 months following the commencement of the expert panel,” says Mr Bishop.
“The project is estimated to generate around $78 million in investment and create approximately 629 jobs over the five-year development period during construction.
“This project will be very important for the people in Hawke’s Bay. It will create work for local people, bring investment into the area, and deliver more homes for families choosing to build their lives in the area.
“Housing affordability continues to be a challenging issue for the people of Hawke’s Bay. Over the last 10 years, house prices in Hawke’s Bay increased by 134 per cent and rental prices increased by 86 percent.
“Hawke’s Bay is another example of how the supply of homes has not kept up with growth. This means locals and temporary workers struggle to find affordable housing.
“This development of hundreds of homes will make a real difference in Hawke’s Bay, where demand for housing is high.
“This is the sixth Fast-track housing project and eleventh project overall to be approved through Fast-track.”
Notes to editor:
For more information about the project: Arataki
Fast-track by the numbers:
11 projects approved by expert panels.
18 projects with expert panels appointed.
149 projects are listed in Schedule 2 of the Fast-track Approvals Act, meaning they can apply for Fast-track approval.
47 projects currently progressing through the Fast-track process.
28 projects have been referred to Fast-track by the Minister for Infrastructure.
On average, it has taken 122 working days for decisions on substantive applications from when officials determine an application is complete and in-scope.
Fast-track projects approved by expert panels:
Arataki [Housing/Land]
Homestead Bay [Housing/Land]
Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension [Infrastructure]
Drury Metropolitan Centre – Consolidated Stages 1 and 2 [Housing/Land]
Drury Quarry Expansion – Sutton Block [Mining/Quarrying]
Kings Quarry Expansion – Stages 2 and 3 [Mining/Quarrying]
Maitahi Village [Housing/Land]
Milldale – Stages 4C and 10 to 13 [Housing/Land]
Rangitoopuni [Housing/Land]
Tekapo Power Scheme – Applications for Replacement Resource Consents [Renewable energy]
Waihi North [Mining/Quarrying]
Expert panels have been appointed for:
Ashbourne
Ayrburn Screen Hub
Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project
Green Steel
Haldon Solar Farm
Kaimai Hydro-Electric Power Scheme
Lake Pūkaki Hydro Storage and Dam Resilience Works
Mahinerangi Wind Farm
Pound Road Industrial Development
Ryans Road Industrial Development
Southland Wind Farm Project
Sunfield Masterplanned Community
Takitimu North Link – Stage 2
The Point Mission Bay
The Point Solar Farm
Waitaha Hydro
Waitākere District Court – New Courthouse Project
Wellington International Airport Southern Seawall Renewal
Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown welcome Pharmac’s proposal to widen access to two medicines for people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma.
“Improving access to cancer medication in New Zealand is important to cancer patients, and their families. That’s why it has been a focus of this Government,” Mr Seymour says.
Pharmac is proposing to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma from 1 May 2026.
“This proposal would give people who meet funding criteria another immunotherapy option before surgery, while the cancer is still operable. This lowers the chance of the cancer coming back,” Mr Seymour says.
“Nivolumab and ipilimumab are immunotherapy medicines that help the immune system better recognise and attack certain types of cancer. Using them together can have a stronger effect on the immune response.
“Clinical advisers told Pharmac that using these treatments together before surgery, then adjusting treatment after surgery based on how well the cancer has responded, can lower the chance of melanoma coming back. Nearly two in three people have a very strong response by the time their tumour is removed, with significant shrinkage or very little active disease remaining.
“Because of this strong early response, many people may not need further treatment after surgery. This can mean fewer ongoing infusions, and fewer hospital visits for people with melanoma, their families, and carers.
“When used early and together, Nivolumab and ipilimumab means some patients require fewer infusions. This is better for patients. It also frees up health resources by reducing pressure on hospitals and oncology infusion centres. We expect this proposal would save about 1,000 infusion hours each year.
Mr Brown says the Government is focused on ensuring New Zealanders have faster access to more effective cancer care.
“From strengthening early detection through expanded screening, to speeding up treatment and improving access to the latest medicines, our priority is making sure Kiwis can get the right care at the right time,” Mr Brown says.
“New Zealanders elected a Government they could trust to invest in better cancer treatments, which is why we provided a $604 million boost to Pharmac. This investment, including funding for 33 new cancer medicines, is expanding access to life-saving and life-extending therapies for thousands of New Zealanders.
“Today’s announcement marks a further step forward in expanding access to advanced treatment options so more melanoma patients can benefit from improved outcomes,” Mr Brown says.
Pharmac is engaging with clinicians, the public, and advocacy groups including Melanoma New Zealand to understand the practical impacts of funding these medicines. Feedback will be considered before a decision is made by Pharmac’s Board, or its delegate.
The wetland spans 7,000 hectares of swamps, fens and peat bogs and is one of New Zealand’s seven sites recognised globally for its ecological significance under the international Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Under the Convention, Ramsar Sites must be continually monitored. New Zealand is required to notify the Convention if the ecological character of one of our Ramsar wetlands has changed or is likely to.
This is the first time New Zealand has delivered an international report integrating science alongside maatauranga Maaori, underpinned by the principles of the Ramsar Convention, to comprehensively assess changes in ecological character.
DOC Regional Director Tinaka Mearns says the report, released today, concludes the Whangamarino has deteriorated since it was designated a Ramsar site in 1989.
“Whangamarino has faced mounting pressures for decades, but recent events have made things worse. Poor water quality led to fish and bird deaths in 2022-23, triggered by very low oxygen and a botulism outbreak following floods and extensive input of contaminants and organic matter into the wetland. The human-induced fire in October 2024 was another setback.”
The report identifies a concerning decline in water quality, indigenous wetland habitat, the wetlands’ Australasian bittern/matuku population, and cultural values recognised by mana whenua.
These declines are driven by the modified water regime in the wetland, poor water quality, large-scale fire, and invasive species such as koi carp.
For Waikato Tainui, Whangamarino is a taonga, deeply connected to identity and wellbeing, with significant ecological and cultural values.
“This report confirms what our people have been observing over many years. Maatauranga Maaori and lived experience tell us that the pressures on Whangamarino are cumulative and long-standing, and that restoration must address the whole system; water quality, hydrology, invasive species, and land use, not just individual symptoms,” says Marae Tukere, General Manager, Oranga.
“We acknowledge mana whenua and their tireless mahi monitoring, reporting, and working to mitigate impacts. Their kaitiakitanga and commitment are integral to protecting and sustaining our taiao.”
Internationally, there’s growing recognition that incorporating traditional knowledge and cultural perspectives into conservation reporting produces better conservation outcomes.
Tinaka says the report gives a fuller picture of the ecosystem’s decline and a deeper understanding of what this loss means for mana whenua and local communities.
“By thoroughly assessing the state of both ecological and cultural values in the Whangamarino, the report targets restoration efforts and builds the foundation for a strong collaborative response to revive both the ecology and mauri of Whangamarino.”
Waikato Regional Council Environmental Science Manager Dr Mike Scarsbrook said degradation had occurred over many decades, with the causes and solutions complex and interconnected.
Waikato Regional Council is leading the development of an action plan to respond to the decline, supported by DOC, Waikato Tainui, Waikato River Authority, mana whenua representatives, Fish and Game, landowners and other stakeholders.
The action plan will assess and prioritise actions to improve the health of nearby Lake Waikare (one of the adjacent waterbodies that feeds into the wetland) and Whangamarino itself. The action plan will address the full system, including hydrology, land use, water quality, biodiversity, cultural values and community connection.
“It’s taken a long time for Whangamarino and Lake Waikare to degrade, so it will take a long time for it to recover. Success of the action plan depends on sustained collaboration, investment and accountability – no single intervention will solve the problem. Progress relies on multiple coordinated actions,” says Dr Scarbrook.
DOC also has work underway to control pest plant species at the site, to reduce the spread of willow, golden dodder and royal fern.
A Kawau Island resident recently discovered they had an unexpected, feathered houseguest and he wasn’t paying rent.
Tucked into the corner of a humble garden shed, a determined North Island brown kiwi had dragged together an eclectic collection of plastic, paper and whatever else he could shuffle into place to fashion a cosy nursery. The reason? An egg, carefully laid by mum and now entrusted, as is kiwi tradition, to dad.
In the world of kiwi, the boys do the babysitting. Once the egg is laid, the male takes over incubation duties, sitting patiently for around 75–80 days; one of the longest incubation periods of any bird. For weeks, this devoted Kawau Island papa was spotted slipping out under cover of darkness to feed, then quietly returning to resume his devoted vigil.
Even a curious weka popped by to inspect the unusual setup, poking around to see what the shed-dwelling neighbour was up to.
When concerns were raised about the egg’s progress, a small team including Dr Juan Cornejo from Auckland Zoo and Lisa Tolich, Auckland Council’s Principal Specialist – Natural Environment Operations travelled to the island to assess the situation. The adult male was away at the time, but sadly the egg was cold and no longer viable. Candling confirmed the egg had developed to around 55 days, not far off maturity, but there were no visible blood vessels feeding it.
“It’s always disappointing when an egg doesn’t make it, especially when dad has put in such a monumental effort,” said Lisa Tolich.
“But every nesting attempt tells us something important about how our kiwi are doing and reminds us of just how resilient and determined our kiwi are.”
A comprehensive survey undertaken between January and March 2025 has provided the clearest picture yet of the Kawau kiwi population. Across three trips, trained kiwi dogs detected 56 birds, with 51 adults handled, many in just poor to moderate body condition. No chicks or juveniles were found.
“That absence of young birds suggests breeding success has been low in recent years,” said Tolich.
“Dry conditions, habitat degradation and heavy browsing of undergrowth by wallabies are likely reducing food availability and putting pressure on adults.”
Genetic testing also shows Kawau kiwi have very low genetic diversity, tracing back to a small founding population introduced in the 1860s. While unique traits remain, long-term resilience will rely on careful habitat restoration, wallaby control and managed genetic exchange.
While this chapter has a bittersweet ending, there is a bright side; the cheeky shed-squatter has since been picked up on camera, alive and well and hopefully before long, there will be another chance for him to egg sit with a happier outcome.
For this special Kawau kiwi population, this male, as he returns to his nesting duties, may yet play an important role in seasons to come.
What to do if you find a kiwi nesting on your property
Do not disturb! – if the bird is sitting on eggs, don’t move the nest, the egg or the bird
Keep it safe – make sure cats and dogs can’t disturb it
Consider having a backyard trap
Report it – let the Department of Conservation know. They may even want to monitor the bird – 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or
Don’t try to handle, feed (including leaving out food) or move the bird.
A worker’s life-changing injuries at a commercial bakery have exposed fundamental safety failures that WorkSafe says are far too common across New Zealand workplaces.
The worker’s hand was pulled into machine rollers at French Bakery in Christchurch in April 2023. His index finger was amputated, thumb partially amputated, and middle finger crushed.
Following a WorkSafe investigation, the company admitted work health and safety failures and has now been sentenced in the Christchurch District Court.
“This incident did not merely affect my hand. It shattered my livelihood, destabilised my family’s future, and left me with a permanent physical and emotional wound,” says the 41-year-old father, who has name suppression.
The case highlights three critical lessons that every business with machinery must act on.
Lesson 1: Lockout failures
Workers were cleaning and maintaining machinery without any method to ensure it couldn’t be turned on while they were exposed to moving parts. Some had never been trained or given proper equipment.
“Lockout/tagout isn’t optional. It’s a fundamental safety control,” says WorkSafe principal inspector, Shaun Millar.
“One worker turned a machine on while another worker had his hand inside it. That’s the nightmare scenario that proper lockout procedures are designed to prevent.”
Example of a lockout/tagout
Lesson 2: Incomplete risk assessments
French Bakery’s risk assessments identified some hazards but completely missed the crushing risk from rotating parts inside the machine involved.
“A tick-box risk assessment is worse than useless because it creates a false sense of security,” says Inspector Millar. “You need to systematically identify every way a worker could be harmed, including during cleaning, maintenance and repairs, not just during normal operation.”
Lesson 3: Training and supervision gaps
Although the business held extensive documentation, workers reported they had not seen lockout tags used, did not know where equipment was kept, and had not been trained in essential procedures.
“This wasn’t a freak accident. This was entirely preventable,” says Inspector Millar. “Every business with machinery needs to ask themselves: could this happen here? If you can’t confidently answer ‘no’, you have work to do.
“The solutions aren’t complicated or expensive. The cost of not doing it is measured in workers’ lives and livelihoods.”
WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses and workers to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe. When they do not, we will take action. Manufacturing is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous sectors, which is why it’s a strategic focus for WorkSafe.
French Bakery was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on 24 February 2026.
A fine of $200,000 was imposed, alongside reparations of $45,500
French Bakery was charged under sections 36(1)(a) and 48(1) and (2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Being a PCBU, having a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers who work for the PCBU, while the workers are at work in the business or undertaking, namely carrying out maintenance on a bowl lifting machine and cleaning of a stocking hopper on the Smartline Two automated bakery production line, did fail to comply with that duty, and that failure exposed the workers to risk of death or serious injury.
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Organised crime has a long history in Australia. For more than a century, criminal groups have accumulated vast fortunes, committed countless acts of intimidation and coercion and, at times, extreme and spectacular violence.
There’s the razor gangs operating in Sydney during the 1920s, and the underbelly gangland conflict in Melbourne during the 1990s and early 2000s. Now we have the nationwide “tobacco wars”.
All of this organised crime shares something in common: it’s centred around competition for control of the country’s highly profitable illicit markets.
But if we look back at the responses to organised crime and black markets in Australia’s history, we can see governments are making many of the same mistakes now as they did a century ago.
Changing times, changing vices
While organised crime has shown remarkable continuity, the specific markets it exploits have changed over time.
Each period produces its own anxieties about the harmfulness of different behaviours. These are shaped by prevailing social norms, the familiarity or novelty of what is deemed “deviant” and the political priorities of the day. As these factors shift, so too does whether and how different goods and services are regulated.
In his recent book, Ian Shaw recounts the exploits of Squizzy Taylor. He was a flamboyant criminal in early 20th century Melbourne with a penchant for fine suits, horse racing and armed robbery.
Squizzy Taylor was one of Melbourne’s biggest organised crime bosses in the 1920s.Wikimedia Commons
Yet the most reliable sources of income for Taylor and his contemporaries were not spectacular crimes, but illicit markets, particularly illegal gambling, sex work, and alcohol, commonly known as sly grog.
At the time, each of these commodities was subject to outright prohibition or extraordinary restrictions intended to reduce harm. For alcohol, this included mandatory 6pm closure times for licensed establishments.
While restrictive regulations likely reduced overall consumption, they also ensured the consumption which continued occurred in more dangerous, exploitative and unregulated settings.
Sex workers were routinely exploited by pimps and corrupt police. Gambling continued to extract money from vulnerable participants, with debts and disputes enforced through intimidation and violence. The widespread consumption of sly grog continued in beer houses run not by licensed publicans, but by organised crime groups.
But the biggest danger remained the extraordinary profits flowing into the hands of these groups. The size and profitability of these illicit markets created powerful financial incentives that spilled over into deadly conflicts.
These affected not just gangsters fighting one another, but innocent bystanders as well.
Today, all three of these once-vibrant criminal markets are now largely regulated, but not too strictly. That doesn’t mean they are necessarily free from harm. But there is broad public acceptance that effective regulation produces better outcomes than leaving control in the hands of criminal organisations.
Regulation helps protect the safety of both consumers and suppliers. And instead of vast profits flowing into the hands of organised crime groups, they go into the pockets of legal business owners and provide a major source of income for the government through taxation.
Illicit markets in contemporary Australia
Australia continues to grapple with illicit markets where prohibition or extreme restriction remains the dominant policy response.
A 2025 Australian Institute of Criminology report lays bare the extraordinary costs of serious and organised crime. They were estimated to be up to A$82.3 billion for 2023–24.
The single most costly organised crime activity, and the greatest source of revenue for criminal groups, concerns illicit drugs. Expenditure on the five main illicit drugs – cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), and heroin – was estimated at A$11.2 billion.
Carl Williams was convicted of murdering three people as part of the Melbourne gangland wars.Joe Castro/AAP
This figure does not include Australia’s fastest growing illicit drug market, nicotine, with expenditure recently estimated to be A$7.2 billion.
As with earlier black markets, demand for illicit drugs has remained strong despite them being banned.
In the case of nicotine, recent policy changes – high levels of taxation on tobacco and the prohibition of consumer vapes – have accelerated the shift towards criminal supply. Organised crime groups now supply a dominant share of this once largely legal market.
The false promise of prohibition
Australia’s approach to managing our largest contemporary illicit markets is eerily similar to that of earlier periods in history. It’s an escalating reliance on restrictions, penalties and police powers in an effort to disrupt supply and “crush” organised crime.
This massive investment was intended to make illicit drugs more expensive and harder to obtain. Law enforcement agencies have done their best with this vast amount of taxpayer money, producing record levels of arrests and seizures year after year.
But claims that arrests or seizures “break the business model” or “put a dent in organised crime” are hollow.
In reality, illicit drugs remain just as easy to find, purity has increased, and prices for every major drug type have declined substantially in real terms.
Methamphetamine, for example, is as readily available as it was 15 years ago but at roughly half the price, once adjusted for inflation.
Turf wars over the sale of illegal cigarettes and recreational vapes have spread across Australia.Joel Carrett/AAP
These outcomes reflect research indicating that intensifying law enforcement beyond a minimal level produces sharply diminishing returns.
They also closely resemble earlier attempts to suppress gambling, sex work and alcohol through prohibition. These attempts reduced legal supply without eliminating demand and, in doing so, strengthened organised crime.
What this means for illicit markets today
Some illicit markets remain beyond the pale and can never reasonably be subject to regulation. Those that necessarily involve inflicting harm and suffering on others, such as trading in child exploitation material or stolen goods, fit squarely into this category.
But other illicit markets warrant reconsideration in light of Australia’s own historical experience. This is particularly the case for those involving widely used goods or substances consumed by consenting adults, such as illicit drugs and nicotine.
This does not mean we should throw away all legal restrictions. Regulation means control – not laissez-faire.
Completely unregulated markets are risky. They give commercial interests strong incentives to promote consumption through advertising and 24/7 delivery. There is a strong case to be made that gambling, for example, should be subject to stricter regulation than is currently the case.
At the other extreme, overly restrictive policies that generate large illicit markets provide ready access to unregulated products, enrich and empower organised crime and are highly resistant to law enforcement.
The most promising path often lies between these two positions. For example, a 2025 New South Wales government inquiry recommended the current prohibition on cannabis should be overturned in favour of decriminalisation, and that a staged process towards a legal, regulated market be considered and assessed.
Australia has confronted these dilemmas before. When widely used goods and services were pushed out of legal supply while demand persisted, organised crime flourished. When those same markets were brought into the open and subject to effective regulation, criminal influence receded.
This approach would not only help protect the wellbeing of consumers. It would also deprive the Squizzy Taylors of today – people such as the alleged illegal tobacco kingpin Kaz Hamad – of their most important source of income, thereby removing a major incentive for violence on our streets.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne
Most people know about car safety ratings and many take them seriously when choosing a new car.
In Australia and New Zealand, safety ratings are issued by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), a non-regulatory, not-for-profit organisation that tests new vehicles and publishes results.
Here’s how the ratings have traditionally been determined, what is changing and what it all means for safety on our roads.
How car safety rating works
A majority of Australians say they wouldn’t buy a car that hasn’t achieved a five-star rating.
Manufacturers know this too. Those stars influence which features companies prioritise and what specifications they supply to different markets.
Yet unless you closely follow the car industry, you may not know much about what is actually tested.
ANCAP assigns vehicles a safety rating from zero to five stars based on a mix of crash tests, assessments of on-board safety features and the safety technologies built into the car.
1. Adult occupant protection. This looks at how well the car structure protects the driver and passengers in the most common crashes, assessed using crash-test dummies equipped with sensors. These tests include frontal (head-on) and side impacts, pole crashes, whiplash protection and how easy it is for emergency services to access occupants after a crash.
2. Child occupant protection. This examines how well children are protected in front and side crashes, and how built-in safety features such as seatbelts and restraint systems support them.
3. Vulnerable road user protection. This considers the risk the vehicle poses to pedestrians and cyclists, and includes tests of head and leg impact on the bonnet and bumper, as well as the car’s emergency braking system.
4. Safety assist. This focuses on crash-avoidance technology such as speed-assistance systems, lane support and autonomous emergency braking.
Vehicles receive a score for each pillar as well as an overall star rating.
To reach a given star level, cars must meet minimum thresholds across all pillars. This means the overall rating is limited by the weakest area.
Buyers’ considerations
It’s worth remembering that a safety score reflects the standards in place at the time of testing.
Rating requirements are updated every three years to encourage the inclusion of newer safety features and technologies in vehicles entering the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Buyers should check when a car was tested and which model was assessed.
It’s also important to consider the number of stars is an abstract rating – it doesn’t mean all five-star cars perform equally well in every area. Some may offer stronger crash protection, while others may be better at avoiding collisions or protecting pedestrians.
For anyone choosing between several top-rated vehicles, the detailed pillar scores can therefore be more informative than the stars alone.
Instead of the current four pillars, ANCAP will organise its assessments under a “Stages of Safety” framework (a reference to pre-, during and post-crash phases): safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash.
Crash testing remains part of the system but it becomes just one stage rather than the central construct.
The new approach places greater emphasis on features that help prevent crashes in the first place. This includes driver-monitoring technology and how reliably these systems work in real-world conditions – for example whether emergency braking can still detect pedestrians at night or in poor weather.
It also expands its assessment of safety features inside the vehicle by analysing issues such as whether key controls are accessible without using touchscreen menus.
More weight is also given to what happens after a crash. This includes whether electric door handles remain operable, if high-voltage batteries in electric vehicles are safely isolated and whether the vehicle can automatically notify emergency services with crash data through systems such as eCall.
What does all that mean?
While ANCAP is not a regulator, its ratings strongly influence what manufacturers supply to Australia and NZ and which cars buyers choose, meaning its priorities can shape real-world safety outcomes.
The new changes are broadly a positive step.
The main risk is, in broadening the existing framework, some areas may become less important.
Vulnerable road user protection was previously a distinct pillar and there is a chance its prominence could be diluted within a more complex system.
This matters because markets where safety ratings do not heavily emphasise vulnerable user protection – such as the United States – tend to have weaker incentives for manufacturers to prioritise it.
In recent years, the pedestrian death rate in Australia has risen despite improved car occupant safety. So, it’s important our rating systems do not lose emphasis on the risks outside the vehicle.
If safety ratings do not continue to highlight this clearly and prominently, buyers are less likely to notice it, its weight in the overall score will also decline, and manufacturers will naturally have less incentive to address it in vehicle design.
While greater emphasis on crash avoidance is welcome, crashes involving vulnerable road users will still occur. Protection should therefore continue to be clearly visible in ratings and a key criterion.
One alternative approach might have been to retain the existing pillars and build on them – for example by adding a fifth pillar, or expanding the current framework to include “safe driving” while integrating other new elements into the existing categories.
People with hip and knee osteoarthritis are advised to wear “appropriate footwear” to minimise their pain.
Does that mean heels are out? Does it matter if you wear runners or something a little stiffer? How about using insoles?
Our research, including our latest clinical trial published today in Annals of Internal Medicine, provides some answers.
We show that stable, more supportive shoes aren’t necessarily the best option, despite what you might have heard.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a condition that affects the tissues in and around a joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. It is more common in older people, and people with excess body weight. It causes joint pain and stiffness, and can lead to disability.
There are many causes of osteoarthritis, but excessive force inside the joint when someone is walking is thought to play a role. Excessive joint forces can also increase the chance of osteoarthritis worsening over time.
Shoes are our connection to the ground and can influence how forces are transmitted up the leg during every step. Some shoe features are particularly important.
Shoes with higher heels increase joint forces. For example, shoes with six-centimetre heels increase knee forces by an average 23% compared to walking barefoot.
Some shoes come with supportive features, such as insoles that support the arches. Other supportive features include being made with a stiffer material in the sole or heel.
But biomechanical research shows shoes with these supportive features actually increase knee force by up to 15% compared to shoes without them. Arch-supporting insoles also increase knee force by up to 6% when added to shoes.
So, are flatter, flexible shoes without stable supportive features – such as ballet flats – better for knee and hip osteoarthritis?
Not necessarily. We also need to look at people’s pain.
What we found
Our biomechanical research from 2017 in people with knee osteoarthritis showed flat flexible shoes reduced knee forces by an average 9% compared to stable supportive shoe styles.
This suggests flat flexible shoes could be better for osteoarthritis. To find out, we conducted two clinical trials to look at people’s pain levels.
They were randomised to wear different types of flat flexible shoes, such as flexible ballet flats, or different types of stable supportive shoes, such as supportive runners. People were asked to wear their shoes for at least six hours a day. After six months we measured the change in hip pain when they walked.
We found flat flexible shoes were no better than stable supportive shoes for reducing hip pain.
These findings differ to those from our 2021 clinical trial in 164 people with knee osteoarthritis. In that trial, we found wearing stable supportive shoes for six months reduced knee pain when walking by an average 63% more than wearing flat flexible shoes.
It’s unclear why findings differed between the knee and hip. But it might be because joint forces are higher in knee compared to hip osteoarthritis, and so there may be greater potential for stable supportive shoes to reduce knee forces, and therefore knee pain.
In both trials, more complications, such as foot pain, were reported by people who wore flat flexible shoes. This might be because these shoe styles provide less protection for the feet.
So which shoes should I wear?
For people with knee osteoarthritis, stable supportive shoes are likely to be more beneficial than flat flexible ones.
For people with hip osteoarthritis, neither shoe type is better than the other for improving hip pain.
But for all older people – including those with hip and knee osteoarthritis – it is sensible to avoid ill-fitting shoes, as well as shoes with high or narrow heels, due to an increased risk of falls.
For younger people with knee or hip osteoarthritis but who are not at risk of falls, it may still be advisable to avoid high heels given their potential to increase joint forces.
Who should you talk to?
If you are concerned about your hip or knee osteoarthritis, talk to your GP or other health-care provider, such as a podiatrist or physiotherapist.
NZSIS Director General Andrew Hampton.VNP/Louis Collins
The terror threat level to New Zealand has not changed – but the language used to describe it has.
Following a review by the Combined Threat Assessment Group (an inter-agency group led by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service), the threat level has been assessed as “possible,” which is equivalent to the previous level of “low.”
The NZSIS explained the change in language reflected efforts to explain the threat level in a more meaningful and accessible way to the public.
Director-General of Security Andrew Hampton said the designation ‘possible’ was exactly what it said.
“A terrorist attack in New Zealand is assessed as possible. This is something we should all be concerned about.”
Hampton said the NZSIS had talked about the deteriorating global threat environment “for some time,” and that was continuing.
“We are not yet at a point where the impact of this on New Zealand requires a change in our domestic terrorism threat level, but we are dealing with increasing complexities which makes it harder to detect terrorism threats.
“Although the terrorism threat level remains unchanged, we should not be complacent. A small number of individuals in New Zealand continue to express intent to undertake an act of violent extremism. Some almost certainly have access to the basic capabilities needed to carry out an attack.”
New Zealand’s terror threat level has not changed since November 2022.
The new definitions were expected, highly likely, likely, possible, and unlikely, replacing extreme, high, medium, low, and very low.
Last year, the NZSIS Security Threat Environment report said New Zealand was facing the most challenging national security environment of recent times, with foreign interference, espionage, and online radicalisation all highlighted as threats.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The Government is rolling out new Maths, English, and Science resources and initiatives, helping raise student achievement and sparking discovery in primary classrooms with brand-new science kits, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced.
“We’re committed to helping young people who are behind to accelerate and to ensuring they have the foundations to set them up for the next steps in their learning journey,” Ms Stanford says.
New resources now available include:
A new teacher-facilitated writing tool for Year 6 to 10 students a year or more behind
Maths resources for Year 9 and 10 students
New science kits for primary school classrooms
“Today’s Maths and English package will help ensure children are ready when they finish primary school, along with supporting students currently in their early years of secondary school.
“From next week, through our Make it Write action plan, Year 6 to 10 students who are a year or more behind are set to benefit from the new Writing Acceleration Tool.
“Scribo is a teacher-facilitated 14-week tutoring programme that will provide targeted support for each student’s learning needs.
“The writing tool will help close literacy gaps and strengthen students’ writing, spelling, and grammar. It iscurriculum aligned and designed to reflect New Zealand context and culture.
“We have been able to extend the programme to Year 10, which was initially announced for Years 6 to 8. There will be 120,000 student licences available to all state and state-integrated schools. Resources and strong support will be available for teachers alongside the release.”
New curriculum-aligned digital maths resources are also being provided for Year 9 and 10 students, alongside professional learning and development, following feedback from secondary schools. This is a continuation of the maths supports we have provided to every primary school across the country, now rolling up to Years 9 and 10.
“The new digital resources for Years 9 and 10 will include digital textbooks and workbooks guidance for teachers. Over the next three years, the resources are expected to benefit around 140,000 students each year, supporting 6,000 teachers.
“Teachers can choose the extent to which they use the resources, whether in full, or for supplementing existing resources that are working for them. There will also be professional learning development provided.”
Ms Stanford says a major milestone has also been reached in delivering Budget 2025 investments to strengthen science in primary and intermediate schools.
“New science kits are now rolling out across schools. These will be hands on and curriculum aligned, supporting teachers with bringing science to life in classrooms.
“We’re focused on ensuring every child is inspired and engaged with their learning. The new kits will support strong science from an early age and support teachers to deliver practical, interactive lessons.
“Science is such a fun and interesting part of school for so many young people, full of discovery and experimentation. These kits will provide another great dynamic element to lessons that helps spark interest and knowledge that can lead into new pathways in the future. This will help provide a great introduction to STEM subjects, an in-demand area with high-value jobs.”
Through the Government’s investment of $40 million, science kit provision is set to have full national coverage by early 2027, to align with the implementation of the new science curriculum.
“This is a Government that has put more resources into the hands of students to help raise achievement and close the equity gap, through careful financial management and prioritisation.
“Our children and teachers deserve the resources and supports to set them up for success. We’re committed to increasing the number of students to the expected level and to growing potential – our investment today is about fixing the basics, and teaching the basics brilliantly.”
Notes to editor:
The initiatives support the Government’s target of 80 percent of Year 8 students at, or above, the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030. The Curriculum Insights and Progress Study 2024 showed that:
For writing, 24 percent of Year 8 students were at the expected curriculum benchmark.
For maths, 23 per cent of Year 8 students were at the curriculum benchmark
The Writing Acceleration tool has been made available in response to results released last year from the Curriculum Insights and Progress Study.
Scribo is used internationally by leading school systems across Australia, South-East Asia, the USA and the Middle East.
The Government has also funded 349 literacy intervention teachers for primary schools and 143 maths intervention teachers through Budget 2025’s learning support investment package.
The maths resources are being provided by Education Perfect, a local Kiwi company.
In Maths, through Budget 25, maths intervention teachers will also be providing a new 12-week Maths Acceleration Programme for Years 3 to 6. This will facilitate small-group sessions as an addition to the regular classroom programme. More than 800 schools will be using the programme in 2026, with almost 140 additional full-time equivalent teachers already funded.
The maths resources into schools programme for Years 0 to 8 has delivered more than one million maths books.
Science kits will be developed and provided by House of Science, a reputable local provider. Training and ongoing support will be available for teachers.
720 schools have already registered for a science kit, ahead of the curriculum. There will be, on average, two kits per year level at any one time. The kits will be taken after a period of time and replaced with a brand-new kit.
As part of this initiative, an entirely new suite of science kits is in development for Māori‑medium education, with purpose‑built resources for and settings that align with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, the Māori curriculum.
Pharmac is proposing to widen access to two medicines used to treat melanoma, giving people another funded immunotherapy option that can help lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
The proposal would allow people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma, that can be removed with surgery, to receive nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab before surgery. People who require further treatment after surgery would also have access to funded nivolumab or other funded treatments if suitable.
“Treating melanoma with immunotherapy before surgery can significantly improve how well treatment works,” says Pharmac’s Director of Pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin. “This proposal would give people access to another effective treatment option that helps reduce the risk of melanoma returning after surgery.”
Pharmac’s clinical advisors have said that using these treatments together, before surgery, and then adjusting treatment after surgery based on how well the cancer has responded, can lower the chance of melanoma coming back. This approach has been shown to work better than using nivolumab on its own after surgery. Nearly two in three people have a very strong response by the time their tumour is removed, with significant shrinkage or very little active disease remaining.
“For many people, a strong early response may mean less treatment after surgery, with fewer infusions, and less disruption to daily life,” says Martin. “This also eases pressure on infusion clinics and helps the health system manage growing demand.”
People who still need treatment after surgery would continue to have access to funded nivolumab through this proposal, or other funded treatments if suitable.
Pharmac currently funds pembrolizumab, for people with melanoma which can be removed by surgery. Funding nivolumab combined with ipilimumab would mean that some patients would require fewer infusions, which would reduce pressure on hospital oncology infusion centres, and free up resources.
Pharmac estimates around 155 people would receive this treatment in the first year, increasing to about 166 people per year after five years. Most of the people in this group would have otherwise received funded pembrolizumab. Nivolumab and ipilimumab are already approved for use in New Zealand and are funded for some other cancers.
Pharmac is seeking feedback on the proposal from people with melanoma, their whānau and carers, health professionals, and other interested groups.
Consultation closes at 5 pm, Friday 6 March 2026. Feedback can be emailed to consult@pharmac.govt.nz. All feedback received before the closing date will be considered before a decision is made.
An apparent hack of medication platform MediMap has led to some alive patients being marked as deceased, and others labelled as ‘Charlie Kirk’.SCREENSHOT
A digital medical records data company has been taken offline after some patient records were modified.
MediMap is used by some health providers in aged care, disability, hospice and the community to accurately record medication doses.
A notification on the company’s website says the company is investigating the scope of the impact and will remain offline while this happens.
It comes almost two months after privately owned patient portal Manage My Health was caught up in a privacy breach.
More to come…
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Maritime NZ is preparing to launch an online application process for seafarer licensing. We’ve developed this new service through extensive engagement with the sector.
Over the past few years, people across the maritime community have shared valuable feedback on our notifications, certification, and licensing processes. This feedback has guided improvements that will make the process clearer and easier to follow.
We’re aiming to launch the seafarer licensing online application form in April 2026. The form will guide applicants through each step and tailor the process to the type of certificate they need. It clearly outlines the required documents and applicants can upload everything in one place. This will create a more streamlined experience for applicants and help our staff receive the information they need to progress applications efficiently.
Director Kirstie Hewlett says the changes reflect Maritime NZ’s commitment to supporting the sector with practical improvements.
“These improvements are a direct result of listening to the sector and acting on what we heard. We’re also working on a refreshed version of our website, which will have better navigation, improved search functionality, and – most importantly – updated and clearer content.”
These changes are part of the broader digital platform that Maritime NZ will continue to build and improve over time.
Kirstie says, “We’re excited to bring these improvements to the sector and look forward to supporting seafarers with a smoother licensing journey.”
It aims to help the public understand how money was spent and how their local water service provider was performing.123RF
Councils and water service entities will soon have to report how much is being spent on water supplies, what they are charging residents and how they plan to look after their infrastructure.
The Commerce Commission said new disclosure rules would be rolled out from Friday and would help the public understand how money was spent and how their local water service provider was performing.
The commission’s head of water regulation, Charlotte Reed, said providers that managed water and wastewater networks had a responsibility to manage them in ways that protect current users and future generations.
“Economic regulation gives us tools to provide independent scrutiny of providers’ performance,” she said.
Under the Government’s Local Water Done Well policy, 44 councils are handing water supply and management to separate and new water companies, and 23 are keeping services in-house.
The rules would be phased in with providers expected to get data collection systems up and running by June, the commission said.
The commission would turn the data into clear and accessible information for residents and ratepayers, with trends and performance able to be seen across different providers.
“By shining a light on what’s working well and where improvements are needed, communities will be able to have informed conversations about their water services- and providers can focus on delivering the outcomes they want,” Reed said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
New EIT Auckland students were formally welcomed to Aotearoa during a visit to Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae at Te Whare Takiura o Manukau (Manukau Institute of Technology).
Held on February 13, the visit included a traditional pōwhiri and provided an opportunity for students and staff to engage with Māori tikanga and strengthen their sense of connection and belonging.
EIT Auckland students and staff during their visit to Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae as part of orientation.
Robin Fabish, Pouārahi Māori (Executive Director Māori); Rocky Ropiha, Kaiwhakaako; and Putiputi Te Wake-Munro, Advisor Mātauranga Māori, travelled from EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale.
Robin said it was a real honour to join Rocky, Putiputi and members of the EIT Auckland team in welcoming the new cohort of international students.
“A formal pōwhiri is important for our new students not only for the cultural experience but also to spiritually welcome them to our land.”
“Many have left their families in their countries of origin, so as part of our manaakitanga and commitment to looking after them while they are in our country we’re pleased to be able to welcome them into our whānau.”
Student representatives Sofiya Parveen and Ruwan Dissanayaka also attended the visit to support their peers. Ruwan said it was a privilege to be part of the marae visit as a student representative.
“I have visited the MIT Marae with EIT several times, and each experience has helped me deepen my understanding of Māori culture, values, tikanga and whakawhanaungatanga.”
EIT Auckland Campus Director Cherie Freeman said marae visits are an important part of welcoming students and helping them settle into life in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“EIT warmly welcomes all new students with a pōwhiri and visit to the marae. Our international students often connect with the pōwhiri experience, finding familiar elements within Māoritanga that resonate with their own culture,” she said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.MARIKA KHABAZI / RNZ
New Zealand would support the United Kingdom’s decision to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession should it move to.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed New Zealand’s stance.
“If the UK Government proposes to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession, New Zealand would support it. The UK government has said any proposals would come after the police investigation concludes,” the statement said.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles by King Charles III last year and hasn’t worked as a member of the royal family since 2019 over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured at Windsor Castle in April 2025, was arrested on Thursday.Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images via CNN Newsource
However, he remained eighth in line to the throne.
The British government was considering passing a law to divest Mountbatten-Windsor of his succession rights after he was arrested by police last week, a UK official said.
Earlier on Tuesday, deputy Prime Minister David Seymour said his focus was on issues Kiwis faced.
Seymour told First Up he wouldn’t be drawn into whether New Zealand would back the move, with more pressing priorities back home.
“I think we’ve got 99 problems most New Zealanders are facing right now,” he said.
“This guy’s eighth in the line of succession, and these guys all seem to live to about 100.
“So, of all of the things that you could ask me about or we could be worried about right now, that’s probably a wee way down the list.”
Seymour said Australia had “obviously solved a few more problems” when quizzed if New Zealand had considered their position on the issue.
Good on them, he said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
