Author: MIL OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can confirm one person has died following a serious crash on Kamo Road, Whangārei.

Emergency services were called to a crash involving a truck and a pedestrian at around 9.35am.

Sadly, the pedestrian was struck by the truck and died at the scene.

Kamo Road remains closed between Mains Ave and Simons Street while Police clear the scene.

Enquiries will be ongoing into the cause of the crash.

ENDS.

Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/fatal-crash-kamo-road-whangarei/

Source: New Zealand Government

Regulations bringing clarity and consistency to the management of methamphetamine contamination in rental properties have now been publicly Gazetted and will take effect from 16 April 2026, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka says.

“For too long, landlords and tenants have faced confusion, inconsistent testing practices, and, at times, disproportionate responses. These regulations set clear, evidence-based thresholds and processes so everyone knows where they stand,” Mr Potaka says.

Under the new rules, a rental property will be deemed contaminated if methamphetamine residue exceeds 15µg/100cm² and must be decontaminated to at or below that level. Where residue exceeds 30µg/100cm², landlords and tenants will have the option of ending the tenancy quickly. In defined circumstances where there is evidence of contamination, landlords will be required to engage professional testers, with testing and decontamination aligned to key elements of New Zealand Standard 8510:2017.

The regulations are informed by expert advice, including from the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science and former Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman. They take a precautionary but pragmatic approach, protecting tenants’ health while avoiding unnecessary costs for landlords.

“With the regulations now Gazetted and coming into force on 16 April, the sector has certainty and clearer rules to follow,” Mr Potaka says.

Guidance will be available through MBIE’s Tenancy Services website. 

Note to Editors

For further details on the regulations, please visit Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s website: https://www.hud.govt.nz/our-work/methamphetamine-regulations

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/methamphetamine-standards-for-rental-housing-to-take-effect-on-16-april/

Source: New Zealand Government

Thousands of Kiwis stayed connected to health services over the holiday period thanks to the Government’s new Online GP Care service, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“During the Christmas and New Year period many New Zealanders are on holiday in different parts of the country and away from their regular GP. Online GP Care ensures they can still get timely medical advice and treatment wherever they are,” Mr Brown says.

Over the December to mid-January holiday period, 11,800 online GP consultations were delivered to around 11,000 people.

Since launching in May 2025, the service has delivered over 60,600 online GP consultations to nearly 50,000 people, showing strong and sustained demand for flexible healthcare across the country:

• More than 85 per cent of consultations resulted in treatment being provided
• Nearly 72 per cent of users booked because they couldn’t get a timely in-person appointment. Other reasons included rural location, work and family commitments, and avoiding exposure to infectious illness
• Use was highest among people aged 30-49 years
• 59.5 per cent of users were women and 40.2 per cent were men
• Māori made up 14.2 per cent of users, Pacific Peoples 6.9 per cent, and Asian communities 10.1 per cent

“The service is reaching people in both urban and rural communities across the North and South Islands,” Mr Brown says.

To make access even easier, a new Next Available Appointment feature allows people to see the earliest appointment across all online GP providers and compare costs based on age and Community Services Card status.

The feature includes direct booking links and is an early step ahead of a more comprehensive booking system planned for mid-2026.

Health New Zealand is also exploring how Online GP Care can be used in more targeted ways, including clinician-to-clinician support in rest homes, community pharmacies, urgent care pathways, and other high-need services.

“Our focus is on ensuring New Zealanders can access healthcare when they need it. Online GP Care is already supporting thousands of people, and it is an important part of our plan to deliver a more accessible and responsive health system that puts patients at the centre,” Mr Brown says.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/nearly-12000-online-gp-consults-delivered-over-the-holidays/

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  26 February 2026

Work to repair the Serpentine Church, in a remote part of Central Otago, has begun after it was trashed in mid-February.

DOC Central Otago Operations Manager Charlie Sklenar says windows were smashed, artefacts damaged and thrown around, and rubbish left all through the church.

“Serpentine Church is the last intact building in the remote Serpentine Reserve mining area and has stood strong for more than 150 years.

“Most of the Serpentine Reserve’s rich heritage is no longer visible, hidden beneath the tussock, so buildings like this present a tangible connection the region’s history. To have wilful damage inflicted upon it like this is upsetting.”

DOC staff have undertaken initial assessment of the site and completed urgent repairs to secure the site from further damage.

“Our first priority has been to make the building watertight, so there’s no further damage to the interior. Work to restore it fully will take time, and consideration to heritage requirements will be front of mind.”

Heritage repair work takes time and skill, and it’s not as simple as just replacing a window, Charlie says.

“We will draw on experienced people to help complete this work in a way that honours the original building, although every replacement takes the site further from its original material. It’s really disappointing a heritage site that’s stood all these years can have its integrity chipped away by senseless vandalism.”

Although the vandalism is disappointing, the response from the community has been heartening, says Charlie.

“This neighbouring communities take pride over these heritage sites as important parts of their local stories. Once the damage became known, we had people offering to get stuck in and help with repairs. Heritage restoration is very particular work, so we’ll engage qualified specialists for this mahi but we’re grateful for the care shown by the community.

“The best thing people can do is continue to advocate for their local historic sites. Visit them, enjoy them, and take the time to learn about what makes them so special. If you see something out of place, report it and encourage others to always be naturing responsibly.”

Background

Serpentine Reserve is a spectacular and well-preserved mining area on the Rough Ridge mountains.

An all-day walk or mountain bike ride, this significant and isolated scenic reserve has a feeling of remoteness. It shows many of the gold extraction technologies of the 19th century: a stamper battery, water wheel and church.

More than 1,000 m above sea level, the Serpentine Church was the most elevated in New Zealand when it opened in 1873. Today it is the only remnant of a once-bustling village. Much of the town’s rich heritage is hidden beneath the tussock: tailings, waterraces, dams, sod pits and the remains of buildings.

Contact

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/vandals-damage-historic-church/

Source: Green Party

The Green Party is calling out this Government’s record on child poverty following the release of the latest child poverty statistics.  

“It’s clear this Government has done nothing to reduce child poverty, choosing landlords and the wealthy over our tamariki,” says Green Party Co-leader and Child Poverty spokesperson, Marama Davidson.  

“Today’s figures show 1 in 7 children are living in material hardship. That means their households are struggling to afford their basics needs: food, clothing, heating and transport.  

“For Māori and pacific children, the numbers remain abysmal with 1in 4 tamariki Māori and nearly 1 in 3 Pasifika children living in material hardship.  

“Whānau across this country are doing everything they can for their tamariki. They shouldn’t have to fight this hard just to cover the basics. Every child in Aotearoa deserves a warm, dry home, a bed of their own, and a full belly. 

“Aotearoa has more than enough for every whānau to thrive. This isn’t a resource problem, it’s a political choice.” 

“These numbers are not just statistics. Behind every data point is a child going to school hungry, a family choosing between heating and eating, a pēpi growing up without the basics they need to thrive.   

“Instead of acting, this Government has watered down its child poverty reduction targets, slashed benefit increases, and ramped up punitive sanctions on families already doing it tough.   

“The data is clear: over the course of this Government’s term, there has been no meaningful improvement in child poverty.   

“Luxon has had no trouble finding billions in tax breaks for property investors. He’s made his choice, and it wasn’t our kids.  

“Aotearoa has more than enough for everyone to thrive. What we lack is a Government with the ambition and the heart to put our mokopuna first.   

“We can’t keep tinkering around the edges while a generation of tamariki is being set up to fail. Our mokopuna deserve nothing less,” says Marama Davidson. 

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/child-poverty-stats-highlight-governments-failing-record/

Source: NZCTU

NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi president Sandra Grey is blaming the Government for new data released by Stats NZ today that shows child poverty continuing to be a stain on New Zealand.

“Working to reduce inequality for families should be the top priority for politicians. This Government was elected to reduce costs, but their policies are leading to increased poverty and material hardship,” said Grey.

“Child poverty continues to trend upwards. The data shows that one in eight children live in poverty before housing costs, one in six after housing costs. That means one in seven children living are living in material poverty. There has been little improvement in the data over the past year, and on all three core measures of poverty the data has got worse since 2023.

“The biggest worry should that 23,700 more children are living in material poverty since 2023, up 16%. That means that they are going without the absolute basics including food, clothing, and heating.

“Progress on reducing child poverty has gone backwards over the past two years and it’s no wonder given the Government is making the cost-of-living crisis worse. They have cut the minimum wage in real terms, kept benefits low, and increased costs for essentials including prescriptions and travel costs.

“Tackling child poverty should be a top priority of this Government, but instead they are focused on cutting services to fund tax cuts for landlords and big business,” said Grey.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/government-policies-are-increasing-child-poverty/