A new CT scanner is now operational at Wairarapa Hospital, marking a significant upgrade to diagnostic services in the region, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“This $2.46 million investment will strengthen diagnostic services for Wairarapa, bringing faster, more reliable imaging closer to home and improving access for local patients,” Mr Brown says.
“The previous end-of-life CT scanner has experienced regular outages, disrupting care and delaying appointments. The new, modern scanner will significantly improve reliability and capability, providing faster imaging, better technology, and a more consistent experience for patients and staff.”
“The upgrade is expected to deliver around a five percent increase in output and productivity, supporting faster diagnosis, stronger cancer pathways, and better access to imaging for both inpatients and outpatients.
“It will also strengthen the wider regional diagnostics network, ensuring hospitals are better able to manage demand and maintain timely care across the region.
“By investing in frontline infrastructure like this, we are ensuring regional communities like Wairarapa get the quality care they deserve.
“This is about putting patients at the centre of our health system – investing in the infrastructure and technology that supports frontline clinicians, strengthens regional services, and ensures communities like Wairarapa can rely on modern, quality care now and into the future,” Mr Brown says.
Negotiator Liam Rutherford told RNZ the Education Ministry made an offer which was only slightly different from the offer the union’s members rejected in December last year.
He said it fell well short of what members had told the union they wanted prior to mediation.
“I think it’s fair to say that teachers didn’t get the outcomes from that they went into it with and as a result, we’ve called for urgent facilitation from the Employment Relations Authority. We’re really hoping that might be the circuit breaker to get the government to come to the table and for us to get this settled,” he said.
The December offer would have provided a pay rise of 2.5 percent at the end of January and a further 2.1 percent a year later.
The Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche warned earlier this week that primary teachers were missing out on increased pay and benefits because they had refused to settle.
Roche said since the end of January, primary teachers at the top of their pay scale were missing out on about $50 a week before tax they would have received had they settled last year.
He said the sums were even larger for the 60 percent of primary teachers who had management units for extra duties.
Under the December offer, a teacher at the top of the scale with one unit was missing out on around $63 (before tax) per week, and those with two units were missing out on around $76 (before tax) per week, Sir Brian said.
“Teachers know there are no lump sums or backpay available in this bargaining round.
“Every week without settlement is money teachers aren’t receiving.”
Rutherford said NZEI members understood what they had rejected.
“Teachers are well aware that if they had accepted the offer, they would be getting the pay increases on offer. But I think that more points to the strength of the issues that we’re facing in the sector,” he said.
Rutherford told RNZ the government’s curriculum changes were a big factor in teachers’ expectations of a better pay offer.
“What came through more strongly than we ever have is this absolute avalanche of curriculum change that people have found themselves in at the start of 2026,” he said.
“I think it’s been one of those areas where people have known that it’s coming, but to be in 2026 and to look at not just the size, but the speed of the ambition of the Minister of Education to implement this, lots of people are feeling like they’re drowning.”
Rutherford said the union advised the Education Ministry on Tuesday that it wanted facilitated bargaining.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Parliament. (File pic)VNP / Phil Smith
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had to make a personal explanation in the House on Tuesday night, after he stated incorrectly the government was automatically extending visas for people in New Zealand affected by the war in Iran.
The Greens co-leader says he “snuck” into the House “late last night” to correct the record and it shows he’s “not across his brief”.
“He simply does not seem to understand the weight of the things that he is talking about, or the substance or logic that sits behind them,” Chlöe Swarbrick said.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister admitted he “misspoke” when he said New Zealand supported “any actions” to prevent Iran having nuclear weapons.
She says it’s disconcerting to have a leader of New Zealand talking about things that are “currently so much of a powder keg” and every time he opens his mouth “we have no idea how that is going to place our country in the context of the very tense international relations at play”.
Greens co-leader Chlöe SwarbrickRNZ / Mark Papalii
In Question Time on Tuesday, Swarbrick asked Luxon if the government would commit to automatically extending visas for people who are in New Zealand now whose home countries have been affected by the war, as happened in the context of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Luxon responded saying, “I understand that we are doing that, and the Minister of Immigration will continue to take advice on that too.”
That was in contradiction to what his Immigration Minister Erica Stanford had said earlier that day, where she advised anyone who might be affected by the conflict to contact Immigration New Zealand.
“If they contact Immigration, we will be really pragmatic about making sure that they remain legally in New Zealand.”
Immigration Minister Erica StanfordRNZ / Mark Papalii
She said it would be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the current visa that may be expiring could be extended.
Swarbrick said on Wednesday the Prime Minister had effectively said a blanket extension was happening when “we know it wasn’t happening”.
“So [the Prime Minister] then snuck into the house at 9:02pm I believe, late last night, to correct the record and to say that there was a case-by-case process, which we all already knew, available to those people.”
At 9.03pm on Tuesday night, Luxon sought leave to make a personal explanation.
“To be perfectly clear, Immigration New Zealand has a well established process for international conflicts, and will facilitate and take a pragmatic approach to visa renewal when people are unable to return home,” he explained.
“This was not an automatic process in the context of the invasion of Ukraine, and decisions will continue to be taken on individual visas.”
Swarbrick told RNZ he also “misspoke” or “got his correction incorrect” when he said there wasn’t a blanket extension applied during the war in Ukraine.
“We have it in black and white from a Cabinet paper,” she said.
The paper stated Cabinet agreed to “extend by 12 months the visas of all Ukrainians onshore whose temporary visas were due to expire by the end of 2022”.
She said the extension meant people didn’t have to go through an arduous “case-by-case” basic to have them extended.
Swarbrick said she was now expecting the Prime Minister to have to “correct his correction”.
She said politicians were human beings, “all of us will screw up, we will stumble over our words, we will also make mistakes.”
“But I think there is quite a substantive difference between that and what the Prime Minister has modelled time and again, but very evidently over the last few days, which is that he is not across his brief.”
Missiles are seen in the skies over Doha on March 3.MAHMUD HAMS/AFP
The family car is filled with petrol and packed with supplies and go bags for a hasty escape.
But for now, a New Zealand family living in Qatar’s capital, said they would stay where they were while loud booms could be heard in the distance.
Since Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, a number of countries in the Middle East have been hit by missile strikes including Qatar.
“If you’re calm and prepared, that’s probably the best thing that we can do,” Kathryn Rush said her Doha home.
Motorists drive past a plume of smoke rising from a reported Iranian strike in the industrial district of Doha on March 1.MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
She and her husband were oil and gas lawyers, meaning Doha was somewhere with work in their field.
Rush and their two children, Nick who’s 11 and 9-year-old Emily, moved over from Wellington at the end of December.
But now things had changed.
“It’s very reminiscent of Covid,” Rush said.
“We’ve spent the first few months getting ourselves into dance classes and bits and pieces, football clubs and things like that.
“So all of that’s now on hold as everyone has to stay at home as much as they can, my husband is working from home, the kids are home-schooling,” she said.
“Things are happening, you don’t know if it’s going to happen to you or not, and you’re just waiting and try to stay positive in the meantime.”
Rush was trying to stay positive for her young children too.
“The booms, you hear the booms and some of those sound closer than others… so they can be relatively loud,” she said.
“I popped outside and my daughter was on a trampoline tonight just to say ‘oh, do you want to come inside, those were quite loud’ and she said ‘yeah and there were some flashes in the sky too but I want to do some more trampolining’.”
Rush felt it was important to acknowledge with her children what was happening, “but not to be freaked out by it”.
“My 11-year-old is quite smart and quite onto it and is relatively are of what’s going on, but he’s settled in really nicely to school here, he’s got friends from all sorts of different countries and I think they probably talk about it a little bit as well,” she said.
For now, Rush felt comparatively safe – their house was among about 100 in a compound and all were low-rise.
They’re also to the north of Doha’s centre and airport, in the opposite direction to the American base further south.
For now, it felt like an added layer of safety, she said.
“We’re in an older compound… and the villas are really sturdy… so I don’t feel that we’re in as much of a target zone as perhaps some of the other areas.”
New Zealand’s advice to citizens remained to shelter in place but Rush said they would strongly consider leaving if the advice was upgraded.
“It would probably have to get a lot worse, I think, before we’d feel like we desperately wanted to get out,” she said.
The only real option was to drive to Saudi Arabia.
“I feel safer on the ground at the moment than I would in the air.”
Rush was sleeping fully clothed in case she had to quickly move in the night.
She and her neighbours regularly check on each other, but she said it felt like there was not much to check during the ongoing waiting for whatever happened next.
“It feels a bit probably like a Covid lockdown, except for the sound of the occasional loud boom.
“The car is full of petrol and packed with effectively camping gear and the usual kind of go back scenarios like water and that kind of thing, sunscreen, so you know we are prepared – if we have to go we have to go – but where that would be going is a little uncertain.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The man, aged in his 50s, has interim name suppression that prevents RNZ detailing much of the case.
Judge David Robinson extended the interim suppression order when the man appeared via audio-visual link in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.
The man is yet to enter a plea and name suppression will remain in place until at least his next appearance in May.
He was charged last October with five counts of exposing girls under the age of 16 to indecent communication.
Court documents show he is accused of propositioning the first girl after sexually taunting her and asking for her phone number in March last year.
Just over a week later, he verbally taunted the girl again.
He was accused of telling a second teenage girl “you’re gorgeous, you can earn some money if you give me five minutes of your time” in June.
He was also accused of saying “you’re pretty” to a third girl before offering her $100 to perform a sex act on him in early August.
Police were notified in the days following the approaches and the man was arrested a few weeks later.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Two offenders tried it on, and failed, after an alleged shoplifting at a clothing retailer.
The pair face court today after Police caught up with them in west Auckland on Tuesday morning.
Waitematā West Area Prevention Manager Acting Inspector Nick Salter says around 11am a unit was travelling through Henderson CBD, when a shoplifting was reported.
“A vehicle had been parked outside the retailer on Great North Road, with three people reported to be stealing clothing from inside,” he says.
“The offenders were confronted by staff, before they fled to the vehicle with stolen property.”
A Police unit came across the vehicle a short time later.
“Officers signalled for the vehicle to stop, however it failed to do so and sped away,” he says.
“The unit did not pursue and lost sight of the vehicle.”
A short time later units saw the vehicle again on Lincoln Road, not far from where it had originally been signalled to stop for Police.
“Eagle deployed into the area and was quickly above the vehicle, tracking its movements,” Acting Inspector Salter says.
“When the vehicle stopped at a red-light officers took the opportunity to apprehend the occupants.”
With the alleged offenders in custody Police were able to conduct further enquires.
“We discovered that the plates on the vehicle did not match the VIN number, and the correct registration showed it as stolen,” Acting Inspector Salter says.
“This was great work by our staff in continuing to follow up and look out for this vehicle until it was eventually found and the alleged offenders taken into custody.”
Two men, with gang links, will appear in court.
A 24-year-old man will appear in the Waitākere District Court today charged with shoplifting, failing to stop and cannabis-related offences.
A 34-year-old man will also appear in the Waitākere District Court today charged with shoplifting.
Dave Rennie has been named the new All Blacks coach, seeing off Jamie Joseph in the two-man race to replace Scott Robertson.
The 62-year-old former Chiefs coach and coach of the Wallabies was unveiled as the national coach in a New Zealand Rugby social media post just before midday.
Rennie, who is of Cook Islands descent through his mother (Titikaveka, Rarotonga), becomes the first All Blacks Head Coach with Pasifika heritage.
Rennie said it was a privilege to be appointed Head Coach of the All Blacks.
“Coaching the All Blacks is an incredible honour. I’m extremely proud to have been entrusted with this role and understand the expectations that come with it,” he said.
“I’m really clear on the way I want the All Blacks to play and I look forward to working with the players, management team, and the rugby community. We have a lot of talent here and we will be working extremely hard to make the country proud.”
More to come…
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
4 March 2026 – Woolworths New Zealand’s customers gave an extraordinary $326,000 during the Woolworths Salvation Army Christmas Appeal in December, boosted by a further $100,000 donation from the supermarket company.
On 27 February, a giant cheque for $426,000 was presented by Woolworths New Zealand to Major Christina Tyson, head of The Salvation Army’s Community Ministries, at its Manukau Community Ministries.
“This is an unexpectedly kind way to start the year! The Salvation Army’s dreams to transform people’s difficult circumstances often outstrip our resources. These funds will strengthen our capacity to provide essential food support and do the deep and wide work that shifts people from crisis to resilience. Thank you Woolworths for backing The Salvation Army’s mission to change lives. Thank you, too, for making it so easy for your customers to support our mahi. It’s reassuring in these tough times that so many are committed to caring for others and want to play their part,” said Major Christina Tyson.
Woolworths is The Salvation Army’s largest single corporate supporter and so far during financial year 2026 around $700,000 has been donated by Woolworths and its customers to The Salvation Army. More than $153,000 was donated by customers during July 2025’s Winter Appeal, with a further $100,000 donated by Woolworths.
“Our customers’ generosity is just absolutely amazing – even when we aren’t running our two annual appeals they continue to give. We partner with The Salvation Army because of their national scale, with about 60 foodbanks across the country. We know there are plenty of people doing it tough out there and we also know that we can rely on the Sallies to get help to where it’s needed,” said Kate Eastoe, General Manager Public Affairs and Sustainability for Woolworths New Zealand.
In addition to its support for The Salvation Army, Woolworths supports KidsCan, The Little Miracles Trust and NZ Red Cross and more than 30 food rescue organisations across Aotearoa. This financial year Woolworths will invest around $1 million in cash grants for food rescue groups and will donate thousands of tonnes of safe, surplus food as part of its aim to send no food to landfill.
For more on Woolworths’ support of community in Aotearoa, see our series of videos with The Spinoff: A little better every day, featuring Sunday Blessings, Fair Food, KidsCan and Netball’s FutureFerns, and our Mini Woolies programme of mini-supermarket sites in special schools.
About Woolworths New Zealand:
Woolworths New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest employers with 21,000 team members across over 185 supermarkets, distribution centres, processing plants and support offices. Each week we serve over three million customers and work with hundreds of food producers and suppliers throughout Aotearoa. We’re committed to delivering New Zealand’s best supermarket experiences for customers and team with more value, innovation and accelerated investment in our stores. We’re proud to give back to the communities we live and work in and every year we donate more than $7 million in food, funding and sponsorship to our communities. Woolworths New Zealand is also the franchisor of more than 70 FreshChoice stores, which are locally owned and operated. Woolworths New Zealand is part of Woolworths Group.
Whitireia and WelTec has launched the 2026 teaching year with a series of uplifting Pōwhiri, Mihi Whakatau and orientation events across their campuses, marking an exciting beginning for both new and returning ākonga (students). The events brought together ākonga and their whānau, kaimahi (staff), and community in a spirit of unity and anticipation for the year ahead.
Delivered in partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Te Āti Awa, the Pōwhiri and Mihi Whakatau remain a cornerstone of the Whitireia and WelTec experience. These ceremonies formally welcome ākonga into the Whitireia and WelTec whānau, honouring te ao Māori and reinforcing the values of connection, culture, belonging and manaakitanga from day one.
International students were also welcomed as part of the 2026 intake, with dedicated orientation activities designed to help them settle confidently into life and study in Aotearoa New Zealand. This year’s cohort represents a vibrant mix of countries including Germany, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Philippines, Russia, Ireland, Vietnam, Ukraine, Poland, Bangladesh, Denmark, South Africa, Nepal, and Malaysia, reflecting the growing global reach of the institute.
Across campuses, student expos are underway offering ākonga the chance to meet support teams, explore student services and discover the wellbeing, learning and pastoral resources available to them. Local businesses, community groups and student associations have joined the celebrations, contributing to a welcoming, festival-like atmosphere that showcases the strength and diversity of the local communities.
“At Whitireia and WelTec, ākonga success is about more than the classroom,” says Dr Leanne Ivil, Operations Lead. “Our wraparound support model ensures every ākonga feels connected, supported and confident throughout their learning journey. Starting the year with such powerful iwi-led ceremonies sets ākonga up with a sense of belonging that will carry them forward.”
With energy high and campuses buzzing, Whitireia and WelTec is excited to support ākonga as they take their first steps into a year of learning and opportunity.
Families are sleeping in cars, in the street and in damaged schools seeking safety as the number of people displaced in Lebanon rises and with seven children reported killed, Save the Children said.
About 58,000 people, including an estimated 16,000 children have been displaced in Lebanon in the past three days according to the Ministry of Social Affairs due to Israeli airstrikes and forced displacement orders.
With media reports of an Israeli ground incursion more families are fleeing their homes. [1]
As armed conflict spreads in the wider region, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed 40 people including seven children in Lebanon and a further 246 injured since Saturday.[2] [3]
Save the Children is urgently calling for a cessation of hostilities to protect children from further harm. Save the Children is responding on the ground by distributing essential items such as blankets, mattresses, pillows, baby supplies, hygiene items and water to people that are displaced.
Nora Ingdal, Save the Children’s Country Director for Lebanon, said: “Our team is hearing cases of children across Lebanon sleeping in cars, on cold pavements, and in partially damaged classrooms with cracks in the walls, while parents are sitting on the side of the streets crying, exhausted from little sleep after being unable to get into proper shelters with their children.
“The buildings that they are finding and using as shelters are places no child should have to sleep in. Some of the schools housing families have water dripping through the walls from broken pipes, and there are no beds. These buildings are becoming increasingly crowded are not designed to house families.
“In the south, families attempting to flee are stuck in huge queues of traffic. The situation is pure chaos for those on the move. Journeys that should take an hour are now taking over 15. Parents are telling Save the Children staff how anxious they feel, as they smell smoke and see bombs and drones loom in the sky over them.
“I heard a 10-year-old ask her mother “Why are they attacking us?” Her mother was completely lost for words and unable to give any answer to her child. This isn’t a question any child should have to ask.
“Many of these children have been displaced before and are completely terrified, families are being forced to relive their trauma and have nowhere safe to go. With media reports of an Israeli ground incursion, families are glued to the news for any updates, but nothing is clear at the moment, and the future remains unknown for millions.
Every possible effort must now be taken to prevent further escalation and to safeguard children. There must be an end to the hostilities. All parties involved in the conflict must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. Children must be protected at all times.”
SOURCES: [1] Lebanon Ministry of Social Affairs [2] Lebanon Ministry of Social Affairs [3] UNICEF Lebanon
Notes:
There are no cooking facilities in the shelters currently and toilet and washing facilities very minimal. Families are being forced to share toilets in schools meant for children in schools. One school Save the Children is responding in is meant for 130 students but there are already over 230 people sleeping there with the number rapidly rising. Rents have almost tripled overnight, with people being forced to stay with friends and relatives. All Save the Children staff in Lebanon have been affected. Some have had to flee with their own families during the night. They have barely slept, yet they still show up for work to help others with many fasting for Ramadan.
The Experiences of Care in Aotearoa report found that Oranga Tamariki has continued to not comply with the National Care Standards Regulations, six years after they have come into effect.
The National Care Standards Regulations set out the minimum standard that tamariki and rangatahi in care should receive.
The fifth Experiences of Care in Aotearoa for the period 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 was published today by Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor.
State care survivor and advocate, Ihorangi Reweti Peters, says this report is yet again highlighting that tamariki and rangatahi in care are not having their needs met, and they are being failed by the very system that is supposed to be caring for them.
“The Independent Children’s Monitor found that 246 tamariki and rangatahi stayed in a hotel or motel during the reporting period. Hotels and motels are not homes; they are meant to be used as a last resort in emergency situations for a short period while a more suitable care option is identified. When tamariki and rangatahi are living in hotels or motels they are cared for by a security guard, a casual staff member, a reliever, or a social worker – these are not people who should be caring for our tamariki and rangatahi. It is also shocking that tamariki and rangatahi with high and complex needs, which includes disabilities are more likely to be placed in motels. Tamariki and rangatahi need to feel safe, they need to have stability – which these motels or hotels do not provide,” Mr Reweti Peters said.
“The report also found that the number of tamariki and rangatahi found to have been abused or neglected while in Oranga Tamariki care has increased from 507 in 2023/24 to 530 in this reporting period. This is one in 10 tamariki and rangatahi in care. Māori tamariki and rangatahi make up 73 percent of those who were found to have been abused in care. Since 2022/23 the number of tamariki and rangatahi found to have been abused has increased. No abuse should ever be inflicted on tamariki and rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand, let alone in the very agency that is supposed to be protecting tamariki and rangatahi from harm and abuse.”
Oranga Tamariki needs and must do better to ensure that all tamariki and rangatahi in their care are safe and have stable accommodation.
Mr Reweti Peters said, “Kei te rongo koe? Are you listening? – VOYCE Whakarongo Mai’s State of Care Report and scorecard shows the importance of making sure that our tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care have their basic needs met, which include safety and stability. Kei te rongo koe? Paints another bleak picture – that Oranga Tamariki is still not doing enough to make sure that the minimum standards of care are being met and that tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care have their basic needs met. In 2027 VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai will do another scorecard and hopefully the scores will improve so that our tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care are safe and have their basic needs met and have the minimum standard of care that they deserve.”
“I welcome the report today by the Independent Children’s Monitor. I hope that in the interim Oranga Tamariki will start to comply with the National Care Standards Regulations so Aotearoa can see that there has been improvement. However, Oranga Tamariki is still in no place to care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable tamariki and rangatahi. I again, echo the calls from survivors, academics, and whānau that Oranga Tamariki needs to be dismantled and iwi, hāpu and whānau need to take over the provisions of caring for our tamariki and rangatahi,” said Ihorangi Reweti Peters.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is enforcing a total fire ban for the St Arnaud zone, which will take effect from 8am on Wednesday 4 March, until further notice.
During a prohibited fire season, no fires are allowed in the open and all fire permits are suspended.
The St Arnaud zone incorporates the urban settlement of St Arnaud and all public conservation land within the zone including Buller Campsite, Jetty Campsite, and the Teetotal Freedom Campsites located to the west of St Arnaud.
Announcing the fire season changes, District Manager Grant Haywood says no further permits will be issued until conditions ease across the area.
“Fires will start and spread very easily and will be more challenging for our firefighters to contain and put out in these conditions,” he says.
“If anyone sees signs of smoke, please call 111 immediately.”
Due to changes in the fire weather conditions, the Lake Rotoiti zone will also enter a restricted fire season from 8am on Wednesday 4 March until further notice.
A restricted fire season means a permit is required to light an open-air fire.
The Lake Rotoiti zone runs from Kikiwa in the north, Rainbow Road to the east, Kawatiri to the west, and incorporates all of the Nelson Lakes National Park.
“Having a restricted fire season gives us greater control of who can burn and when, and we can provide direct fire safety advice to those completing burns,” Grant Haywood says.
All fires in the open air now required an authorised fire permit, these can be obtained by applying online atwww.checkitsalright.nz.
“We are asking the public to take extra care during these conditions.
“Go towww.checkitsalright.nzfor full details of the fire season status and what activities are restricted or banned.”
There has been no real improvement in compliance with the National Care Standards (NCS) Regulations, six years after coming into effect. The regulations are the minimum standard the more than 5,600 tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) in care should receive. Oranga Tamariki has custody of nearly 99 percent of those in care.
The latest Experiences of Care in Aotearoa for the period 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 was published by Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor today.
Aroturuki Tamariki Chief Executive Arran Jones says this is the fifth full report on compliance with the regulations. The key reasons for there not being more improvement are that social workers need more help, and tamariki and rangatahi in care are still not sufficiently prioritised for government services.
“The three most common reasons tamariki and rangatahi enter care are parental alcohol and drug use, family violence, and neglect. They need to be well cared for and they need stability,” Mr Jones said.
The report found:
· 28 percent of tamariki and rangatahi in care had a change in caregiver. Half of these changes were unexpected. The most common reason for change was because the caregiver was unable or unwilling to continue providing care
· nearly 250 tamariki and rangatahi in care spent time in motels in the last year, a total of more than 4,000 nights – 1,000 more than the previous year. The median length of stay was four days.
· one third of tamariki and rangatahi were still not being visited by their social worker as often as they should. Tamariki and rangatahi still have an average of 11 social workers during their time in care
· 530 tamariki and rangatahi were found to have been abused in care – a continued increase. Those in secure residences or who had been returned home to live with their parent were more likely to experience abuse
· one in 10 tamariki and rangatahi of compulsory school age were not enrolled in school. Those who were enrolled had a lower rate of regular attendance than those not in care – particularly at secondary school (34% regular attendance)
· tamariki and rangatahi in care have high mental health support needs and accessing services is a struggle. The rate of hospitalisation for self-harm is much higher for those in care
· only 11 percent of eligible rangatahi had a completed life skills assessment and only one third received help from Oranga Tamariki to obtain identity documents (such as a birth certificate) and set up a bank account.
The report again highlights challenges accessing health and education services, and the need for greater prioritisation of tamariki and rangatahi in care.
“Ultimately Oranga Tamariki is responsible for securing health and education services for tamariki and rangatahi in its care. But it is tamariki and rangatahi who are missing out when government agencies waste time debating who should fund them. Improved communication and clearer prioritisation across government will help Oranga Tamariki meet its obligations – and ensure tamariki and rangatahi get the help they need.”
Mr Jones said Oranga Tamariki also has a duty to ensure rangatahi who are in care and getting ready to live independently at the age of 18 have the basics they need.
“There has been a concerted effort to improve the referral rate to transition support services – this is good to see. However, nearly one quarter of rangatahi are still not being offered this help. And they need to be referred earlier – of those offered, only 63 percent of rangatahi were referred at age 16.
“In early 2025 Oranga Tamariki developed a National Care Standards Action Plan. This is the first time it has had a clear plan with specific targets for improving compliance with the regulations. Our next report will reflect any improvement that results from this plan,” Mr Jones said.
Social worker visits are required in accordance with the child’s plan, or at least every eight weeks if there is no frequency specified. This is the requirement set out in the NCS Regulations. The operational data measure Oranga Tamariki uses for its quarterly reporting is if the child has been visited once in the previous eight weeks.
The National Care Standards Regulations came into effect in 2019 and set out the minimum standards required when a child comes into care. These regulations apply to Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation and any other agency with custody and care responsibilities. The lead indicators Oranga Tamariki uses to measure its own performance do not necessarily align with what the NCS regulations require.
Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor checks that organisations supporting and working with tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes. We monitor compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and the associated regulations, including the National Care Standards. We also look at how the wider system (such as early intervention) is supporting tamariki and rangatahi under the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act.
Aroturuki Tamariki works closely with its partners in the oversight system, Mana Mokopuna – Children’s Commissioner and the Ombudsman.
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026.AFP
KiwiSaver funds with exposure to oil and defence stocks might benefit from conflict in the Middle East in the short term, but providers are divided on whether to invest in them.
Oil prices have increased and stocks in companies that make weapons have also lifted.
Over the past year, the share price of Lockheed Martin has lifted almost 50 percent.
It could mean investors and funds with exposure to those sectors record better returns in the short term than those who have taken an ethical stance against fossil fuels, or against investments in weapons.
“Defence stocks will outperform,” Koura founder Rupert Carlyon said.
“Not just because of this, we’ve got to think about the significant increase in defence spending across the globe over the last 12 or 24 months and what’s expected to continue. Particularly with Europe slowly increasing their defence spending towards 5 percent of GDP.”
He said he was not opposed to invest in companies that made weapons.
“The question we need to ask ourselves is why is it wrong to invest in defence stocks? The world is a pretty ugly place…. there are a lot of bad actors out there, right?
“Whether you’re concerned about Russia, China, North Korea, Iran… at the end of the day we need weapons. There’s no hiding the fact a world without weapons made in the West is a world controlled by people that we do not want controlling the world.
“We need to think really hard around our weapons exemptions – I understand we might not like cluster bombs, and other things that are deemed illegal. But the truth is we need defence contractors. We need weapons.”
But Berry said it was a decision that needed to be made by investors according to their own ethical viewpoint.
“It’s a very personal question. And for me personally, I don’t want my KiwiSaver – to the extent absolutely possible – I don’t want my KiwiSaver invested in profiting from war.”
He said investors in weapons companies could not discern whether they were supporting weapons used offensively or defensively.
“The question is, do you want a connection with conflict in your KiwiSaver?”
Companies like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamic, Northrop Grumman and RTX had generated strong returns in the last one, three and five years.
But investors should remember they were only 2 percent or 3 percent of the S&P500 index. Carlyon said the average KiwiSaver probably only had about 0.1 percent added to their return in the last year from defence stocks.
US sailors at work as they taxi aircraft to a staging point on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury, at an undisclosed location on February 28, 2026.AFP/Handout
Oil versus lower carbon economy
Oil also posed questions investors had to grapple with.
“The question with oil is from an ethical perspective, it is problematic because we’re in a world that needs to transition to a lower carbon economy,” Berry said.
“If you look at oil companies, they have had strong performance for the last year. And while, although oil itself, West Texas Intermediate was up 5 percent overnight, but it’s actually slightly lower than it was three years ago.
“But oil companies have done well. Again …oil is about 3.5 percent of the S&P index. And so you compare that to technology at 33 percent, financials and banks at 13 percent, and healthcare at 10 percent.”
He said KiwiSaver was designed to be a long-term investment and in the past 10 years, oil and defence stocks had returned slightly less than the US market average. Technology stocks have been much stronger – recording such an increase that there have been fears of an AI bubble forming.
Marika Khabazi
The founder of Mindful Money, Barry Coates said investors might react by thinking they should invest more in fossil fuels to make higher returns from supply disruptions.
“This temptation to go for short-term returns may override their ethical position to use their investment to support the energy transition. Others may choose to maintain their ethical principles, and recognise that oil price instability is more likely to result in a more rapid transition to renewable energy.”
He said it could be argued that the oil supply disruption and likely increase in the price of oil had already been taken into account in the forward prices of oil and share prices of some oil companies had already risen.
“Financial analysts in the US have been far closer to the politics of launching bombing on Iran than NZ commentators or members of the public.
“Oil price rises are often temporary. For example, the price increases after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had a short blip on oil prices and oil and gas company share prices. Both measures soon resumed their pattern over the past decade, which has been to significantly under-perform the S&P500.
“The impacts may vary between individual companies in unpredictable ways. For example, with supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. These disruptions might affect different companies in different ways.”
Gold has also been pushed up by the uncertainty, which Berry said was a rational move to safe assets.
Overall, equity markets have largely taken the turmoil in their stride so far.
The Vix index, which measures volatility, was on Tuesday morning at about half the level it was when President Donald Trump announced tariffs in April last year.
Berry said what happened from here would depend on how long the war continued and whether there was a regime change in Iran.
“What happens in terms of disruption globally? How is oil and shipping distribution impacted globally and for how long? And you really need to answer those questions to know what the long-term impact is.”
He said KiwiSaver members should remember they were diversified across asset classes and countries and that would reduce risk.
“Get your risk profile right, focus on the long term, and think about values you want to take into account in your investing, particularly around weapons and whether you want to be profiting from war.”
Carlyon agreed the market response had so far been much more muted than had been feared.
The completed project which stood up well to heavy rain in January.Suppled / NZTA
A critical section of State Highway 35 has been raised by almost a metre as part of an upgrade to make the road more flood resilient.
The New Zealand Transport Agency says the 230 metre section at Rototahe, just south of Tolaga Bay, is typically the first to flood and close during extreme weather events.
The now completed upgrade will help reduce road closures and keep it open during severe weather and emergencies.
Six new culverts have also been installed and two more upgraded, increasing the site’s water-carrying capacity.
Transport Rebuild East Coast alliance was responsible for the work.
Project manager Richard Bayley said the upgrade has already proven its value.
“We were pleased to see that it performed well in the late January rain event, as the road had been lifted to its final height. This work is an example of the resilience being built into the network and will provide communities, freight and first responders with a more reliable route.”
Suppled / NZTA
TREC partnered with local Iwi Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti throughout the project. Kaitiaki lead Anne McGuire said the project reflected the importance of SH35 to local communities.
“SH35 is a lifeline for our communities. This upgrade will make a real difference to those that travel this road to Gisborne regularly,” she said.
Work on the second flood resilience site which is being funded through cost savings – SH2 Hakanui Straight project (formerly Nesbitt’s Dip) – is expected to be completed next month.
The highway has been raised by around 3 metres and culverts have been installed to help manage water and protect the road. Remaining work on the project includes road surfacing and marking, safety barriers and signage.
As of January, almost 90 percent of the overall Tai Rāwhiti recovery programme has been completed.
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New Zealand and Uruguay have reaffirmed their natural partnership as small, open democracies, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
“Today’s discussions in Montevideo have underlined that New Zealand and Uruguay have much in common, as small, export-oriented countries buffeted by global forces over which we have little control,” Mr Peters says.
“In these uncertain and challenging times, it’s vital that small, like-minded countries such as New Zealand and Uruguay work together to protect and advance our mutual interests.
“We should be promoting democracy, human rights and the international, rules-based system, and deepening our long-standing and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. There is broad scope for doing more together, including on trade policy, education, sport, science and culture.”
Mr Peters held official talks today with Uruguay’s President Yamandú Orsi and Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin – after which the two Foreign Ministers released a Joint Statement. Mr Peters is accompanied in Uruguay by a Parliamentary and business delegation.
“Our discussions with the President and Foreign Minister highlighted how much Uruguay welcomes the significant New Zealand business engagement here – and the potential for this to grow further, especially in high value-added sectors, such as forestry and agribusiness technology. Uruguay and New Zealand also have an abiding interest in trading arrangements that boost exports,” Mr Peters says.
“We also talked about major international issues, including developments in Iran, Ukraine, and Venezuela and the geo-strategic environments in both Latin America and the Indo-Pacific.”
Mr Peters will also attend a New Zealand-Uruguay friendship dinner in Montevideo tonight where he and the accompanying business and parliamentary delegation will meet and exchange perspectives with government officials and private sector representatives. He will also acknowledge the contribution of New Zealand Honorary Consul to Uruguay, Ricardo Shaw, for his 13 years of distinguished service.
Mr Peters and the Parliamentary and business delegation leave for Brazil tomorrow, before programmes later in the week in Chile (Santiago and Rapa Nui) and French Polynesia.
New Zealand driver Liam Lawson says he’s still coming to grips with a “sensitive” car in Melbourne as he targets a strong start to his second full season in Formula One.
This weekend’s opening Australian Grand Prix provides uncertainty and apprehension for pundits, team management and drivers alike because of major changes to car specifications.
Several top drivers emerged unimpressed with the alterations, which include smaller, lighter chassis and new power units which comprise a 50-50 split between combustion and beefed-up batteries. There is also the introduction of 100 percent sustainable fuels.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was disparaging, the Dutch Red Bull great describing the changes as “anti-racing” and as like “Formula E on steroids” during pre-season testing.
Liam LawsonAFP
Lawson was less outspoken but admitted battery management in particular was playing on his mind after some mixed testing results for Racing Bulls.
“It’s very different from last year, much more sensitive, particularly when it comes to preparing the battery for a qualifying lap and managing over a longer stint,” he said.
“On top of that, the cars have significantly less aero, which makes them more difficult to drive and less forgiving overall.
“We became aware of the new regulations early last year and began preparing straight away. So by the time I first drove the new car, I had a solid understanding of what to expect and the key differences between the 2025 and 2026 cars.
“Some weren’t a surprise, but when you get in the car, you are definitely still learning how to optimise.”
Racing Bulls chose to retain Lawson’s services after last year’s roller-coaster campaign in which he racked up seven top-10 finishes from 24 races – the first two rounds having been behind the wheel for Red Bull before he was unceremoniously demoted to the sister team.
Liam Lawson of Red Bull Racing. 2025.PHOTOSPORT
The 24-year-old finished 14th overall, with a best placing of fifth coming in Azerbaijan.
Lawson has been paired with 18-year-old British rookie Arvin Lindblad at Racing Bulls, making theirs the least experienced driver lineup on the 11-team grid.
The Kiwi said it was hard to set goals for the season, given the uncertainty around car performance.
“It’s still difficult to say where we stand, as we don’t yet have a clear picture of our true pace,” he said.
“Of course, the objective is to score points, but on a personal level, my focus is on extracting the maximum from myself and delivering the best possible performance every time I’m in the car.”
There are two practice sessions on Friday, followed by a third on Saturday and qualifying.
Sunday’s race is scheduled to start at 5pm NZT.
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The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to disrupt global air traffic with nearly 4000 flights a day being cancelled across the region.
Limited flights out of Dubai and Doha were announced after airspace partially reopened on Wednesday morning.
However, hundreds of thousands of passengers were still being impacted, with major airport hubs remain largely out of action.
But how do airlines and other authorities decide when and where it’s safe to fly near a conflict zone?
UK-based aviation expert John Strickland told Nine to Nine it was very much dependant on the government and safety agencies.
“They could be global, such as United Nations, there’s an aviation body, ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation), which is affiliated with the UN.
“Of course, national security bodies, including representation of embassies and consulates and so on, military intelligence agencies.
“All of that has to be put together. Certainly, it is guided through a body like ICAO with the aim of sharing that information transparently as widely as possible and airlines take those briefings. They don’t make a judgement of their own.”
‘No airline would endeavour to make a commercial risk’
Strickland said airlines had reasonable intelligence by virtue of their size and resources it can tap into.
Others may be fully dependent on external safety agencies, he said.
Emirates cancelled flights through Doha and Dubai.Thierry Monasse
“But certainly, one thing I would say is no airline would endeavour to make a commercial risk, a punt if you like, to fly just because they had passengers to move,” he said.
“Nobody will do anything until they are given the maximum possible assurance that safety and security can be guaranteed for obviously the passengers and their crews as well.”
Strickland said questions over GPS interference and other navigation challenges in or near conflict zones were also considered.
“It has to be factored in as part of the audit, part of the safety checklist as to whether a flight operation can be undertaken safely or not,” he said.
“Indeed, whether it might be possible to operate, but a different route would have to be followed if those risks are known about in certain areas.”
Strickland said repositioning an aircraft and its crews to mitigate the challenges in the Middle East were complex and expensive.
“The complexity of getting aircraft and crews back to the right place is enormous … the first thing is once an aircraft is lost somewhere else, they’ve landed, even if it’s in a planned airport, once that crew has completed their flight, they are out of duty hours based on whatever national regulatory body they come under.
“Certainly, whether it’s New Zealand or Europe, for example, there are clear regulations in place about rest requirements … crews have to have rest. It means with many crews are not where they should be. They’re not available to start afresh from home at the home base to take up new operations.
“The aircraft have to be recovered back to base and undoubtedly cleaned and checked out before they can go back into service.”
Airlines count the cost
He said it took a number of days, and in such a military-induced challenged, it would take even longer, and be more expensive.
Strickland said airlines were also trying to provide accommodation to stranded passengers, which was a positive sign.
He said there were only a handful of flights currently operating, but remained a small fraction of their usual operations.
Strickland said while the level of disruption couldn’t compare to the Covid-19 pandemic – as it affected everyone globally – it was comparable to the 9/11 attacks.
“The hub airports in the Gulf, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, and the airlines operating out of those at Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have now become such a key part of the global aviation landscape that they are major gateways,” he said.
“They account for about half a million passengers in and out of those three airports every day or last year, 180 million people in a year.
“A large number of those are people transiting … there are people going to and from those airports, but a large number of people, not least to and from New Zealand, transiting in those airports.
“When this happened and flying ceased, there’ll be probably a couple of hundred thousand people may be stuck in Dubai airport, Abu Dhabi, Doha Airport, who were not even due to be there for more than a few hours and suddenly found themselves in this limbo.”
That’s the headache that airlines have got to slowly extricate themselves from as they can do so safely, he said.
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The procurement of a new Chatham Islands supply vessel has hit another major milestone with the signing of a ship delivery agreement, paving the way for its construction to begin.
Associate Transport Minister James Meager says the milestone ensures the 77-metre-long vessel’s delivery by the end of 2027, ahead of the current Southern Tiare ship’s retirement.
“The vessel is an economic and community lifeline for the Chatham Islands. The new ship meets locals’ needs and ensures a reliable, long-term service which can be scaled up to grow alongside the Chathams over the next 20 years,” Mr Meager says.
“The ship, which will be bigger than the nearly 40-year-old Southern Tiare, has been designed to cover all freight requirements. This includes the ability to carry livestock, fuel, vehicles, general and bulk freight.
“This increase in capacity and service reliability will strengthen sectors such as fishing, farming and tourism. Importantly, it provides certainty to businesses and the community.”
The contract with 44 South Shipping Limited Partnership, the joint venture of McCallum Bros Ltd and Nova Marine Carriers, follows last year’s preferred supplier decision.
“I want to thank the Chatham Islands community for its patience and cooperation throughout this process. With negotiations concluded, we now have certainty around cost, delivery timeframes, and performance expectations,” Mr Meager says.
“With this agreement, we have secured reliable and affordable shipping services between the Chatham Islands and mainland New Zealand for the coming decades.
“This is a great outcome for the people in our most remote community, and is another example of our commitment to fixing the basics and building the future.”
Notes to Editor:
The Government began a procurement process in March 2025. It selected the joint venture involving McCallum Bros Ltd and Nova Marine Carriers SA (44 South Shipping Limited Partnership) as the preferred supplier in September 2025.
The Crown is funding $24.3 million towards the cost of the new vessel. The ship’s total cost is commercially sensitive.
The new ship’s length was previously reported to be 78 metres. This has now been confirmed to be 77 metres, following the vessel’s design finalisation.
Hunting in Fiordland National Park. Photo: George Ledgard.
Hunting is part of New Zealand’s outdoor heritage. For many people, it’s how they were first introduced to the bush. Early starts, learning to read the land and weather, the thrill of the chase, spending time with friends and family, passing knowledge down through generations, and enjoying the harvest.
Hunting also offers something more. It’s a way to connect with nature, to understand the places we care about, and to play a part in protecting them for the future.
Seeing the forest up close
When you’re hunting, you see animal sign, hear birdsong, and notice where the good feed and habitat is, or isn’t. This is naturing. Many hunters can tell which areas are recovering, and which are under pressure from browsing wild animals like deer and goats. Hunters’ observations often match what monitoring shows: where browsing is high, the forest is less diverse and preferred plants struggle to regenerate; where deer numbers are lower, those same plants recover 1–3. Hunters also see that reflected in the condition of the animals they harvest, animals are in better condition in when numbers are low.
That observation is one reason many hunters value healthy ecosystems and support conservation outcomes. Across the country, hunters already give back in practical ways by trapping predators, maintaining huts, reporting wild animal sightings, and contributing to local conservation projects.
For many, hunting is both recreation and stewardship.
Introduced wild animals such as deer, pigs, tahr, and goats are becoming more widespread and abundant across New Zealand. When numbers are high, they browse heavily on seedlings and understory plants. Over time, this can change forest structure and reduce the ability of native plants to regenerate and replenish the canopy. This then puts pressure on the habitats our native species depend on.
Recreational hunters help reduce numbers across many parts of the country. More than 7 million hectares of public conservation land is available for hunting, and hunter effort plays a part in managing wild animal numbers across this wider landscape.
But there’s an important reality to be clear about. Recreational hunting on its own isn’t enough to reduce animal numbers to levels that protect forest health in many areas. Research and expert commentary in New Zealand indicate relying on recreational hunting alone, without additional targeted control, often isn’t sufficient to reduce animals to low numbers that allow species preferred by introduced wild deer and goats to regenerate in our forests. It’s not a criticism of hunters. It reflects the scale of the ecological challenge.
In our own monitoring, sites with high deer numbers, like Ruahine Forest Park, show clear signs of browsing pressure on key plant species.
Why DOC needs to do intensive, targeted management
Some populations of introduced wild animals, particularly wild deer, are breeding faster than they’re being hunted. Current estimates suggest there are over 1 million wild deer in New Zealand. With a reproductive rate of around 20-30%, that means more than 300,000 new wild deer are added to the population each year. It takes a coordinated effort to keep numbers at levels that protect forest health. In many areas, the annual offtake needed just to stop populations growing is beyond what recreational hunting can achieve on its own. That’s why collective, targeted work is needed in high priority places to make a difference.
Red deer. Photo: John Neilsen.
DOC focuses intensive management on around 1.4 million hectares of high-priority conservation land, where biodiversity values are highest. Including, about 1.2 million hectares where the aim is to reduce browsing pressure from wild goats at priority sites.
Healthy forests aren’t just about trees. They provide food and shelter for birds, insects, and other native species. Every plant and animal plays a role in keeping ecosystems balanced and more resilient to changing conditions, including climate change. When introduced wild animals browse heavily, key plants struggle to survive, and the animals that depend on them are affected. Protecting biodiversity ensures these ecosystems can continue to function, thrive, and be enjoyed by future generations.
In these areas, the level of control needed is beyond what recreational hunting alone can usually achieve. That’s why New Zealand needs to use a mix of tools, selected to suit the location, terrain, and ecological values involved:
Professional ground hunting – trained teams targeting specific populations in specific areas
Aerial control – necessary in remote and rugged areas
Exclusion fencing – to protect sensitive ecological sites
Management hunts – community-led management hunting projects that contribute to the overall effort to manage animals
Commercial Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) – as part of wider management and a contribution to reducing numbers
Recreational hunting – as part of wider management and a contribution to reducing numbers
All of these tools are used together where and when they’re needed. No single approach will work everywhere.
We need to use a mosaic approach, applying different tools in different places in a coordinated manner. In some areas, sustained and intensive work is required over many years to reduce browsing pressure to levels that allow high priority forests to recover. In some locations, management may include fencing to protect sensitive ecological or land-use values by keeping animals out. In other areas, recreational hunting, or commercial recovery can contribute to reducing numbers across the wider landscape.
Animal exclosure plot in Ruahine Forest Park showing the effect of browsing. Photo: DOC.
DOC ranger hunting. Photo: Karl Drury
Working together for healthy forests
The message is straightforward: hunters are part of the solution and so is targeted DOC management. Protecting New Zealand’s landscapes requires a mix of approaches informed by monitoring and science. Many of DOC’s efforts also involve iwi and hapū, hunters, and local communities working together to get better outcomes for biodiversity.
For example, in Molesworth’s ecologically sensitive Turk’s Head area, we teamed up with volunteers from the Marlborough NZ Deerstalkers Association to give wild goat control a real lift. With us providing coordination, some helicopter support and ammunition, the wide-open country became the perfect place for recreational hunters to make a meaningful contribution. In just a few days, volunteers removed more than 1,000 goats, and our DOC team followed soon after also removing over 1000. Working side by side in the right terrain, this combined effort made a noticeable dent in goat numbers and is part of ongoing work aiming to ease pressure on the rare plants and fragile landscapes that make Molesworth so special.
Lake McRae, Turk’s Head, Molesworth. Photo: DOC.
Get outdoors. Go hunting. Make sure you have a permit. Enjoy the places you care about and be part of looking after them, so nature and everything that depends on it can thrive. And if every hunter knocks over just a few extra animals while they’re out, maybe one for the freezer and one for the forest, it can help reduce numbers across the wider landscape.
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4. Allen, K. et al. Long‐term exclusion of invasive ungulates alters tree recruitment and functional traits but not total forest carbon. Ecological Applications 33, e2836 (2023).
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