Category: DJF

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Dunedin man arrested after driving towards officers and avoiding arrest

Source: Radio New Zealand

The 46-year-old was arrested in Fraser’s Gully after his attempts to avoid Police RNZ / Marika Khabazi

A Dunedin man who drove his vehicle towards officers and avoided police on Wednesday, has been charged.

Superintendent Jason Guthrie, Southern District Commander said the 46-year-old was arrested in Fraser’s Gully after his attempts to avoid Police, during which Police fired a shot which did not injure anyone.

“The man faces charges of assaulting Police, failing to stop for Police, driving a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner, and driving while disqualified third and subsequent.”

Officers involved in an operation to locate the man had seen him at a commercial premises on Kaikorai Valley Road at about 6pm and tried to apprehend him.

Police had been looking for the man in relation to a series of offences in the Otago coastal area over recent days.

Guthrie had previously said the man had fled in the vehicle but was later found in Brockville where police successfully deployed road spikes.

The man fled into the bush but was found soon after by a police dog team in the Fraser’s Gully area.

Earlier on Wednesday, police had cordoned the area near Three Mile Hill and Brockville as officers searched for the man.

He is due in Dunedin District Court tomorrow and an investigation into the events of Wednesday night remains ongoing.

The incident will also be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority as is standard procedure when a police firearm is used.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/dunedin-man-arrested-after-driving-towards-officers-and-avoiding-arrest/

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Farmers calling for same animal welfare standards on local and imported pork

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZPork has previously warned that local producers were struggling against a flood of lower-welfare imports. 123RF

Farmers are renewing calls for the Government to enforce the same animal welfare standards that local pig farmers face on imported pork.

A group of farmers, pork producers and advocates wrote to the Prime Minister and government ministers this week, calling for a “level playing field” among locally-produced and imported product.

The pork industry has wanted this for years now, with industry group NZPork warning that local producers were struggling against a flood of lower-welfare imports.

NZPork estimated that more than 63 percent of pork consumed in Aotearoa came from countries like United States, Spain, Germany and Canada.

In some of these countries, farmers still used sow stalls (narrow cages for pregnant pigs) which New Zealand banned, and had smaller space requirements or longer periods allowed for sows in farrowing crates (that have just given birth to protect the piglets).

It came after last year’s controversial move by the Government to allow farmers a decade grace period before enforcing stricter welfare regulations.

Waikato dairy farmer Walt Cavendish was about to transition his Matamata farming operation into free range pork farming.

He signed the letter addressed to the Government, having said farmers, consumers and the animals deserve high welfare standards.

“New Zealand led the way in 1999 with the Animal Welfare Act. It was a world leading piece of legislation,” he said.

“We made quite a clear decision as a country that animal welfare matters. And we seem to have gone down the road of insisting on that for our farmers, but not insisting that for our imports.”

“For these family farming families, they’re trying to compete with product that would just not be allowed to be farmed here.”

Cavendish had met with officials on the matter previously, and said New Zealand could legally enforce what was called a public morals exemption on importers

“The biggest argument that’s put is the trade implications.

“They’re just so nervous about it.

“Everyone keeps using the trade argument.”

But he said it would be unlikely that those exporting nations would take retaliatory action in response, considering the New Zealand market’s small scale.

“It’s just an argument to try and stop this going further, and that’s why I’m quite firm that the public morals exemption is our best way forward.

“And realistically, with such a low amount of the export from these countries, that they’re hardly going to worry about it.”

He believed people’s fears that pork prices would go up even further if we ditched imports was a “false narrative”, as the national pig herd would likely increase to meet demand.

“Because ultimately, you would be able to produce more, so the cost of production would go down.

“We don’t really feel that the price will go through the roof at all, and there are examples that Animal Policy International have done in their research, where we’re talking peanuts, you know, very little. We’re talking cents, not dollars, in relation to the price adjustment per kilogram of pork.”

But he acknowledged it was a significant concern for cash-strapped consumers, though many of them were passionate about animal welfare.

“One of the big things I get from people that comment to me is their fear of the price going up, because they can’t even now afford a lot of the meat products on the shelf.

Trade minister Todd McClay said if New Zealand introduced requirements based on our methods of production, this could potentially undermine our efforts to prevent other countries from applying unjustified measures that could impact negatively on our agricultural exports.

“Last year animal product exports worth $42 billion reached plates around the globe, making up more than half of our total goods exports.”

“New Zealand is a global leader in farmed animal welfare standards, which underpin our trade reputation and the high quality of our global exports.”

McClay said New Zealand works with other countries to improve animal welfare standards through our membership in the World Organisation for Animal Health and through bilateral collaboration.

“It is important to recognise that different countries have different production systems. Approaches to caring for animals are adapted to local conditions and applying the same standard can sometimes result in different welfare outcomes.”

Food and Agriculture Organization’s latest statistics show New Zealand imported more than 47,000 tonnes of pork in 2023.

The “Fair for Farmers” campaign was launched at the Northland Fieldays in Dargaville today that ran into Saturday.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/farmers-calling-for-same-animal-welfare-standards-on-local-and-imported-pork/

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Update – death following Northcote assault

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves:

One person has died after the serious incident at a Hoani Street, Northcote address on 18 February.

Police were called to the property about 9.30pm after an altercation during which four people were injured, one of whom was in a critical condition.

Sadly, that person has now died in hospital.

Our thoughts are with their family, who are no doubt devastated. We will continue to provide them with support at this difficult time.

Police can confirm that the individuals involved were associated with two separate gangs, however our investigation to date indicates this was not a gang-motivated attack. This appears to be an isolated incident between specific individuals.

We want to be absolutely clear that any form of retaliation will not be tolerated.

Anyone considering taking matters into their own hands should expect an immediate and firm response.

We understand incidents like this can be unsettling to our community, and want to reassure you that there is no information to suggest any ongoing risk to the wider public.

Our teams are maintaining a visible presence and continue to work closely with specialist units, intelligence staff, and community partners to ensure your safety. 

Further charges will now be considered against the three men who were arrested in relation to the incident.

The three men, aged 19, 31 and 40, have been remanded in custody and are next due to appear in Christchurch District Court on 17 March.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/update-death-following-northcote-assault/

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Auckland and Northland hospitals hit by ‘major’ IT outage

Source: Radio New Zealand

Health NZ says the outage was resolved quickly without affecting patient services. 123rf.com

Auckland and Northland hospitals were hit by an IT outage on Thursday afternoon.

Health New Zealand says the outage affected the transfer of radiology images at hospitals across Auckland and Northland for two hours.

The Public Service Association said the outage was “major”, and the system affected manages all medical images including x rays, CT and MRI scans.

National Secretary Fleur Ftizsimons said it’s the second critical failure in less than a month and put patient safety at risk, after clinicians were forced to use pen and paper throughout the night in late January.

“The PACs system impacted by the outage is a critical function of our hospitals which clinicians rely on to access images so they can assess and treat patients needing urgent treatment in EDs, in operating theatres and elsewhere.

“The outage means clinicians and radiographers must communicate by text and phone to pass on vital information from scans.

“Without a doubt this will slow down treatment, compromising care,” Fitzsimons said.

Fitzsimons said the government needs to immediately review funding for health digital services and IT infrastructure.

A Health New Zealand spokesperson said the outage was resolved quickly without affecting patient services.

“During the outage standard back-up processes were used for the reviewing of radiology images.”

The spokesperson said services were fully restored within two hours and patient care was not compromised.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/auckland-and-northland-hospitals-hit-by-major-it-outage/

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AA supports proposed road rule changes

Source: Radio New Zealand

One proposal is to require drivers travelling under 60km/h to give way to buses pulling out from bus stops. RNZ / Emma Hatton

The Automobile Association says the government’s proposal to bring in a number of new road rules will clarify the situation for road users to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

AA chief policy and advocacy officer Simon Douglas told Checkpoint the government was trying to address the fact that there were now more drivers, more cyclists, more scooter riders and cities were increasingly more densely packed.

“So just a bit of a reset of the rules of the game so that everyone’s on the same page around some of these points of rub is a really good idea.”

One of the rules proposed by the government was to introduce a mandatory passing gap of between one and 1.5 metres, depending on the speed limit, to give motorists clearer guidance when passing cyclists and horse riders.

It is already recommended that motorists do not pass a cyclist closer than 1m, but Douglas said currently there was no enforceable rule around the correct distance for a driver to pass a cyclist.

“So what this gives us the opportunity to do is to say very very early in teaching young drivers to drive, there’s a rule that says that there’s a passing distance, a minimum passing distance.

“Setting that up as a rule, as an enforceable rule, really just says ‘you know we’re serious about this, this is one of those things that you need to learn to put into practice as a courteous driver’.”

It would be useful for everyone to know there was no equivocation about this in terms of whether it was a rule or a recommendation, he said.

“So we see it as a way of clarifying, removing doubt and just a way to help enforce good etiquette from a very early age.”

Another proposal is to require drivers travelling under 60km/h to give way to buses pulling out from bus stops.

Douglas said a recent AA survey found that about half of respondents thought you had to give way to a bus that was pulling out but the other half either thought you did not have to give way or didn’t know.

“At the moment the law isn’t, doesn’t say that a bus has right of way,” he said.

Driving was a complex task, he said.

“You’re in that moment where you’re think ‘well the bus is pulling out, does he or she have the right of way, do I scamper in front of them, do I wait behind them?’”

Currently some of the time there was a lack of certainty around what the rule was, he said.

Douglas acknowledged that sometimes people were just not driving courteously.

“One of the things about this set of rules is that it will give the opportunity for enforcement behaviour.

“So if you’re not giving a cyclist the right distance or you’re not letting the bus go past and there’s a police officer nearby, it gives them a tool and they will undoubtedly be able to levy a fine.”

That way drivers do not need to make a decision about how to act, he said.

“You just know, the bus has right of way, I will let the bus in.”

The government is consulting on two packages for rule changes, the first focuses on lane use and everyday road rules, while the second focuses on heavy vehicles.

Other proposed changes in its first package include allowing e-scooters to use cycle lanes, allowing children up to age 12 to ride their bikes on footpaths and clarifying signage rules so councils can better manage berm parking.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/aa-supports-proposed-road-rule-changes/

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Nitrous oxide users ‘playing chicken’ on the roads – police

Source: Radio New Zealand

Nitrous oxide has legitimate medical and catering uses, but if inhaled recreationally, the gas can have dangerous long-term side effects like nerve damage in the brain and spinal cord. Phanie via AFP

Police are warning that problems around the huffing of nitrous oxide products or nangs have escalated to where people are “playing chicken” and seeing whether they can drive without blacking out after inhaling the gas.

Nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, has legitimate medical and catering uses – including being used to whip cream.

However, if inhaled recreationally, the gas can have dangerous long-term side effects like nerve damage in the brain and spinal cord.

And while it is illegal to sell for huffing or recreational purposes, a Checkpoint investigation previously found stores were selling large canisters of the gas, which contain hundreds of hits, with virtually no questions asked.

Tusha Penny, assistant police commissioner of road policing, told Checkpoint police had seen drivers huffing from balloons in eight districts across the country. She also said she had been sent a message from a road user in a rural area who had seen a driver huffing from a balloon on the road.

“It has gone from just individual-use, sitting behind a shop and huffing, [to] getting in a road and almost playing chicken to see whether you can black out and still drive the car,” she said.

“That has really escalated the potential for harm.

“We really want parents and people on the road to ring us, to let us know.”

Penny said police suspected at least one or two fatalities had been caused by huffing nitrous oxide products and driving.

These cases were still under investigation, she said.

“If we look at the Bay of Plenty, for example, since New Year, we know there’s been some absolutely fantastic work when they’ve highlighted this.

“There’s been an investigation done and a number of drivers have actually been prosecuted and are being dealt with at the moment.”

Despite that, Penny said police had decided to focus on “education” when it came to retailers selling nitrous products illegally.

“What we’re now asking them to do is work with us because we cannot have this amount of community harm that could happen from the illegitimate sale of this item.

“We’re sitting down, we’re giving them the letter, but we’re really explaining it to them,” she said.

“That is the approach we think is best to take at the moment around prevention for a short time, engagement, asking people to work with us.”

When asked how many prosecutions of retailers allegedly selling nitrous oxide products illegally police had taken, Penny was unable to say.

“We’re being really clear on the enforcement approach that we’re going to take, and then we will move to enforcement.”

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Air New Zealand CEO says airline was dealt ‘tough cards’ as Seymour calls government to sell stakes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar (left) says the airline was dealt ‘tough cards’ as Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour calls on the government to sell its stakes in the airline. RNZ/Supplied

Air New Zealand chief executive says the airline has been dealt ‘tough cards’ and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the government should be backing the airline’s future but the Deputy Prime Minister continues to question their priorities.

The airline’s CEO Nikhil Ravishankar is carrying out a strategic review in the face of rising costs and told Checkpoint the airline is designed to grow but that hasn’t happened.

“The airline is designed to grow and for the last six years, we haven’t been able to do that.”

This comes after Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour earlier renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.

The national carrier posted a $40 million loss for the six months ended December compared to a $106 million profit for the same period the year before.

The airline is still blaming severe disruption caused by delays to unscheduled engine maintenance grounding up to eight planes, as well as fuel and operating costs.

Seymour told Checkpoint the airline has placed too much “emphasis on politics” and is not reliable or affordable.

“The drumbeat of frustration from New Zealanders who are saying, look, we’re generally frustrated with the idea that things don’t work and cost too much,”

“And it seems that its distractions into various political projects over the last few years has started to come home to roost.”

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said in a social media post calls for the government to sell its shares in Air New Zealand while the airline market is in a downturn is economic lunacy.

Peters said the airline needs to start being on-time, and getting regional costs down. He said as the majority shareholder, the government should be backing its future rather than dragging it down, and hocking it off.

In response to the high costs of tickets Ravishankar said they are the result of increasing costs especially in fuel prices and engine maintenance.

However, Ravishankar told Checkpoint he was confident customers are not bearing the full weight of inflation when buying tickets.

“Since 2019 the cost that the airline bears has gone up north of 40 percent and our domestic airfares have gone up 32 percent.

“If you compare that with general CPI, general inflation, which has been around 29, 30 percent our fares have gone up a couple of percent over inflation, but our costs have gone up significantly more than that.”

When it came to Seymour’s comments that the airline was focusing on the wrong things such as electric planes and climate change reports, Ravishankar said he believed the airline was focused on the right things.

“It’s not distracting us from focusing on what’s important to our customers, which first and foremost is safe, reliable, and on-time performance, and that’s what we’re focused on delivering.”

“We are an airline that is globally extremely well-respected and people in the industry realise the tough cards we’ve been dealt.”

Ravishankar said matters of ownership were not for him to comment on as that was a question for the airline’s board.

Seymour has in turn said that many airlines have faced high costs and challenges especially after Covid.

“People are shopping around and finding that they can do better with the competitor… it seems that in the rest of the world, they have managed to navigate the challenges more competently.”

“And my charge is that if Air New Zealand was not distracted by its various projects of trying to become a biofuel producer, for example, they might be focussing more on taking off and landing on time.”

Ravishankar was currently carrying out a strategic review, which he said was drive by issues such as rising costs and falling profits.

“We need to tighten our belts and also in terms of looking into our capital management framework.”

Air New Zealand is also expecting to receive two of its 10 new 787 aircraft by the end of June, providing widebody capacity growth of 20-25 percent over the next two years.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/air-new-zealand-ceo-says-airline-was-dealt-tough-cards-as-seymour-calls-government-to-sell-stakes/

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NZ Warriors proteges hope to send Mitch Barnett out a winner in final NRL season with club

Source: Radio New Zealand

Mitch Barnett celebrates a Warriors win with young forwards Demitric Vaimauga and Tanner Stowers-Smith. NRL Photos/Photosport

Young NZ Warriors forward Jacob Laban recalls the day grizzled veteran Mitch Barnett drew a line in the sand for the Auckland club still chasing its first NRL crown.

“I felt like Barney, from the start, when he first came over, he set the expectation,” Laban told RNZ. “I still remember him, I think it was 2023, walking off the field and saying how he was disappointed in how everybody’s fitness was.”

Barnett had already logged 128 first-grade games for Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights, when he arrived at Mt Smart, so he had a fair idea of the standards required from the Aussie league competition.

“Everyone was making bad ‘Broncos’ times, stuff like that,” Laban continued. “He said he wanted the club to be in a better place before he leaves.

“Fast forward to now and everyone’s fit so far, and he’s put massive effort into that.”

In fact, coach Andrew Webster has singled out his players’ off-season fitness regime for special praise, as they prepare for the coming 2026 season.

“Over the Christmas break, they made a pact to each other that they would go away and enjoy the break, but come back fit and hit their targets,” Webster said. “This is the first time I’ve seen every single player do so and I’m really impressed with that.”

This week, the club announced Barnett, 31, would cut short his stay, leaving at the end of the season for personal reasons – his child’s medical needs – with a year still on his contract.

“I had to put my family first and they [the club] know the detail of the situation,” Barnett said. “They have been very supportive of it, but it hasn’t made the decision any easier.”

The clock on his time at the Warriors is now ticking loudly and those around him are taking stock of how their co-captain has impacted their lives.

Warriors forward Jacob Laban celebrates a try for the Warriors. Photosport

When Barnett first signed in 2022, he was serving a six-game suspension for raising an elbow on an opponent in a tackle and may not have seemed an ideal addition to an ill-disciplined team already lurching through its worst-ever campaign.

In his first season, he helped them to within a game of the NRL grand final – the furthest he had progressed in his career – and while subsequent bids have fallen short, on a personal note, the front-rower has earned representative honours with New South Wales and Australia during his tenure on this side of the ditch.

Regardless of how his final season here pans out, Barnett – along with fellow veterans James Fisher-Harris and Kurt Capewell – will have already left his mark through the incredibly talented forwards the Warriors now have on their roster.

Capewell’s future with the Warriors is also uncertain, with his current contract ending this season.

Over the past couple of years, they have helped develop players like Laban, Leka Halasima, Demitric Vaimauga, Tanner Stowers-Smith and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, who have shown their abilities in first grade and earned long-term contracts with the club.

“He’s been huge,” front-rower Tanner Stowers-Smith, 21, told RNZ of Barnett. “He’s one of the players I model my game on, just being tough as and doing all the dirty stuff that some people don’t want to do all the time – he’s always someone you can rely on.

“He’s personally helped me a lot with learnings and not just me, but the other young boys in the team. He’s so knowledgeable and he shares all he knows – all the tricks around the game and ways you can get through stuff.

“He’s got a lot of tricks in his book – he’s a real master of the dark arts.”

When Barnett’s 2025 season ended prematurely with ruptured knee ligaments, Stowers-Smith was one to seize the opportunity that presented itself, debuting against the Dolphins in May, logging 13 appearances and signing a contract extension through 2028.

Tanner Stowers-Smith takes stock during the pre-season trial against Manly Sea Eagles. Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz

In two pre-season trials, he has shown his readiness to step up to the next level, leading his team in running metres and tackles against Manly Sea Eagles.

While some may seek a like-for-like replacement for Barnett on the open market, ultimately, his successor may already wear a Warriors jersey.

“It’s pretty crazy to think where I was 12 months ago,” Stowers-Smith said. “I never thought about how far I could go in a year’s time, but the team’s done a lot of work and the boys have helped me along, so I’m definitely feeling a lot more confident.

“I base my game around effort areas and working hard, but I want to bring a bit more attacking flair, which comes down to my confidence and backing my ability with the ball.

“Maybe getting my hands on the ball a bit more, which I’ve been doing in the pre-season, has helped me a lot.”

Stowers-Smith hacked 10 seconds off his 1.2km Bronco time over the summer, which also helped.

Like Barnett, Laban’s 2025 season also ended early, when he was the victim of a hipdrop tackle from Dolphins veteran Felise Kaufusi that fractured his leg.

He narrowly lost a race against time to return for the reserves’ NSW Cup championship run, but has also reported back for duty in good nick, taking 15 seconds off his Bronco and scoring a try for the Māori against Indigenous in their pre-season All Stars clash.

“I felt like I was finding my groove into first grade, getting a bit more experience behind me, but unfortunately it was cut short,” Laban, 21, said.

“I didn’t go into much of a dark place, but I felt like I missed out on a lot in terms of the boys rocking up to games and me seeing them out there.

“It just sucked – I felt left out, but my mental health was pretty good and I just pushed through it.”

Seeing his mentor going through a similar process with his knee no doubt helped that mindset.

Barnett now faces a final examination – four days of testing in Sydney – before confirming his comeback to play in the early rounds.

Mitch Barnett’s 2025 season ends with a knee injury against South Sydney Rabbitohs. Anthony Kourembanas/NRL Photos

The Warriors open their schedule with home games against Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders, and Barnett’s next outing will mark his 50th for the club.

Perhaps when disappointed fans see him run out onto Go Media Stadium with his family for that milestone, they will better understand why he’s leaving.

His teammates are already determined to send him out a winner.

“If that doesn’t give you any more motivation to win a premiership, I don’t know what will,” Laban insisted.

“He’s done so much for the club, and he’s helped myself and definitely other players, we sort of owe it to him.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/nz-warriors-proteges-hope-to-send-mitch-barnett-out-a-winner-in-final-nrl-season-with-club/

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Virtual reality helping people learn to drive before stepping foot in vehicle

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Evie Richardson

All motorists know what it is like learning to drive – the endless attempts to parallel park, the grinding gears, the lurches and the stalls.

Now one instructor believes he has found a way to confine those teeth-clenching experiences to the past, with a virtual reality programme that can help teach learners to drive without even getting into a car.

Ashley Gore runs VR lessons in Auckland and Napier through his company MintEDVR, and is now hoping to expand his virtual driving school across the country.

When he first came across virtual reality technology five years ago, Gore started thinking about its implications for learner drivers and the huge number of people who fail their tests, often multiple times.

“[In one year] 46,000 fails, 7000 failed because they didn’t stop at a stop sign, 37,000 drove too slow on their practical licence, let’s get rid of all these thousands of people who don’t have a license.”

The set up looks identical to one used while playing VR video games, consisting of a headset that covers the eyes with two small controllers held in each hand.

Once the headset goes on, the user is in the driver’s seat.

Ashley Gore creator of MINTEDVR, a virtual reality tool for learner drivers Evie Richardson

But with joysticks instead of pedals, and no actual steering wheel to grab onto, it is a system quite different to traditional car controls.

However, Gore said most people catch on quickly.

“Couple of sessions, it’s just familiarisation, it’s a bit like when you jump into a different car, if you’re used to driving a small hatchback and then you jump into a ute, just the whole dynamics, the controls are a bit different.”

There are different scenarios available to practice things like right-hand turns, parallel parking and T-intersections, along with the rest of the skills needed to pass a practical licence test.

While the simulation features other cars on the road, road signs and markings, and all the buttons and the lights you’d find in and on a real car, the scenery resembles something closer to a video game than real life.

At around $15 per lesson, it is a cheaper option than practical driving lessons, which Gore hopes will make the tech more accessible, not just for first time learners, but also people wanting to brush up on their skills.

The VR tracks the users movements, picking up on errors such as failing to stop, driving too fast or slow, or forgetting to check a blindspot.

RNZ / Evie Richardson

Although it offers virtually every experience you get while being in a car, Gore said it is not a replacement for driving.

“The VR is there and it plugs and plays anywhere in your driving journey, and it’s never going to replace driving on the road.”

However, Gore said he believes the VR training should count towards the driving hours learners are recommended to undertake before their practical test.

“I would like to see the hours that you do in VR count towards your driving hours because you are learning, you’re getting important skills, you still need that experience on the road but I think it should count.”

It comes soon after the government announced changes to the driver licensing system, including increasing the learner period for those under 25, and removing the requirement to sit a second practical test.

While Gore is now marketing his technology to driving schools across the country, AA spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said the organisation is tentative.

“The thing you need to spend lots of time doing is actually driving a real car in the real world, and that is the major thing that people need to put the time into, but we certainly see potential for the tech to work as a nice additional practice tool.

“Those hours of practice should be for hours spent in a real car actually driving in the real world, that is the key thing.”

The New Zealand Transport Agency told RNZ there is no substitute for on-road training and experience.

“Our position is based on evidence which shows that learners do not gain the same level of skill or competence in a simulated environment, without real-world experience, and there is potential for over-confidence which can lead to novice and learner drivers being at greater risk of crashes.”

It said it is not possible to replicate the complex real world driving environment using a simulator.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/virtual-reality-helping-people-learn-to-drive-before-stepping-foot-in-vehicle/

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Man arrested in Dunedin overnight due in court tomorrow

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Superintendent Jason Guthrie, Southern District Commander:

The man arrested following a series of events in Dunedin last night has been charged and is due in court tomorrow.

The 46-year-old was arrested in Fraser’s Gully following his earlier attempts to avoid Police, during which Police fired a shot which did not injure anyone.

The man faces charges of assaulting Police, failing to stop for Police, driving a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner, and driving while disqualified third and subsequent.

He is due in Dunedin District Court tomorrow.

An investigation in the events of Thursday evening remains ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/26/man-arrested-in-dunedin-overnight-due-in-court-tomorrow/

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Otago Regional Council aims for zero percent rates rise

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dom Thomas

The Otago Regional Council is aiming to deliver an overall zero percent rates rise in the upcoming financial year.

The council has been preparing a draft annual plan which will be put up for adoption in April.

The Long Term Plan forecasted a close to nine percent increase for the same year.

Chairperson Hilary Calvert said councillors sought to keep rates as low as possible while protecting the environment and providing public transport.

“We’re confident we can deliver for Otago’s people and environment within the zero-budget increase proposed,” she said.

“Factors helping to reduce rates include cost savings and efficiencies in work programmes, extended timeframes for some work and finding alternative revenue sources.”

A directive from the government to pause planning work meant that the council would spend less than expected this financial year and would use some of the surplus to pay for work next financial year.

The average residential property in Dunedin, Clutha, Waitaki and Central Otago would see a slight rates drop, but Queenstown Lakes properties would see an increase due to a public transport rate, Calvert said.

Councillors have opted not to consult the community on this annual plan, saying no significant changes had been made to what was consulted on in the 2026/2027 year of the Long Term Plan.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/otago-regional-council-aims-for-zero-percent-rates-rise/

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Families making impossible decision amid child poverty crisis

Source: Radio New Zealand

123rf

Child poverty activists say families are having to make impossible decisions and go without life’s essentials following the release of new Stats New Zealand data.

The statistics agency said one in seven kids are living in material hardship, according to research conducted between July 2024 and June last year.

Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston has said reducing child poverty was a priority and that the government is making changes to improve the lives of families.

Advocates were calling for change after the latest data on child material hardship did not show a statistically significant difference compared to 2024 and 2018.

But it did show a statistically significant increase compared to 2022.

The Children’s Commissioner said the data shows there are 47,500 more children in material hardship in 2025 than there was in 2022 (169,300 compared to 121,800).

Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad said affected kids were going without key life essentials.

“I’m talking about things like access to fresh fruit and vegetables, being able to go to the doctor or the dentist, being able to have a good bed to sleep in.

Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

“I think we can all agree no child in New Zealand should be going without these things.”

Dr Achmad said half of the children in poverty had parents that were in work – so it was important people have pay that can lift kids out of deprivation.

She said child poverty needs to be a priority for successive governments.

“Children cannot wait for our economy to improve. Children get one chance at childhood, and we’ve got to act and get this right now.”

Child Poverty Action Group communications manager Isaac Gunson said some families were being forced to make ” impossible decisions”.

“They are paying power and rent so they can keep the lights on and keep a roof over their head, and they are going to see if there is anything for them at the foodbank.

“No one in this country should be having to make decisions like that.”

Social advocate and BBM founder Dave Letele said there needed to be change.

Social advocate and BBM founder Dave Letele. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Unless support was provided, Letele said the conditions kids lived in would deteriorate.

“The New Zealand that our grandkids grow up in will be even worse. It is going to be seen more unsafe.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the current stats weren’t good enough.

“We want to see a reduction in child poverty, but I also have to acknowledge it has been an incredibly difficult time.”

Luxon said it was important the economy was run well for low-income New Zealanders.

Upston said reducing kids’ material hardship was a priority in the government’s child and youth strategy.

Upston said they have made a number of changes to improve the lives of Kiwi families such as the in-work tax credit and introducing their FamilyBoost policy for childcare.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/families-making-impossible-decision-amid-child-poverty-crisis/

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Hamilton’s growth may lead to lower speed limits on part of Te Rapa Road

Source: Radio New Zealand

Over two thousand new homes are planned in a new neighbourhood, named Te Awa Lakes. Supplied/Hamilton City Council

Growth in Hamilton is leading the council to consider lowering the speed limit on part of a major city road.

Up to 2,500 new homes are planned for the northern end of the city in a new neighbourhood, called Te Awa Lakes.

Hamilton City Council has asked for feedback on lowering the 80 kilometre-an-hour speed limit to 60 km/h for a 460-metre section of Te Rapa Road.

As part of the approved development, the Te Awa Lakes developer was required to install a signalised pedestrian crossing on Te Rapa Road at their cost.

Council’s Network & Systems Operations Manager Robyn Denton said the road is an arterial route in a semi-rural area; but that is changing.

“People can already see a lot of earth works in there, but they are going to see buildings and that sort of thing,” she said.

The new homes would increase the number of people walking, cycling, and catching the bus in the area.

“The whole area will get busier,” sad Denton.

The council was looking for community feedback on the lower speed limit.

It consulted recently on other speed limit changes and Denton said Hamilton residents had shown they are thoughtful and engaged when it comes to considering the impacts.

“We found that people had thought about the issues and weren’t highly emotive about it but actually put some good, reasoned thought to us which was really useful for helping us and our elected members make decisions,” she said.

Denton said change was to be expected given that Hamilton was the country’s fastest growing city.

“This is one of the many things that happen in a growth city… we’re trying to respond at an appropriate time to get the right sort of outcome for those people who are moving into that area,” she said.

Public feedback would be presented to the council’s Transport Subcommittee in late May and if supported by elected members the proposal would then require approval from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

The public had until 9 April 2026 to have their say.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/hamiltons-growth-may-lead-to-lower-speed-limits-on-part-of-te-rapa-road/

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Another bank cuts rates, but should you take them?

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Another bank has adjusted down its long-term rates, but borrowers deciding whether to take a longer term will need to weigh up a few factors.

BNZ said it was reducing its three-year rate by 10 basis points to 4.99 percent, its four-year rate by 36 basis points to 5.19 percent and its five-year rate by 40 basis points to 5.29 percent.

It comes after Westpac last week said it was trimming the same terms.

It was the first bank to move after the latest official cash rate (OCR) announcement.

The Reserve Bank indicated it expected to raise interest rates a little faster and earlier than previously forecast – but not as quickly as markets had priced in.

Wholesale markets fell as a result.

Commentators said it could be good news for borrowers and should mean a temporary end to the increases in home loan rates seen in recent weeks.

Mortgage adviser Glen McLeod, head of Link Advisory said, with longer term rates starting to come back down, he was beginning to see more interest in longer term fixed rates, but it was still a relatively small portion of clients.

“Part of my role as an adviser is to explain the pros and cons of where those rates currently sit and how suitable each option is for an individual client. I talk clients through what each rate term could mean in the current environment, where we are in the interest rate cycle, and what is likely to happen based on the best economic information available.

“From there, I look at different borrowing strategies and match them to the client’s goals. The key thing is ensuring clients fully understand the risks and what they are ultimately signing up for. Longer term rates can be appropriate in some situations, but it really depends on the person’s circumstances and risk profile.”

ANZ said in its latest Property Focus report that it was worth remembering that all rates out to two years are now below 5 percent whereas in late 2023 they were all above 7 percent.

“Given that, and our expectation that the next move in the OCR is likely to be up, we still see merit in fixing for longer at current rates, with the 18-month to three-year part of the mortgage curve likely appealing to many borrowers.”

They said four- and five-year rates were above where they expected one- to three-year rates to top out next year.

“From a pure cost perspective (that is, disregarding the value of certainty), one might only be inclined to fix for four or five years if you expect one- to three-year rates to rise above 6 percent over the next two to three years.

“That is possible, but it is not what we expect. Taking all of that into consideration, the 18-month to three-year part of the curve looks like the sweet spot, offering a good mix of certainty and low cost.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/another-bank-cuts-rates-but-should-you-take-them/

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Government activates additional support for weather-affected farmers and growers

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has classified recent weather events in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Tairāwhiti, and Canterbury as a medium-scale adverse event. This enables additional support for farmers and growers in the affected regions who continue to face weather-related challenges.

“The effects of these weather events continue to be felt in these regions. Today’s announcement unlocks extra support, including tax relief, and it enables the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to consider Rural Assistance Payments and activating Enhanced Taskforce Green for affected farmers and growers,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.

“The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working closely with local groups to identify the most affected farmers and where support is needed most, including through on-farm assessments.”

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson is encouraging farmers and growers to seek support if they need it.

“It’s important we help those farmers, growers, and rural communities now facing a lengthy clean-up.

“Farmers and growers needing assistance are encouraged to contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254,” Mr Patterson says.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/government-activates-additional-support-for-weather-affected-farmers-and-growers/

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Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana and Crown sign Deed of Settlement for historical claims

Source: Radio New Zealand

Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith said the settlement included an agreed historical account and redress for historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana and the Crown have signed a Deed of Settlement for historical claims dating back to 1866.

Representatives from the Crown, including Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith and the various hapū of the rohe gathered at Tuai to commemorate the settlement process finishing after six years of negotiation.

In a statement, Goldsmith said the settlement included an agreed historical account and redress for historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi which caused significant harm to generations of Ngāti Ruapani.

The settlement package includes:

  • $24 million in financial redress;
  • An undivided half share of Patunamu Forestry Ltd;
  • Four commercial redress and two cultural redress properties; and
  • Approximately 12,000 hectares of land added into Te Urewera.

Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana chair Kara Puketapu-Dentice said Waikeremoana, like other parts of Te Uruwera, carried a complex and deeply painful history.

“The hapū of Waikaremoana and the wider Te Urewera experienced invasion, displacement, and the systematic loss of land and livelihood.”

The settlement also included an apology for the Crown’s breaches, including those inflicted during its campaigns against the tipuna of Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana and other Tūhoe hapū in Waikaremoana.

These included attacks on kāinga at Te Kōpani in 1866, the displacement and starvation of hapū, and the coerced acquisition of around 178,000 acres of land under threat of confiscation which left the hapū virtually landless by 1895.

Puketapu-Dentice said he welcomed the opportunity to formally acknowledge his people’s history and bring closure to a process which required them to repeatedly recount those experiences.

“It allows us to recognise the truth of what occurred, while creating space for future generations to focus on rebuilding and renewal.”

Around 3500 descendants of Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Hinekura, Whānau Pani, and Ngāi Tarapāroa hapū maintain their connections to Waikaremoana and the wider Te Urewera, remaining centred around Waimako and Te Kuha marae.

“This settlement provides a foundation for the hapū of Waikaremoana, alongside other Tūhoe hapū, to restore their presence and strengthen their communities,” Puketapu-Dentice said.

“We have much to rebuild over the generations ahead. This settlement enables us to focus on restoring our relationship with our whenua, supporting our whānau, and ensuring that Waikaremoana continues to sustain future generations.”

In a statement, Minister Goldsmith said the long-awaited agreement acknowledges the past and looks to the future.

“It is a privilege to sign the Deed and deliver the Crown apology to Ngāti Ruapani in their rohe,” he said.

“A key feature of the settlement is the return of Crown-owned land into Te  Urewera, reflecting a central aspiration of Ngāti Ruapani to restore their connection with Te Urewera.

“While no settlement can fully remedy the injustices of the past, this agreement represents an important step forward. I hope it will support Ngāti Ruapani to achieve their cultural and economic aspirations for future generations to come,” Goldsmith said.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/ngati-ruapani-mai-waikaremoana-and-crown-sign-deed-of-settlement-for-historical-claims/

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Cyclone Gabrielle inquest: Wives of volunteer firefighters proud of their work

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dave van Zwanenberg, left, and Craig Stevens. Supplied

The wives of two firefighters killed in a landslide during Cyclone Gabrielle have recounted the moment they learned their husbands had died.

Volunteer firefighters Dave van Zwanenberg and Craig Stevens were buried while responding to slips on Muriwai’s Motutara Road on 13 February 2023.

Stevens was freed from the pile but later died in hospital, while van Zwanenberg was found dead after two days of searching.

A coronial inquest into their deaths is being held in Auckland.

Van Zwanenberg’s wife, Amy, said she first heard that her husband was trapped as she was preparing to evacuate their home at about 2.45am on 14 February, several hours after the slip fell.

“I had just started to pack the car to leave when members from FENZ (Fire and Emergency NZ) arrived to tell me what had happened. They were fairly vague on details other than that Dave was missing. They were searching for him and conditions were obviously incredibly challenging,” she recounted.

“Under an hour later I was told that they had called off the search due to the severity of the conditions, high risk to search personnel and low chance of Dave’s survival.”

She said the following days were extremely difficult.

Dave van Zwanenberg with his children. Supplied / van Zwanenberg family

“We spent that night in an odd sort of horrific limbo without much hope but the distressing thought of Dave, whether alive or dead, alone in a pile of mud and rubble still waiting to be found,” she said.

“You can imagine how difficult and heart-wrenching that was to explain to our six-year-old son.”

Van Zwanenberg’s body was recovered on 15 February, two days after the slip.

“I was told at about 10.45am on the 15th of February that a body dressed in FENZ uniform had been located and later that day this was officially confirmed as Dave,” van Zwanenberg said.

“I was told I was not allowed to see or touch him, which was very hard to hear, but I was granted the privilege to go to the site and say goodbye from the outside of the undertaker vehicle. On its departure, men and women who’d been involved lined the exit in a guard of honour, an incredibly touching salute.”

Amy van Zwanenberg said she was proud of her husband’s work as a volunteer firefighter, which he did alongside working as a vet.

Amy and Dave van Zwanenberg. Supplied / van Zwanenberg family

“While adjusting to life without Dave has been very painful and my two young children are now growing up without their dedicated father, a life-long loss, they can be proud of who he was and the respect he’s been given even in death,” she said.

Steven’s wife, Lucy, echoed that sentiment.

“When Craig left [that day] both his mum Marianne and I talked about how proud we were of him being out there in the cyclone helping the community,” she said.

“I never saw him conscious again.”

Stevens died in hospital on 16 February, three days after the slip, surrounded by his family.

Craig Stevens is survived by his wife Lucy and his two children Kauri and Tai. Supplied via NZ Herald

“Finding out Craig wasn’t going to make it and then having to tell the boys they were going to lose their dad was the hardest and most distressing moment of my life,” Lucy Stevens said.

She described Stevens as a perfect husband and father.

“My six-year-old said the other day, ‘I at least needed one dad, and that one was perfect.’ The deep loss of their perfect dad and my loving husband and partner in life will remain with us forever.”

Stevens’ mother, Marianne, was visiting Muriwai from the United Kingdom when Cyclone Gabrielle hit.

Lucy Stevens read a statement written by Marianne to court.

“As a mother every fibre in your being wants to protect your child, and I was unable to do that,” she said.

Coroner Erin Woolley was visibly emotional as she thanked the women for giving evidence.

“I’m always grateful when family members have the courage to give evidence. I find it moving just listening to you so I admire you for having the ability to do that and thank you very much for doing so,” Woolley said.

The Cyclone Gabrielle inquest will move into its next phase in mid-March, with a focus on the events in Hawke’s Bay.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/cyclone-gabrielle-inquest-wives-of-volunteer-firefighters-proud-of-their-work/

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Two seriously injured after bus, cars crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

There are serious injuries after an accident between two cars and bus in Auckland.

It happened on Jervois Road in Ponsonby just before 4pm

St John treated four people at the scene after sending three ambulances and two rapid response vehicles.

Two have been taken to Auckland City Hospital in serious conditions, while another is in a moderate condition.

Police believe all of the injured were from the cars, and that the bus was empty and not in service.

Auckland Transport (AT) says it is aware of the incident but doesn’t have details.

On Wednesday there was another accident involving a bus and a car in the suburb of Grafton.

Four people were taken to hospital from that crash.

AT said it appeared the car turned on a red arrow.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/two-seriously-injured-after-bus-cars-crash/

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Oriental fruit fly – Papatoetoe

Source: Auckland Council

On 25 February 2026, Biosecurity New Zealand (MPI) announced the discovery of a single male Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) in a surveillance trap in Papatoetoe. 

In response, Biosecurity New Zealand has launched a biosecurity operation and is ramping up trapping and inspections in Papatoetoe. As a precautionary measure, legal restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables out of the area where the fruit fly has been found (a Controlled Area Notice or CAN) will be put in place.

It is important to know that the capture of a single male does not mean we have an outbreak. It does mean that the community needs to keep an eye out and report any sightings.

Biosecurity New Zealand has successfully eradicated 15 incursions of different fruit fly in Auckland and Northland – including a recent response in Mt Roskill to eradicate a Queensland fruit fly (unrelated to this find).

The fruit fly poses no human health risk, but there would be an economic cost to the horticulture industry if it were allowed to establish here.

Visit Biosecurity New Zealand’s website for the most up to date information on this response.

Changes to your kerbside collections

The affected area in Papatoetoe is divided into two zones, A and B, which have different restrictions. To check if you are in the controlled area and which zone applies to you visit Biosecurity New Zealand’s website.

These restrictions mean some changes to kerbside (particularly food scraps) collections in the area.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/oriental-fruit-fly-papatoetoe/

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Two seriously injured after bus, car crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

There are serious injuries after an accident between a car and bus in Auckland.

It happened on Jervois Road in Ponsonby just before 4pm

St John treated four people at the scene.

Two have been taken to Auckland City Hospital in serious conditions, while another is in a moderate condition.

Auckland Transport (AT) says it is aware of the incident but doesn’t have details.

On Wednesday there was another accident involving a bus and a car in the suburb of Grafton.

Four people were taken to hospital from that crash.

AT said it appeared the car turned on a red arrow.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/26/two-seriously-injured-after-bus-car-crash/