Category: DJF

Source: Radio New Zealand

One person has died after a crash between a bike and a car on State Highway 1 in Malborough on Monday morning.

Police say the cyclist died at the scene.

Another person has moderate injuries

The road has since reopened between Lake Grassmere and Taimate.

The circumstances of the crash are being investigated.

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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/2026/02/02/cyclist-dies-after-crash-on-sh1-in-marlborough/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Adam Currie became one of the first people in the country to be prescribed ADHD medication by a GP at an 8.30am appointment on Monday.

He told RNZ he booked the first available doctor’s appointment for February after he heard about the upcoming changes “many months ago, hoping the doctor would prescribe it”.

Not every GP would choose to offer the service, with some lacking the capacity to offer 90-minute ADHD assessments and the required follow-up sessions and questionnaires, which did not fit into the usual 15-minute appointment slot.

However, Currie – who already had his diagnosis – said his Monday morning appointment was “really smooth”.

Under the previous process, following his assessment and diagnosis (which cost thousands of dollars), he would have needed another psychiatrist appointment to have the medication prescribed. That would have cost more money and involved waiting several months.

On Monday morning he simply provided a urine sample and the doctor was able to prescribe him the medication.

ADHD medication was “life-changing” for many people, making it easier to hold down jobs, maintain relationships, and focus on tasks, contributing to a “far better quality of life”, Currie said.

“I think it’s really exciting that people are able to get the support they need,” he said.

Lack of funding ‘discriminatory’- advocate

The rule change allowing GPs and some nurse practitioners to diagnose ADHD and prescribe stimulants has been widely welcomed by many in the sector as a way to remove some barriers in terms of cost and access.

However, it is unlikely that every practice will have the capacity to offer ADHD assessments – and those which do will have to charge patients for their time, which could run to hundreds of dollars.

Aroreretini Aotearoa convenor Kent Duston, who represented adults with ADHD, said his organisation had been working alongside Pharmac, the Ministry of Health and Medsafe for years to get policy changes.

Poor access to diagnosis and treatment was “a long-standing and persistent issue in New Zealand”, and the lack of funding to support the rule change was disappointing, he said.

Government agencies had made “very timid progress towards addressing these problems”.

“The Ministry of Health’s refusal to fund anything of any description for the ADHD community really is a pretty significant piece of discrimination. in that I can’t think of any other issue that would affect 5-7 percent of the population that has life-long implications that the Ministry of Health would say. ‘We’re not going to do anything about that and we’re not going to allocate a single dollar to it.’

“So we think that the health system as it’s configured at the moment for the ADHD community is highly discriminatory.”

He dismissed fears of “over-diagnosis” or “over-prescribing” as unfounded.

Between 250,000 and 350,000 New Zealanders were likely to have ADHD, based on international estimates, but only 60,000 people had been prescribed medication, Duston said.

Even taking into account that medication was not suitable for everyone and that some people did not want it, “that’s still hundreds of thousands of people who are not getting the help they need”.

Both the Ministry of Health and Health NZ have been approached for comment.

Change brings ‘both opportunity and risk’ – psychiatrist

The College of Psychiatrists said allowing doctors and nurse practitioners to also prescribe ADHD medicines would help reduce barriers for some people.

ADHD spokesperson Dr David Chinn, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told Nine to Noon the change brought “both opportunity and risk”.

Firstly, there were significant risks associated with undiagnosed and untreated ADHD, and having a wider range of clinicians able to do that would be hugely beneficial.

Many went undiagnosed, particularly Māori, Pacific, Asian and people from deprived communities, Chinn said.

“In terms of risks, we want to make sure that assessments continue to be of a good standard, that the right people are diagnosed with the right conditions and prescribed the right medication, whether that’s ADHD or otherwise,” he said.

Primary health providers were highly skilled at treating many mental health conditions, but it was important that they had sufficient time to carry out ADHD assessments and also access to “escalation pathways”, if patients required more complex interventions.

A thorough assessment typically took about two hours.

None of the features of ADHD – including attention problems, impulsivity, difficulties with emotional regulation – occurred only with ADHD, and it was important to rule out other problems, like mood disorders, anxiety, substance abuse problems etc.

“Stimulants can be life-changing for some people. Psychiatrists are quite supportive of these changes to ensure people aren’t encountering extra barriers in accessing them.”

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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/2026/02/02/first-gp-prescriptions-for-adult-adhd-patients-issued/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police say nothing of concern has been found after a report of a person with a gun in the Napier suburb of Marewa.

Cordons have been lifted on Nuffield Avenue in Marewa.

There will be an increased police presence in the area.

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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/2026/02/02/avoid-the-area-report-of-person-with-firearm-in-napier-suburb/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police are asking people to stay away from Nuffield Avenue in Napier after reports of a person with a gun.

Cordons are in place in Marewa.

Police say people should avoid the area and follow instructions from emergency services.

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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/2026/02/02/avoid-the-area-person-with-firearm-seen-in-napier-suburb/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A woman recovering from a leg amputation in Hutt Hospital was repeatedly harassed by a male patient who touched her while she slept and watched while she was being washed.

The Health and Disability Commission says the hospital failed to keep her safe during her 2022 stay.

The hospital took a week to assign someone to watch the male patient, 11 days to give the woman a security guard, and did not remove the man from the ward.

The woman, known as Mrs B, was being cared for in a room with other women but in a mixed gender ward, deputy commissioner Carolyn Cooper said in her report released on Monday.

Over the course of her stay, the confused man gave her “unwanted attention”.

That included “touching her when she was sleeping, watching her as she was being washed or changed, making inappropriate sexual comments, and going through her belongings”, the report said.

She was so badly impacted, her family discharged her early to finish her recovery at home and she became frightened to return to hospital.

The harassment began soon after the woman was admitted following her amputation.

For the first three days, the hospital used its confused patient protocols to manage the man – including medication, an alarm bracelet, regular checks and using nurses to help redirect him.

His behaviour escalated and a psychiatrist was consulted.

Health NZ told the commission it was unable to move the man from the ward to a place where his behaviour could managed better because of “resourcing constraints”.

On the eighth day of the woman’s stay, staff made an incident report and healthcare assistants were assigned to watch the man around the clock.

But the next day there was a “further incident” when the man entered the woman’s room.

She was offered a private room but declined because she felt safer in a shared room, saying it took 15 or 20 minutes for her call bell to be answered.

The family complained and met with staff to discuss safety measures.

It was not until another incident on day 11 that a security guard was posted outside the woman’s room and she was moved to a bed further from the door.

Her family told the commission the guard did not initially realise he was there to stop the male patient entering the room.

They decided to take her home early and her son complained to the commission.

She had post traumatic stress disorder as a result of her experience.

Hospital criticised

Deputy commissioner Carolyn Cooper said the hospital did not provide the woman with the safe environment she was entitled to.

Health NZ had taken steps to address the behaviour of the man towards her but they were not effective – and incidents continued until she was discharged, Cooper’s report said.

The report noted the hospital’s comments that it could not move the man because of “resourcing constraints”.

“Despite this, I have concerns that the male patient remained in the ward when it was clear that his behaviour was escalating and could not be managed adequately by the measures taken to minimise the risk of harm to Mrs B,” she said.

The hospital also under-reported the number of incidents, the report said.

Health NZ responds

Heath NZ told the commission it took reasonable actions to provide appropriate care to the woman.

But it accepted that it had ultimately failed to provide her with a safe environment.

“Health NZ apologised for this and for the emotional distress this caused,” it said.

The hospital had considered moving the man to another ward but decided not to because of the complexity of patients on that ward and that they may have increased the confusion the man was experiencing.

It had made a series of changes since the woman’s stay.

It was increasing staff education, including for security guards, orderlies and minders on the risks of sexually inappropriate behaviour.

The hospital was looking into same-gender bays in wards to “enhance patient dignity, privacy and safety” and changing wards to include low-stimulation spaces for patients who are confused or agitated.

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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/2026/02/02/patient-touched-while-sleeping-watched-while-washing-during-recovery-at-hutt-hospital/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tauranga City Council has voted to commission an independent external review into the fatal Mount Maunganui landslide.

Six people died in the slip, and the police had finished their recovery efforts, with all the victims now recovered and identified.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale earlier said the council would arrange its own review into the slip, despite the fact the government was also likely to hold an inquiry.

In an emergency meeting held on Monday, councillors decided an independent external review would take place – opting for that instead of a “rapid internal assessment”.

“This is very much around establishing the facts, understanding what happened, and… whether the actions of Tauranga City Council were appropriate in the circumstances,” Drysdale said.

It was important any lessons would be delivered as soon as possible to protect the lives of residents and visitors, he said.

The council would now finalise the terms of reference, appoint the independent reviewer, and decide on the timeframe.

The option to do nothing was discounted “as it is not prudent governance to ignore an incident of this scale and the need to provide assurance, transparency, and organisational learning,” the agenda document said.

A rapid internal assessment run by a senior staffer would be quicker and cheaper, but with weaker “perceived independence” given community expectations and scrutiny, it said.

An independent external review would be slower and more costly, but with greater public confidence, the paper said.

Monday’s meeting was held in “tragic circumstances”, following events that had changed the city forever, Drysdale said.

“We’ve had a number of questions, and as governors, we need to answer those questions.”

Councillors noted the fact the council owned the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park meant there was inherent conflict.

That was cause enough for an independent Crown inquiry, Councillor Steve Morris said.

“But in the meantime we’re responsible for the lives of nearly 170,000 people, so we’ve got to learn and implement any changes as soon as possible, because a future natural disaster isn’t going to give us the courtesy for the Crown or its agencies to complete their inquiries.”

Councillor Hemi Rolleston urged the council to balance haste and care.

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell said he fully supported an external review.

Public scrutiny had been growing following the landslip.

A camper who contacted emergency services on the morning of the landslide said she saw a local council representative drive through the campground and directly past three slips about two hours before the deadly landslide.

The council would not comment on that before any review took place, emergency controller Tom McEntyre said.

It was also revealed last week that geotechnical engineers told Tauranga City Council two decades ago buildings should not be allowed in the “runout” zones of potential landslides unless they had specially constructed protection like a retaining wall.

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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/2026/02/02/tauranga-city-council-votes-for-independent-review-into-fatal-mt-maunganui-landslide/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A number of schools in Auckland have expressed concern about an uptick in absences at the start of the year as students travel overseas to visit families during Lunar New Year celebrations.

New Zealand’s state and state integrated schools begin the first term of 2026 between Monday, 26 January, and Monday, 9 February.

The upcoming Lunar New Year falls on 17 February this year – about three weeks after some schools resume classes.

That gap has prompted concern at schools with large numbers of Asian students that some families may miss extended periods of school.

Auckland’s Macleans College begins Term 1 on 2 February, with principal Steven Hargreaves acknowledging the absences the school typically records around Lunar New Year each year.

Hargreaves said some students stayed in China over the New Zealand summer holidays and only returned after Chinese New Year.

Lunar New Year fell a little later than usual this year, he said, noting that students who missed about three weeks of school could struggle to catch up.

“The first few weeks of school are always so important because that’s where the classroom routines are established,” Hargreaves said.

“If a student is away for three weeks, they miss some of the fundamental outlines of the course,” he said.

“They haven’t had a chance to review their timetable, the whole classroom dynamic and the establishment of routines is missed. It does put them behind their classmates for achievement.”

Hargreaves said about half of Macleans College’s students were of Chinese heritage.

The school’s average annual attendance rate was close to 95 percent, he said, and students of Chinese descent had the highest attendance of any ethnic group.

Even so, he said, the small number of students who missed classes during Lunar New Year remained a source of frustration.

He said some families cited medical reasons to justify absences when students were abroad, which he said was problematic.

“We take the family’s word for it, even if we have our doubts whether that’s true or not,” he said.

“It’s often an excuse given to be absent,” he said. “But it just seems too coincidental that there’s a group of students away for a week or two all at the same time of year.”

Hargreaves said New Zealand law clearly stipulated that students could be absent only for specific reasons, and that family occasions or reunions did not qualify.

Several primary schools on Auckland’s North Shore shared similar concerns about possible absences this year related to the Lunar New Year.

Browns Bay School said it had set its 2026 start date as late as possible – on 9 February – to give families more time over the holidays, and reminded parents that students were expected back on the first day of term.

In a newsletter sent to families, the school said it had seen an increase in absences at the beginning of the school year around Lunar New Year, along with more parents citing medical reasons during that period as families travelled overseas to celebrate.

RNZ has approached the school for comment.

Pinehill School also planned to start the new term on 9 February but admitted that attendance could be affected this year.

“Last year, the first day of Lunar New Year was Wednesday, 29 January,” said the school’s principal, Carla Veldman.

“To acknowledge this special time for our Chinese families, we started the school year [in 2025] at the latest possible date, Monday, 10 February. Attendance was not an issue, and all students were back on Day 1.”

“This year is a bit more challenging,” she said.

“We are starting at the latest possible date again … but Lunar New Year falls later, on Tuesday, 17 February. We anticipate that this may affect attendance for some families.

“Extended absences at the start of the year can affect how students settle in, build relationships with teachers and peers, understand routines and systems, and complete beginning-of-year assessments.”

Veldman said about 60 percent of the school’s students identified as Chinese.

She said the school followed its attendance follow-up procedures to communicate the importance of regular attendance to all families.

“We include messages such as, ‘Missing one week of school each term adds up to missing a whole year of learning by the time your child is 16’,” Veldman said.

“Regular attendance helps students get the most out of their education.”

For families who needed to travel for Lunar New Year, she said, the school encouraged parents to let staff know in advance so teachers could provide learning resources and support, helping students return without feeling overwhelmed.

“We understand that Lunar New Year is an important cultural occasion for many families,” she said.

“Our advice is to plan travel around the school calendar where possible, keep absences to a minimum and communicate with the school so we can support students to stay on track with learning.”

Pigeon Mountain Primary School in East Auckland starts the new term on 3 February.

Principal Phebe Rossiter said the school had noticed fluctuations in attendance at the start of the year.

In 2025, she said, the school recorded 85 percent regular attendance in the first week and 90 percent in the second, which coincided with Lunar New Year, compared with a typical weekly average of about 96 percent in Term 1.

She cautioned, however, against attributing higher absence rates solely to cultural celebrations.

Rossiter said regular attendance in the first weeks of school was critical but noted it was also important to bring culture into school life.

“A student’s culture is incredibly important to us,” she said.

Rossiter said the school was planning to mark Lunar New Year with decorations and classroom-learning activities, as well as a lion dance performance.

For families weighing attendance against cultural obligations, she encouraged parents to contact the school for support.

“We want parents to know that if they plan a holiday during term time, their child may miss out on key learning or a fun event they had been really looking forward to,” she said.

“However, we also lead with empathy. We understand that traveling home to see family for special events is not usually a regular occurrence, and important part of life.”

Rossiter said the school’s target of having 80 percent of students attending regularly was achievable.

Helen Hurst, acting leader of operations and integration at the Ministry of Education, said the legal expectation for state and state integrated schools was clear: Students were required to attend whenever school is open.

“Regular attendance is generally understood as attending school for more than 90 percent of the term, which means students could be absent for fewer than five days in a term,” she said.

Hurst said the ministry could identify the number of students on holiday in Term 1, but could not attribute those absences specifically to Lunar New Year, since families travelled for many reasons at that time of year.

She said the ministry acknowledged Lunar New Year was a significant annual cultural occasion and reunion for many families, similar in importance to Christmas.

For families who are unavoidably away during term time, she said the ministry advised parents to notify the school early; discuss options to maintain learning, such as learning packs, online access or adjusted timing for assessments; agree on how progress will be checked while the student is away; and make a plan for re-engagement and catching up on their return.

The government has taken a tougher line on school attendance in 2026, with schools mandated to begin the year with an attendance management plan that set out how they would respond when attendance started to slip.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour said school attendance rates were trending upward, and the plans could include schools contacting families after five days of absence, organising a meeting when absences reach 10 days and referring students to truancy services after 15 days.

The government’s goal is for 80 percent of students to attend school more than 90 percent of the time by 2030.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/schools-fear-uptick-in-absences-for-lunar-new-year/

Source: Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/does-your-self-worth-go-down-when-the-weather-heats-up/