KB – Page 280 – MIL-OSI Export

Repairing storm damage on the East Coast’s SH35, at Taurangakoau Bridge, 25 January 2026. Supplied/ NZTA

The government is standing up its Temporary Accommodation Service to help people displaced by last week’s storms.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment will accept registrations from people in Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Tairāwhiti who have been displaced or expect they may need temporary accommodation.

Associate housing minister Tama Potaka said government agencies will continue to work with councils, communities, and iwi to ensure a seamless transition for people in need to access safe, suitable accommodation, and will continue to provide wrap-around support including social services, mental health support, and financial support.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/government-to-offer-temporary-accommodation-to-storm-victims/

January 26, 2026

Accommodation support for recent severe weather events

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated today to support people displaced by recent severe weather events affecting parts of the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti, and other affected areas, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka says.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Temporary Accommodation Service is accepting registrations from people who have been displaced, or who expect they may need temporary accommodation as a result of the recent weather events.

“MBIE is working closely with Civil Defence Emergency Management, the National Emergency Management Agency, local councils, communities, and Iwi to ensure a seamless transition for people in need to access safe, suitable accommodation,” Mr Potaka says.

“Agencies will continue to work together to provide wrap-around support for communities affected by the severe weather events, including social services, mental health support, financial support and more. I want to acknowledge and thank all those marae, whānau, communities and organisations who have supported people with housing need at this very difficult time.”

MBIE has a responsibility to coordinate temporary accommodation following an emergency, as per the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan Order 2015.

Note to editor:

People affected by the recent severe weather who have a current, or expected future need for temporary accommodation, are encouraged to register via the TAS website: www.tas.mbie.govt.nz or phone 0508 754 163.
At this stage it is too early to confirm numbers of registrations for the Temporary Accommodation Service.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/accommodation-support-for-recent-severe-weather-events/

January 26, 2026

What are New Zealand’s spookiest abadoned ghost towns?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Towns throughout New Zealand have fallen victim to changing economic times over the years. Now, the remnants of some of these once-thriving places are all that remain.

Many of these towns and settlements were associated with some of New Zealand’s earliest industries says Peter Janssen, author of new bookWorth A Detour: Hidden places and Unusual Attractions.

Benhar, just north of Balclutha, was once a centre of New Zealand’s pottery industry, Janssen told RNZ’s Summer Times.

The Hoffman Kiln in Benhar.

Heritage New Zealand.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/what-are-new-zealands-spookiest-abadoned-ghost-towns/

January 26, 2026

Te Araroa residents band together to get through the storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

A slip blocking a road near Te Araroa. Te Araroa Civil Defence / supplied

Four days on from a devastating storm, pockets of whānau remain cut off from one another on the East Coast.

The communities were still isolated following widespread flooding and slips, with helicopters delivering supplies.

Te Araroa – one of the worst-hit areas – has just been reconnected to Gisborne via State Highway 35 to the south.

According to local Four Square duty manager Wiremu Henare, the opening of the road – three times a day to allow convoys into the township – could not have come soon enough.

“They let a truck through yesterday, so our supplies are real good at the moment. We were running low on some stuff like bread, eggs, and flour, but we are stocked up again.”

The store has been working alongside Civil Defence to help whānau still cut off.

“We probably supply close to… 20-30 families at the moment, that’s out Horoera ways, East Cape, because they’re trapped at the moment.

“We have a team on the ground that’s got four-wheeler buggies and they go round on low tide and supply families with groceries.”

He said it was a beautiful part of the coast, but the entrance – surrounded by hills – was vulnerable to slips.

They had been pulling some big shifts in the store, he said, with one half of his team still cut off in Hicks Bay.

Emergency management controller Ben Green said while the opening of the highway to Te Araroa was a win, it was a different story further north, with the Hicks Bay area likely to remain physically isolated for another week.

He said about 30-odd houses in nearby Onepoto – evacuated due to the risk of landslide over the weekend – were yet to be given the all-clear.

Hinerupe Marae – the Civil Defence base and welfare centre in Te Araroa. Te Araroa Civil Defence / supplied

Local Civil Defence kaimahi Trudi Ngāwhare said communities on the East Coast were no strangers to extreme weather, but it still took its toll.

“You want to help, you want to get in there and help and do what you can, but all we could do was watch it happen – and that was horrible to be honest, and you really feel for our whānau.

“A few people woke up and… lost everything. And then we hear our Hicks Bay whānau’s cut off, cut off for days.”

She said the level of destruction has been surprising, leaving a nearby mountain range with “open gash wounds”.

With multiple slips in the area, there was “quite a bit of mess,” and Ngāwhare begged people not to go sight-seeing.

Since the torrential rain, Hinerupe Marae – the Civil Defence base and welfare centre in Te Araroa – had been humming, she said, hosting about 30-40 people at any one time.

Helpers at Hinerupe Marae – the Civil Defence base and welfare centre in Te Araroa. Te Araroa Civil Defence / supplied

“A lot of people to feed… even our kitchen crew has been going hard.”

Ngāwhare said the next few days would be more of the same, and responding to where the need was greatest.

“The needs change everyday depending on how long your power’s out, how long your road’s closed.

“Just keeping dynamic, I guess, and we’ll only know what we need as the day rolls on and plan for the next day.”

She said the support from people “all around the motu” had been heard and felt, and wanted to express “huge gratitude” for everyone’s kind words, karakia, and donations.

“We’ll get there.”

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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/2026/01/26/te-araroa-residents-band-together-to-get-through-the-storm/

January 26, 2026

Mount Maunganui update – technology aids recovery operation

Source: New Zealand Police

Specialist technology is being used to ensure the safety of teams working on the recovery operation at Mount Maunganui.

The search area was evacuated at 11.50am yesterday, after a contractor driver noticed potential instability on the face of the slip. Following advice from two independent geotechnical experts, it was deemed too hazardous for teams to continue working.

Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson says the recovery effort resumed at 10.30am today.

“There is an ever-present risk to the dedicated teams working in the shadow of the maunga, but sensitive surveillance equipment is now giving us a real-time overview of the condition of the environment. Slight movements can be tracked, and we can get people out of the immediate area under the slip.

“The equipment was helicoptered to Tauranga from Wellington last night and as of this morning, it’s operating and providing an extra layer of protection. We can’t control the hazard, but we are focused on controlling the consequences.

“We are doing everything we can to protect the people who are trying to reunite loved ones with their families.

“Recovery teams are working methodically through the scene, but there are still many days of work ahead of us. Due to the conditions, there is no timeline for completing our work. It is a delicate operation, and it will take as long as it takes.”

Constant monitoring

Overnight, a design engineering firm with geotechnical expertise installed the three cameras that now provide a “visual web” of the slip and slope area, up to 300 metres wide.

In addition to the cameras, drones capture photo imagery of the mountainside three times a day. Three human spotters are also watching the mountain constantly while crews are working on the recovery.

“Every person at the scene has been told to raise the alarm if they see potential movement. It doesn’t matter if it turns out to be a false alarm – our main concern is for the people working that danger zone.”

Ground crews hoping for sun

Superintendent Anderson says weather remains the biggest obstacle to the recovery effort.

Until the sodden, clay-like material is cleared, layer by layer, it’s hard to estimate the volume that came down, but it could possibly be “in the tens of thousands of cubic metres”.

“We’re just holding out for the weather to improve because moisture is the enemy at this point.

“The condition of the ground is slowly stabilising but there is no technology that will stop the threat that rain brings. The ground is saturated and what we need is days of fine weather.”

Sensors will be installed on the mountain “hopefully, in the coming days”, if conditions allow the ground to dry and stabilise.

“It’s really important for people to remember, ‘stabilised’ doesn’t mean safe. The recovery teams are working in conditions that remain highly dangerous.”

Overwhelming aroha from community

Superintendent Anderson says Police, Council and geotechnical experts are working together on whether cordons can be reduced “if conditions allow”.

“We want to thank the community for their understanding while this delicate work is ongoing.

“It’s been humbling to see the outpouring of support and aroha from so many people, including those providing food for staff and the many offers of equipment and supplies.

“I also want to acknowledge our Family Liaison Officers, and the specialist staff working at the scene. Their efforts are enormous. They are extremely dedicated people who are keen to reunite families with their loved ones as soon as possible, and they doing an incredibly thorough and professional job.

“The community has rallied around the families and the responders, and it really shows what a special place this is.”

Appeal for footage continues

Police are asking anyone with video footage of the slip at Mt Maunganui to upload it via this online portal.

Privacy request from families

Police are aware some family members are feeling uncomfortable with receiving multiple requests for comment. We ask that their wishes be respected while they grieve, and that they are not approached repeatedly if they do not reply to messages or calls.

Media can request comment through the Police Media Centre, and requests will be passed on by Family Liaison Officers.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/mount-maunganui-update-technology-aids-recovery-operation/

January 26, 2026

Stolen turtles slowly make their way home to Hastings park

Source: Radio New Zealand

Three of the red-eared slider turtles stolen from the bird aviary at Cornwall Park in Hastings have been found. Supplied / LDR

Slowly but surely, the seven turtles stolen from Cornwall Park in Hastings are finding their way home.

The red-eared slider turtles were taken after a large square hole was cut in the fence of the Cornwall Park aviary at the beginning of January.

The first turtle was found just days after the theft, sitting on the steps of a dance studio in Hastings.

Community support officer for Hawke’s Bay SPCA, Karen Hacking, said a member of the public called them after finding the turtle in Murdoch Rd.

“We asked them to keep it safe until we arrived,” Hacking said.

“They may be slow, but they can still move, and with a busy road and a nearby park, it was safest to keep the turtle contained.”

She said when the SPCA arrived, the turtle’s shell was very dry.

“We knew about the theft, so we took it back to the Hastings depot, set up an area with water and bought some food. It was obviously hungry, making short work of the food we put in the water.”

She said it seemed really social, responding to voices.

“Most turtles are shy and will retreat into their shells around humans, so that fact stood out to us and made us think it was most likely one of the stolen ones.”

The Cornwall Park aviary keeper visited the next day.

“He believed it was one from the aviary so it went back and by all accounts settled in well.”

A second turtle was dropped off at a Napier pet shop by a member of the public who also called Hastings District Council.

A council spokesperson said once it was confirmed to be one of the missing turtles, it was returned to the aviary.

“It was hungry but otherwise in good health.”

The third was returned by a Hawke’s Bay resident.

The council is also investigating a sighting of a turtle at Anderson Park in Napier.

The spokesperson said people had offered to gift turtles to the aviary.

“However, the pond is only large enough for a maximum of 14 turtles, so we are keeping the space for the return of those who have lived there all of their lives.”

Hacking said anyone thinking about getting a turtle as a pet should do their research.

“Just like any other pet, they need food and shelter. Turtles can live for a long time, and take just as much care as any other animal.”

Red-eared slider turtles can live for up to 50 years in captivity and grow to around 35cm in shell length.

At the time of the theft, a council spokesperson said it was vital the turtles were kept in a cool area with water.

“They should not be released into the wild as they are unlikely to survive and can cause harm to local ecosystems. They can prey on fish, aquatic plants, kōura and insects, as well as small birds such as ducklings, displace nesting wetland birds and degrade water quality.”

Four turtles are still missing.

A police spokesperson said at the time they’d received a burglary report that suggested the turtles had been stolen from the Hastings District Council-owned aviary sometime between midnight 2 January and 6am 3 January.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/stolen-turtles-slowly-make-their-way-home-to-hastings-park/

January 26, 2026

Tennis: NZ’s Erin Routliffe knocked out of Australian Open

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and her doubles partner Asia Muhammad. Joshua Devenie / www.photosport.nz

New Zealand’s top doubles player, Erin Routliffe, has had her Australian Open come to an end in the third round.

The Kiwi doubles star, and her partner Asia Muhammad, were upset by Ena Shibahara of Japan and Russian veteran Vera Zvonareva 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.

Breaks were traded in the fourth and fifth games of the first set before the sixth seeds led 5-4, only to drop the next three games in a row and the set 7-5.

In the second set, Routliffe and Muhammad gained the only break in the fourth game on Shibahara’s serve and kept the lead as the American rounded out the set 6-3.

However, the third set was a struggle for the Kiwi and American combination in their first Slam together.

Muhammad was broken in the second game and Routliffe in the fourth as Zvonareva and Shibahara raced through the set and match 6-1.

It was a case of winding back the clock for the 41-year-old Zvonareva.

Zvonareva peaked at No. 2 in the singles rankings in 2010, the same year she finished runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Zvonareva made a low-key comeback at the ITF W100 in Dubai in December, marking her first professional tournament since June 2024.

Routliffe and her mixed doubles partner, Andre Goransson of Sweden, were knocked out of the tournament yesterday.

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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/2026/01/26/tennis-nzs-erin-routliffe-knocked-out-of-australian-open/

January 26, 2026

Farmers frustrated by Canterbury’s recent bad weather

Source: Radio New Zealand

David Birkett

Canterbury arable farmers are facing millions of dollars of losses after a third big hail storm hit parts of the region on Friday.

Crops have been destroyed, while others have gone to seed due to ongoing wet weather making them unusable.

Federated Farmers Arable chair David Birkett who grows crops like wheat, barley and vegetable seeds in Leeston just south of Christchurch said growers should be harvesting but are sitting on their hands.

“We should be in the thick of harvest but we are sitting here waiting for the weather to improve, since Christmas we’ve gone from a typical hot, dry Canterbury summer to really wet weather with plenty of hail storms coming through.

“Normally we’d have three or four a year but we’ve had about 12 so far this year already, three being really hard-hitting ones which have wiped out entire crops.”

Birkett said the hail was very localised – one grower could have lost everything while next door was totally fine.

“Some hail damage has wiped out entire fields, which is devastating for the growers because for some it’s the second or third season where they’ve lost crops, so cash flow is getting tight.

He said the cost of the hail storms this year had totalled $10 million in Canterbury alone.

“The frustrating thing is that the crop was looking really good this season and now some of it’s not usable.”

The point was that growers had already spent all the money on the crop, so when it was ruined they lost all that income, he said.

Another arable farmer RNZ spoke to said the losses were putting a lot of strain on finances.

“It’s not just the hail, the ongoing wet weather means we can’t harvest and the quality of the crop is going down. My milling wheat won’t make the quality grade, so I will have to sell it as feed wheat for the dairy industry, so I’ll lose about $100 a tonne.”

Birkett said there was no rain in the forecast this week, but temperatures remained low, so it could take a week for the crops to dry out enough to be harvested.

“While other parts of the ag sector like dairy and sheep and beef farmers are doing well, arable farmers are really struggling.”

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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/2026/01/26/farmers-frustrated-by-canterburys-recent-bad-weather/

January 26, 2026

Obama’s former speechwriter says Trump’s actions are all about his legacy

Source: Radio New Zealand

America has pulled out of the World Health Organisation as Donald Trump continues to reshape the world order.

It comes as he threatens to slap Canada with a 100 percent tariff if it does a trade deal with China and as NATO still reels from his demands to take Greenland.

Barack Obama’s former speechwriter and host of the podcast Pod Save America Jon Favreau, told RNZ that Trump’s actions were now driven by a desire to leave a legacy.

Favreau told Midday Report’s Guyon Espiner that he had been surprised by how easily Trump had disrupted the world order, as very few people stood up to him.

“I think the framers of the Constitution, the one thing they didn’t really count on was this sort of extreme polarisation and the idea that one party would just decide to give up on providing any kind of check on the president’s power,” he said.

“I think if we were to ascribe some kind of strategy to Trump – and again, I hesitate to do that – I do think he’s someone who he wants to dominate other people. He wants more land, more money, more everything.

“You can tell now he’s sort of looking for this legacy, and he believes his legacy is, how much territory he has and, how many people can be made to respect him and bow down to him.

“It’s not dissimilar to other authoritarian leaders, both around the world right now and throughout history. It is the same mindset that also becomes a political programme, whether it is conscious or not.”

Favreau also said he was concerned that the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network – which New Zealand is part of – was at risk under Trump’s second term in power.

This White House handout photo shows US President Barack Obama meeting with Director of Speechwriting Jon Favreau in the Oval Office of the White House to review a speech, on April 14, 2009. PETE SOUZA / AFP / WHITE HOUSE

However, he believed that within US agencies, there were people who were not beholden to Trump.

“I think that once you get a couple levels down in the administration and the federal government here, you still have career people.

“I think especially in the intelligence agencies and the Defence Department and the State Department, if they haven’t been purged yet, who are professionals.

“I do worry about… we have a national intelligence director and a CIA director and a secretary of state… who are all very, very loyal to Trump and would never cross him. But I do think once you get a couple levels down, you do have people who are still more loyal to the Constitution and the global order than they are to the personal whims of one president.”

US President Donald Trump. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

Regarding the 2026 mid-term elections in the United States, Favreau was confident they were not under threat.

“I think they will happen, partly because in our system, the federal government does not run or control the elections. They are controlled by the states that they’re in.

“But my concern is less that the midterm elections won’t happen. It is that the midterm elections do happen. It is a polarised environment. We have close elections here already. And if control of the House or control of the Senate comes down to a couple districts or a state or two where it’s very close, then you see the federal government potentially stepping in and trying to say, the vote was rigged or this or that.

“So I worry more about what happens after the election than whether the election occurs. I think that if the Democrats do win the House, then Trump never passes another law again. So that is one way to check his power.

“I also think they can start to not just hold hearings, but and subpoena Trump officials to come testify, but also subpoena documents. So I think that could check his power and hold the Trump administration accountable in some way.”

If the Democrats win the Senate, Favreau said, they could prevent the President from nominating and confirming more judges.

“You can slow him down, I think, in the midterms if Democrats are successful in the midterms. And I actually do think that is, it’s quite meaningful and quite necessary. So, but I don’t think it’s a cure-all. I think that comes in 2028. And we have to win that election for sure.”

Favreau’s podcast, Pod Save America, reaches more than 1.5 million listeners per episode on average.

He said the conversational format was what attracted audiences.

“You have more time. There’s more time for nuance and subtlety, and to sort of dissect complex issues and to have sort of complex views on different issues.”

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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/2026/01/26/obamas-former-speechwriter-says-trumps-actions-are-all-about-his-legacy/

January 26, 2026

Canterbury Police review car enthusiast activity from the weekend

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Inspector Peter Cooper, Area Commander Canterbury Rural:

Police maintained a highly visible presence across North Canterbury throughout the Muscle Car Madness weekend, with officers focused on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the wider Rangiora community.

Over the course of the event, Police and Court bailiffs seized and/or impounded 11 vehicles, and completed enforcement action including four excess breath alcohol (EBA) detections and one related arrest.

While the Muscle Car Madness Car Show itself was well run and continues to provide genuine benefit to the community, Police were disappointed by the overall behaviour at the associated temporary camping area. Heavy intoxication and dangerous driving behaviour fell well below what is acceptable, and Police have raised concerns about the suitability of the camping ground and whether it should continue there in future years.

The challenging weather over the weekend created further pressure for organisers, however there did not appear to be an adequate contingency or wet‑weather plan in place, which contributed to the issues encountered.

Police will now review the activity and enforcement outcomes from the weekend to inform planning ahead of any future events. As always, the safety of the public remains our priority, and we will continue to work closely with event organisers and local partners to support safe and enjoyable events in our community.

As always, members of the public who witnessed dangerous or unlawful behaviour over the weekend are encouraged to report it to Police on 111 if it is happening now, or 105. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/canterbury-police-review-car-enthusiast-activity-from-the-weekend/

January 26, 2026

Person dies in ‘serious’ Whangārei crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police say one person died at the scene of the crash. RNZ

One person has died in what police are calling a “serious” crash in Oakleigh, Whangārei.

Emergency services were called to the scene on State Highway 1 at 2:20pm on Saturday.

Police said one person died at the scene, while three others were taken to hospital – two in serious condition and one in moderate condition.

Enquiries into the crash are ongoing.

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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/2026/01/26/person-dies-in-serious-whangarei-crash/

January 26, 2026

Home surf: Kiwi veteran Billy Stairmand guns for world league event in Raglan

Source: Radio New Zealand

Billy Stairmand shows his surfing style. PHOTOSPORT

Nine-time New Zealand men’s surfing champion Billy Stairmand would love to gain a wildcard for the new Raglan leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour.

The Waikato coastal town has been chosen to host the fourth stop on the WSL 2026 circuit, the New Zealand Pro, from 15-25 May.

It will be the country’s first combined men’s and women’s WSL Championship Tour event.

The world’s top 36 men and 24 women will compete, with New Zealand set to be allowed one man and one woman to enter as wildcards.

Stairmand and Maya Mateja won the men’s and women’s national titles at Makorori Beach, north of Gisborne, a week ago, and while Stairmand would be a top chance of getting the men’s spot, Mateja’s eligibility for a Kiwi wildcard has to be established with the WSL, as she has competed under a Mexican flag.

There will likely be trials before the wildcards are selected. Paige Hareb, Saffi Vette and Ella Williams are possible contenders for the women’s position, while Stairmand could face his toughest competition from Luke Cederwall, Daniel Farr and Alexis Owens on the men’s side.

Maya Mateja (L) and Billy Stairmand celebrate their national championship surfing titles. photosport

Stairmand, 36, a two-time Olympian, is a veteran these days but would love to represent New Zealand on his home surf.

“It’s pretty exciting for me, because I was born and bred in Raglan and moulded my career there,” he told RNZ Sport.

“I’m really trying to get into that contest myself and hopefully come up against those big dogs and give it to them in my backyard.

“It’s very exciting for everyone in Raglan and the surfing community in New Zealand.”

One of the attractions for Raglan for surfers is that it offers waves with a difference.

“It is a long left-hand point break, and there’s not many waves like that on tour. It’s a very high-performance wave, with a lot of sections that you can play around with and mix up your manoeuvres,” Stairmand said.

“If you’re in the water looking at the shore, the waves break to your left.

“It just runs along a rock point break, comes off the mountain, Mount Karioi, there’s a few different point breaks, and it will looking good for that time of year.”

Billy Stairmand at the 2026 New Zealand National Surfing Championships in Gisborne, New Zealand, 17 January 2026. Photosport

Stairmand travelled to Hawaii after the national championships and will compete in a world tour challenger series event at Banzai Pipeline, starting on Friday.

He said his competitive edge is still strong.

“With my experience and confidence about being at home, it would be a cool opportunity to showcase some surfing and hopefully put a few heats together and have a bit of fun out there.”

“I’m keen as to put my best foot forward. I’ll definitely be at home gunning for a spot into that contest.”

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the event would attract global attention.

“This is an incredible opportunity for surfing in New Zealand. Fans will be able to watch the world’s most talented surfers get barrelled and compete, inspiring our budding young athletes and helping grow the sport in New Zealand,” she said.

“The New Zealand Pro will also give a major tourism boost to the Waikato, with a lineup of competitors and spectators

to the region and a global broadcast of the event, showcasing Raglan as a top surf destination internationally.”

The event is being backed financially by the government’s Events Attraction Package, which aims to bring high-value international events to New Zealand.

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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/2026/01/26/home-surf-kiwi-veteran-billy-stairmand-guns-for-world-league-event-in-raglan/

January 26, 2026

500 litres of human waste spills onto SH1 near Geraldine

Source: Radio New Zealand

State Highway 1 near Geraldine is down to one lane as emergency services and local authorities respond to the crash. Unsplash / Dean Fick

A big clean-up is underway in South Canterbury after a truck carrying port-a-loos crashed and sent hundreds of litres of human waste spilling onto the road.

The crash happened on State Highway 1 near Geraldine shortly before 2pm.

Fire and Emergency said about 500 litres of waste had poured onto the highway near Arundel Belfield Road.

Police said local authorities were assisting with the clean up of hazardous waste at the scene.

“It is an unfortunate incident,” a spokesperson said.

The road was down to one lane as emergency services and local authorities respond.

No one was hurt.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/500-litres-of-human-waste-spills-onto-sh1-near-geraldine/

January 26, 2026

Fatal crash, Oakleigh, Whangārei

Source: New Zealand Police

One person died following a serious crash on Saturday 24 January on State Highway 1, Oakleigh, Whangārei.

Police and other emergency services responded to the crash around 2.20pm.

Sadly, one person died at the scene.

Three other people were transported to hospital, two in serious condition and one in moderate condition.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/fatal-crash-oakleigh-whangarei/

January 26, 2026

Former Foreign Minister says NZ must stand up to Trump, defends WHO work

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Mark Papalii

New Zealand leaving the World Health Organization (WHO) – a possibility hinted at by Foreign Minister Winston Peters – would be “incredibly stupid”, according to one of his predecessors in the role.

Peters says the country needs to take a serious look at whether taxpayers’ money is being spent responsibly on the WHO. His comment, made on his personal X account, came after the United States withdrew from the organisation.

In his post on Friday, Peters said: “This is what happens when a bunch of unelected globalist bureaucrats are not accountable or responsible with worldwide taxpayers’ money.

“With the US withdrawing its membership it puts into question the current state of the WHO, its effectiveness, and if our taxpayers money is being responsibly spent overseas instead of here at home.”

Peters told Morning Report on Monday the WHO was a bloated organisation and not performing the way it should.

“They’ve forgotten what their original mandate was, they’ve forgotten the original parameters and boundaries they were given.

“I think we’ve got a right to question the issue of funding.

“We need to have a serious conversation in terms of accountability to the New Zealand people.”

Peters said it cost New Zealand millions of dollars to be part of the WHO.

“There have been countless occasions when they’ve sought to make rulings or decisions without any reference to the democratic nations that comprise it,” he said.

“Their job is to ensure they are efficiently the servants of the taxpayers worldwide that subscribe and sustain them.”

Washington formally withdrew from the WHO last week accusing it of numerous “failures during the Covid-19 pandemic” and of acting “repeatedly against the interests of the United States”.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the withdrawal made “the US and the world less safe”and the reasons cited for the US decision were “untrue.”

Speaking to Midday Report, Phil Goff – foreign minister between 1999 and 2005 under Helen Clark – said it appeared Peters wanted to “become a mini-Trump”, referring to US President Donald Trump.

“The WHO has done some incredible things in the world. It’s been responsible for the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, fighting pandemics. You can’t fight pandemics on a national basis because diseases don’t respect national borders.

“But also [it brings] the advantage of health care to those countries that desperately need it, the underdeveloped countries. So we spend, I think there’s an annual assessment of about $2.25 million from New Zealand plus a voluntary contribution – it’s not huge money and it’s vitally important.”

Goff was sacked as New Zealand’s high commissioner to the UK by Peters last year after making comments critical of Trump.

Donald Trump and Phil Goff. AFP / RNZ

‘Gutless’ not to stand up – Goff

Goff said it was “gutless” Luxon had not ruled out joining Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’, which the US president wants to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza and had suggested might one day replace the UN. Trump has invited the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman.

Goff said by not immediately declining the invite, the government was appeasing a bully.

“When you stand up to a bully, they often have to back off. When you appease them, you just encourage them to keep on doing what they’re doing.

“And we know that what Trump is doing is destroying the fundamental basis of New Zealand foreign policy, which is to have an international rules-based order, not one based on personality and might being right. That is totally against what New Zealand has always stood for.

“And for us to suck up to Trump, to fail to criticise him, even when he says that our soldiers and NATO soldiers in Afghanistan didn’t go near the front line – deeply insulting, deeply hurtful to veterans – that’s a disgrace. And surely our foreign minister and prime minister should have felt it necessary to speak out and criticise Trump for saying that, as Starmer did, as Macron did, as Donald Tusk in Poland did.

“We have been gutless in this area, and I really feel that as a person proud of my country and proud of it standing up for the values that we have stood for so often in the past.”

Ten New Zealanders lost their lives during the War in Afghanistan.

WHO, UN need to be more effective – Luxon

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said global institutions needed to be more effective and renew themselves to stay relevant – but there was no question over New Zealand’s membership.

“The WHO plays an incredible role strengthening our healthcare systems, and national healthcare systems throughout the Pacific.

“New Zealand continues to benefit from the World Health Organization, but that doesn’t preclude it from continuing to improve its effectiveness and efficiency in delivery.

“I feel the same about the UN frankly – its relevance, its effectiveness needs serious overhauling.”

Luxon said New Zealand’s membership of the WHO and other global organisations was not in question, but they needed to be renewed and strengthened.

“Our challenge is to make them function better,” he said.

They were stuck in a way of working that’s “not relevant to where we are today”.

After the US withdrawal announcement, Tedros told staff in a memo the WHO would cut costs and review which health programmes to prioritise, Reuters reported. A spokesperson confirmed the memo was authentic but declined to comment further.

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

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January 26, 2026

Alleged Wānaka cell tower arsonist Daniel Miller refuses to answer judge

Source: Radio New Zealand

One of several cell towers allegedly destroyed by Daniel Miller in the Wānaka region. RNZ/ Katie Todd

A man who is facing arson and firearms charges following a series of attacks on cellphone towers in Wānaka has refused to answer questions from a judge.

Daniel Miller represented himself at a hearing at the Queenstown District Court on Monday.

The 41-year-old declined to say if he understood the proceedings, instead demanding to know if Judge Catriona Doyle was using her full and legal name.

Judge Doyle said Miller appeared to be taking a sovereign citizen approach.

He has been remanded in custody while he awaits a trial later this year.

The attacks had been on numerous cell towers in Wānaka including Spark and OneNZ towers.

Contractors removing a destroyed One NZ cellphone communications tower in Wānaka on Friday 10 October, 2025, after it was vandalised. RNZ/ Katie Todd

Detective Senior Sergeant Regan Boucher had previously said the “mindless” attacks were not only frustrating for the police but posed a serious risk to the public.

“They can disrupt vital connectivity, including access to emergency services such as 111. The last thing we want, and I would also hope the persons responsible want, is for someone to be hurt because they couldn’t call for help,” he said.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/26/alleged-wanaka-cell-tower-arsonist-daniel-miller-refuses-to-answer-judge/

January 26, 2026

Wānaka cell tower arsonist Daniel Miller refuses to answer judge