Category: LiveNews

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Universities – New Zealand law lags where dark patterns target the vulnerable – UoA

Source: University of Auckland – UoA

Researchers are exploring how dark patterns exploit vulnerable consumers, and what New Zealand law can do about it.

Several of the world’s most powerful social media giants, including Meta and YouTube, are on trial in the US over claims their apps were designed to be harmful to young people. For University of Auckland law academics Professor Jodi Gardner and Dr Joshua Yuvaraj, the case connects closely with their research into manipulative advertising, vulnerable users and New Zealand law.

In the chapter Manipulative Advertising and Vitiating Factors, which features in a forthcoming book examining how laws in the Asia-Pacific region are transforming in response to the digital world, the researchers look at the role ‘dark patterns’ play in manipulative advertising.

Dark patterns are digital design tactics intended to confuse users, make it difficult to express their true preferences, or manipulate them into taking certain actions.

There are different types of dark patterns that can influence purchases, for example, forced action, obstruction, sneaking an item into a basket, and scarcity or urgency messaging. These practices are objectively unfair to all consumers, and the researchers say they’re relatively straightforward to recognise and regulate.

Their chapter, however, focuses on a more complex dark pattern: identifying people with potential vulnerabilities, such as by tracking their search habits, and then exploiting these through targeted ads or pop-ups.

The researchers call this ‘vulnerability exploitation’.

“The harm in question doesn’t come from the content of the advertisement itself, but from the fact that it purposefully targets people who are vulnerable and may agree to purchases not in their best interests,” they write.

Gardner and Yuvaraj use three case studies to highlight how vulnerable groups can be targeted by manipulative advertising: children urged to buy online game add-ons before a countdown ends, financially illiterate or disadvantaged people encouraged to invest in digital assets, and women anxious about fertility targeted by egg-freezing companies.

The authors argue that the heightened vulnerability of such groups to dark patterns underscores the need for better consumer protections.

Another issue when it comes to manipulation in gaming is the use of ‘loot boxes’, says Yuvaraj. This is where players can open a virtual crate or similar item, without knowing in advance what kind of game feature or ‘loot’ they will receive. One New Zealand gamer described becoming addicted to the thrill of opening loot boxes and spent about $16,000 doing so.

The Department of Internal Affairs has so far rejected calls to include loot boxes in the definition of gambling, and the researchers say their regulation and that of other in-app purchases will likely need to come under the Fair Trading Act.

Yuvaraj and Gardner say protections in the Act to directly address the exploitation of vulnerable consumers should be expanded. They advocate supplementing ‘statutory unconscionability protection’ with broader ‘unfair practices’ provisions, as seen in recent European Union and Singapore reforms.

They say expanding New Zealand’s statutory consumer protection framework to directly cover ‘vulnerability exploitation’ could bear fruit, as shown by a €1.125 million fine ($NZD2.2 million) given to Epic Games in the Netherlands for targeting children with in-app purchases in the popular game Fortnite.

Another avenue to improve the law in this area is to expand court-developed protections so they better fit modern, app-based and standard-form contracts, and Yuvaraj says courts could intervene when a person’s vulnerability or lack of meaningful choice affects their ability to agree to or understand the impact of a contract or transaction. This could include situations where a business should have been more alert to a person’s vulnerability, or where there’s a power imbalance.

“Given how quickly new technologies are developing that can cause harm to people, such as AI deepfakes, it’s critical to ensure New Zealand’s legal framework is set up to protect the most vulnerable members of society,” he says.

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/universities-new-zealand-law-lags-where-dark-patterns-target-the-vulnerable-uoa/

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Federated Farmers warns of ‘water tax’ risk

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers says while it supports the intent of the Government’s resource management overhaul, a deep dive into the draft legislation has revealed some serious concerns.
Most concerning are provisions allowing freshwater rights to be auctioned, tendered, or levied – effectively enabling freshwater to be taxed, says Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say we were alarmed when we read clauses in the Natural Environment Bill that give future Ministers sweeping powers to tax water to manage demand.
“There is no way on earth Federated Farmers can or will support that.
“I’ll be seeking urgent clarification from the Beehive, because any reform that allows water taxes by stealth is completely unacceptable to us.”
Last December the Government released two new bills – the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill – to replace the Resource Management Act.
Hooper says Federated Farmers staff have spent the past eight weeks working through the detail.
“It’s important to state up front that Federated Farmers is completely on board with the aims of the reform.
“The promise of a stronger focus on property rights, a tighter scope, fewer resource consents, more standardisation and less litigation all sound like the reset farmers have been calling for.
“But as we’ve worked through the detail, it’s become clear that there are parts of these bills that do not align with those aims at all.”
Hooper says the risk of water taxes is not the only concern. As currently drafted, the new system may be more permissive where environmental limits are comfortably met, but significantly more restrictive where a catchment is at or near its limit.
“Councils often set limits that aim to maintain current water quality levels, so this could mean many catchments are immediately at or beyond environmental limits from the outset.
“As the Natural Environment Bill becomes more restrictive as catchments approach those limits, that could actually mean more resource consents for farmers as the bills are currently drafted.
“This is on top of requirements for all farmers to also have a Freshwater Farm Plan.
“Federated Farmers supports a shift to a farm plan approach, but only if it replaces, rather than sits alongside, the need for a resource consent.”
Another area of concern is the wording around when councils must compensate landowners for loss of property value.
Hooper says Federated Farmers welcomed the Government’s earlier commitment to compensation when restrictive overlays – such as Outstanding Natural Landscapes and Significant Natural Areas – are imposed on farms.
“But now, when we read the draft legislation, we’re seeing a compensation regime that’s much more uncertain than many expected.
“It relies on proving a ‘significant impact on the reasonable use of land’, which means compensation could be very limited and will ultimately depend on how future court cases interpret that threshold.”
Hooper says another major concern is that Water Conservation Orders remain largely untouched, despite being an outdated planning tool.
“Farmers and growers are pretty baffled that these relics haven’t been ditched, as they’re a very poor way to manage freshwater resources.
“They allow any member of the public to override regional council processes and push for stricter freshwater controls.”
Hooper says much of the most important detail in the Natural Environment Bill – including the meaning of key goals, the scope of regulation, and what regional plans must contain – is deferred to future national direction set by the Minister.
“That creates a ‘trust us and wait’ model and opens the door to wildly different interpretations by future governments.
“Farmers need certainty if they’re going to invest in their land. A system that leaves key details up to future Ministers creates risk, delays decisions, and undermines confidence in the whole reform.”
Federated Farmers is preparing a strong submission aimed at highlighting weaknesses in both bills and supporting the Select Committee process to amend both bills.
“We’ll be doing all we can to ensure the reform delivers what farmers were promised,” Hooper says.  

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/federated-farmers-warns-of-water-tax-risk/

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Universities – Lotto reform: could a new prize-linked bond be a safer bet? – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Researchers look back in time to see how people react when lotteries are restricted and an alternative is offered.

Imagine if the money from every Lotto ticket you bought had instead gone into a ‘lottery bond’. You’d still have a chance to win life-changing cash prizes, but your money would also be saved, earning interest and being paid back over time. If you don’t win, you don’t lose it all either.

In Belgium, where University of Auckland finance lecturer Dr Gertjan Verdickt lived most of his life, Lotto draws, like in New Zealand, are broadcast on national television each week, and this sparked his interest in how people respond when governments try to curb gambling.

The Business School researcher and co-author, Amaury De Vicq (University of Groningen), studied what happened after, in 1905, the Dutch government banned the sale and purchase of traditional lotteries but allowed an alternative: ‘lottery bonds’.

“We wanted to look back in time to investigate what happens when a government tries to shift gambling from something addictive and loss-making (lotteries) to something safer such as lottery bonds. How do different socio-economic groups react?”

These ‘lottery bonds’ were a legal fixed-income product that let people invest in a bond while also going into a prize draw. Buyers were guaranteed their money back, plus interest, with the added chance of winning. Similar prize-linked products operate in several countries today, with different designs.

Verdickt says this kind of government-run bond scheme could be attractive in New Zealand.

“Lotto is often defended because it funds community projects, which is fantastic, but it can disproportionately draw spending from people on lower incomes. Maybe the government could move towards supporting people to put money into something where they get a safe return, and the chance for a big win.

“A premium government-led bond-style product, different to the solely prize-based Bonus Bonds which wound up in New Zealand in 2020, could fund public projects, while allowing New Zealanders to grow their money rather than lose money week after week.”

So how did everyday Dutch people react when regular Lotto was banned?

The researchers drew on Dutch inheritance tax archives to create detailed portfolio holdings for 3,618 people, allowing them to track how different groups adjusted their investments after the policy change.

The researchers found that overall, less wealthy people put more money into lottery bonds, while wealthy individuals decreased their holdings.

“Although we didn’t observe people’s prior lottery purchases, the magnitude of the move towards lottery bonds indicates that these bonds could be considered a substitute for gambling.”

Age and location mattered too. The researchers found younger people were less likely to take up lottery bonds, while older individuals showed a stronger move into them after the policy change.
The lack of interest in lottery bonds among younger individuals could be seen as a success in the Dutch government’s attempt to curb gambling, says Verdickt.

Lotteries and other forms of gambling remained legal in neighbouring Belgium and Germany, and the researchers say poorer people living farther from those borders were more likely to invest in lottery bonds than those closer by, who may have been tempted across the border.

Channelling the urge to gamble

The regulation of gambling has always been a challenge for governments, say the researchers, pitting concerns for financial stability and addictions against consumer demand.

“Our study shows the Dutch government’s lottery bonds were helpful; they channelled people’s urge to gamble into an instrument that also encouraged saving.”

He says governments like New Zealand’s might consider promoting a form of ‘lottery bond’ as a safer alternative to playing Lotto.

“Of course, these days people have so many options online and in-person when it comes to gambling. You can’t ban the urge to gamble, but you can guide people towards safer channels.

“The lottery bond offered by the Dutch government, for example, wasn’t a perfect investment, but it did provide a better option for many people.”

Read the working paper: Financial Regulation and Household Portfolio Reallocation: The Impact of the 1905 Dutch Lottery Ban: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5261473

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/universities-lotto-reform-could-a-new-prize-linked-bond-be-a-safer-bet-uoa/

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Investigation launched after body located on worksite, Omahu

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have launched an investigation after the discovery of a body at a worksite on Taihape Road, Omahu, earlier today.

Staff were called to the scene about 9.10am after a body was located on the property.

The circumstances of how the person came to be there, and how they died, are unclear, and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.

Police will now work to identify the person and to establish the circumstances surrounding their death.

A scene examination will be carried out, as well as a post mortem examination. Cordons are currently in place at the address.

Anyone with information about this incident or anyone believed to be involved can get in touch through our 105 service, quoting reference number 260203/9739.

You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/investigation-launched-after-body-located-on-worksite-omahu/

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Unemployment set to linger as wage growth remains steady

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

  • Unemployment expected to remain steady at 5.3 pct – data due 4 Feb, 10.45 am.
  • Labour market probably at the bottom, but improvement gradual.
  • Prospect of some modest job growth.
  • Wage growth to remain subdued, lagging inflation.
  • Data not likely to change RBNZ rates on hold policy.

Unemployment looks set to linger around a near-decade high, but may show signs that the labour market downturn has ended.

Most major bank economists expect the unemployment rate to stay unchanged at 5.3 percent for the three months ended December, but with tentative signs of employment growth, and wage growth subdued.

ASB senior economist Mark Smith was among the more optimistic with a forecast unemployment rate easing to 5.2 percent, which would be the first decline in four years.

“We expect the data to confirm we have passed the turning point for the labour market.”

Other economists echoed the view that the labour market, the sector that lags recessions and recoveries, has at least touched the bottom.

“We do expect this Wednesday’s suite of … labour market data to show a general halting of deterioration as well as some more signs of improvement in the details,” BNZ senior economist Doug Steel said.

Labour market numbers can be something of a statistical lucky dip.

The unemployment rate can be moved by the size of the workforce, how many are participating, have gone training or stopped looking for work, irrespective of how many jobs may have been created.

ANZ senior economist Miles Workman said more people participating in the search for work, even if the jobs were not there, might still be a positive.

“While it would point to a more disinflationary labour market than the RBNZ anticipates, it would also add to the evidence that conditions are rounding a corner, with labour supply responding to improving job prospects.”

The jobs are coming

Partial labour market indicators in the recent months, such as job advertisement and filled jobs numbers, point to an increase in jobs matching the growth in the working age population.

“Employment is expected to register its strongest growth in around two years, although numbers are still more than 30,000 shy of late 2023 peaks,” ASB’s Smith said.

However, Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon said overall improvement would be gradual with employers being wary of hiring.

“The September quarter saw a strong lift in hours per worker, and indeed that’s where we’d expect to see the initial response to an economic upturn – employers have scope to get more out of their existing workers, before resorting to new hiring.

Slow wage growth to please RBNZ for now

Wage growth is expected to remain subdued and steady around four-year lows of 2 percent.

“Labour cost growth is expected to remain modest, with the balance of power still tilted towards employers,” ASB’s Smith said.

He said emerging signs of skilled labour shortages, a stronger labour market and growing wage demands would eventually weigh on the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate outlook (OCR).

“Reducing labour market slack suggests the need to normalise OCR settings. We expect a 25 basis point hike in December and a 3.0 percent OCR endpoint, but note the risks are pointing to a larger and more frontloaded pace of OCR hikes.”

The RBNZ is expected to hold the cash rate steady at 3.25 percent for most of this year.

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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/2026/02/03/unemployment-set-to-linger-as-wage-growth-remains-steady/

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Auckland mayor Wayne Brown mocks government’s proposal to cap rates

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown with his cap and can of beans. Supplied

Auckland’s mayor says the government’s proposed legislation to cap rates rises is “ridiculous” and “nonsense”.

The government wants councils to limit annual rates increases and is seeking feedback on a rates cap.

At Tuesday’s full Auckland Council meeting, Wayne Brown put on a cap saying ‘RATES’ in a self-described move to mock the proposal.

He said the rates cap plan was a “fascinating piece of nonsense from Wellington”.

“I shall put my rates cap on while we mock this piece of ridiculous legislation,” Brown told the Council meeting.

“And I have a can of baked beans here which represents the amount of saving [over] a month that ratepayers will get, as a result of this fine work.”

Auckland’s mayor says the saving to ratepayers will amount to a can of beans a month. Supplied

The council opposes the cap on the grounds it is not an effective tool to provide affordability and would result in more debt.

“Auckland ratepayers are unlikely to achieve the savings estimated by central government of $2.79 a month for each household, or the cost of a can of baked beans as noted by some commentators,” council’s manager of financial strategy and modelling violet bird said in a report.

“This assessment from the government excluded Auckland Council from its calculations due to the council’s ‘moderate rates forecast’ and size.”

Ratepayers ‘fed up’, Luxon says

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon previously said ratepayers were “fed up”.

“They’re tired of having to prudently manage their own budgets while rates continue to go up, only to see their local council fail to demonstrate the same fiscal discipline.”

He said the government was not considering allowing councils to raise revenue through a levy on tourists, like a bed tax.

“We want councils to be focused on the money that they’ve got and make sure they’re doing a much better job of managing it. Some councils are doing a really good job, some councils are doing a very very poor job.”

Consultation on the changes opened immediately, and was set to close in February 2026 with the legislation expecting to be passed by the end of that year.

In December, the government announced it wanted councils to limit rates rises and more detail was released later that month, leaving councils a short runway to prepare a response.

The rates rise cap would likely start with minimum increases of two percent and a maximum of four percent, with the cap taking effect from 1 January 2027.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/auckland-mayor-wayne-brown-mocks-governments-proposal-to-cap-rates/

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Electricity Authority to launch new power bill comparison website next month

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Electricity Authority is set to launch a new power bill comparison website. 123RF

The electricity market regulator will launch a new power bill comparison website next month, in a bid to ensure the industry better serves consumers.

It is one of many changes being made after a spike in electricity prices last year led to a government review of the market.

In 2024, a spot price shock saw households and businesses face increases of between 10 and 15 percent on their power bills, which was a factor in the shutdown of several industrial businesses across the country.

Electricity Authority chief executive Sarah Gillies said a new power comparison website would be launched next month with the authority also considering rules to simplify bills so that they were easier for consumers to understand.

It also wanted to see more companies offering plans with lower prices during off-peak hours and electricity regulators sharing power use data, so consumers could automate their electricity use if they wanted to.

“Last year we made a decision that we needed to see the large retailers offering time-of-use plans, there was a sense that some were doing it, but not everybody … so that’s a requirement for everybody over a certain size to do that from July this year.”

In January, the government announced the retail electricity sector as the next industry to be considered under the Customer and Product Data Act.

Known as open electricity, it would simplify the ability to compare the electricity needs of a household or small businesses against every power plan on the market.

Last year, the government established a Consumer Data Right – a legal framework to let people access, share, and manage certain data, like transaction history, with trusted third parties through secure digital systems – with the hope of creating greater choice, convenience, and innovation.

Gillies said the authority was working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on a framework that detailed what information should be shared, and how.

“Data is absolutely critical … and the bottom line is it belongs to consumers, it’s about them.”

Previously, power companies had been reluctant to release data, despite it belonging to the consumer.

Gillies said the Power Build comparison website was due to be launched next month, replacing the Power Switch in a bid to help consumers ensure they are getting the best deal. It had been built using two years’ worth of data from 30,000 households and would no longer be funded by power companies being charged a fee every time a consumer switched, she said.

“You can either use your own power bill or you can answer some questions about your household and how you use your power and those two options will give you some choices.”

She said there would be information to help people understand time of use pricing, an electricity tariff structure where rates vary based on the time of consumption, charging higher prices during “peak demand” hours and lower prices during “off-peak” times.

The government is still working through potential legislation as a result of reforms in the industry.

Gillies said 35 rule changes had been made in the last two years, which showed a “constant strengthening” of the rules that govern the system.

“We have this incredible privilege to write the rules of the electricity industry, secondary legislation,” Gillies said.

The maximum penalty for a breach of the rules is currently $2 million, with a proposal to increase it to $10m or three times the commercial gain or 10 percent of a company’s turnover.

“That’s quite important because that’s much more akin to the kinds of penalties that you see with the FMA and the Commerce Commission.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/electricity-authority-to-launch-new-power-bill-comparison-website-next-month/

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More than 40 flights cancelled at Wellington Airport due to fog

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Airport. File picture. RNZ/ Mark Papalii

Fog is causing disruption at Wellington Airport, with more than 40 flights affected on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the airport said 48 flights had been cancelled.

According to the airport’s website, on Tuesday afternoon flights leaving for Christchurch, Napier and Dunedin were among those cancelled, along with flights arriving from Christchurch, Brisbane and Hamilton.

Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for the latest information on their travel plans.

MetService is forecasting rain for Wellington with strong southerlies on Tuesday evening.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/more-than-40-flights-cancelled-at-wellington-airport-due-to-fog-2/

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Public Sector Code to strengthen integrity

Source: New Zealand Government

An updated Code of Conduct will strengthen integrity across the Public Sector, Public Service Minister Judith Collins says.

“New Zealanders expect the people that serve them to act with the highest integrity, accountability and professionalism,” Ms Collins says.

“The new Code of Conduct for the Public Sector resets those expectations and provides clear guidance to public servants.”

The Code is based around the public service values and builds on existing expectations about integrity and conduct. It also introduces new standards to address key findings from the 2025 Public Service Census, including merit-based appointments, workplace culture and respectful behaviour.

“Integrity requires strong leadership, sound judgement, and workplace cultures where people feel safe to speak up and do what is right – especially when no one is watching,” Ms Collins said.

“To support this, the Public Service Commission is introducing required training on the updated Code of Conduct and General Election Guidance – which covers how public servants must act before, during, and after an election.

“We’re fixing the basics so New Zealanders have a system that is not only effective, but exemplary – one that consistently serves the public interest and appropriately uses the powers entrusted to it.” 

The updated Code of Conduct for the Public Sector is now available on the Public Service Commission website. Integrity learning resources will be available on the Leadership Development Centre in March 2026, when the Code takes effect.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/public-sector-code-to-strengthen-integrity/

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Can you help find Doug the pug?

Source: Radio New Zealand

A therapy pug who has helped children too unwell to attend school has been missing for more than two weeks in Russell, Bay of Islands.

Doug, a six-year-old pug, disappeared while holidaying with his owner, Auckland-based Northern Health School teacher, Monique Burke. He was last seen rummaging through a nearby Russell property before heading in the direction of where they were staying.

“He does frequent the neighbours – so we have since found out – and would pop next door, I’m guessing, and would just wait to see if there were any snacks available and if not, he would just trot on home.”

When Doug had been gone for more than an hour — far longer than usual — Burke knew something was wrong. Searches of the neighbourhood that night were unsuccessful, and the hunt has continued ever since.

Burke told Afternoons she has exhausted all avenues, including a social media campaign, door-knocking neighbours and nearby businesses, and even enlisting a police dog to help track him down — all without success.

Doug has been part of the Northern Health School community since he was a puppy, working alongside Burke to support students who are unable to attend their regular schools due to illness, injury, or mental health challenges.

“He was a special little guy,” Burke says. “[He had an] innate way of sensing when a student needed comfort and would go and sit with them.”

Doug has also helped students overcome a fear of dogs and has worked alongside psychologists and other schools to support student transitions.

“More often than not he was a reason that got many of our students through the door.”

Burke says it’s unlikely Doug wandered far on his own.

“He is a mummy’s boy, he wouldn’t go far and he’s got little legs and a little fat body, and I just can’t imagine him trying to get through some of the terrain that is up there [in the bush].”

She worries someone may have picked him up thinking he was abandoned, because she had just removed his collar.

“I’m hoping that if he has been picked up that he is being well looked after and that potentially they hear the story behind and do the right thing and bring him in.”

Burke is urging anyone with information or sightings to come forward, adding that any leads or social media shares are deeply appreciated.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/can-you-help-find-doug-the-pug/

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Have you seen Kareeve?

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are asking for the public’s help finding Kareeve Witehira, who has been reported missing from the Manurewa area.

The 45-year-old was reported missing on 27 January and is likely in the wider Auckland or Northland areas.

Kareeve is described as about 180cms tall with black hair.

Police and Kareeve’s family have concerns for her welfare and would like to find her as soon as possible.

If you have seen Kareeve, or have any information that could help us find her, please call 111 and reference file number 260129/3742.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/have-you-seen-kareeve/

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Whenua Hou an inspiration for Rakiura wildlife recovery

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

To imagine how healthy and abundant New Zealand forests could be, we don’t have to travel back in time; we can look to the many predator-free islands across the country for inspiration.

In this story, we journey to Whenua Hou/Codfish Island at the bottom of Te Waipounamu/the South Island to find out why it’s one of the most coveted wildlife sanctuaries in the country and how it is inspiring efforts to protect and restore native species nearby on Rakiura/Stewart Island.

Campbell Island teal thriving on Whenua Hou. Photo credit: Leon Everett

There are 110 predator-free islands in New Zealand, and more than 30 of them lie just offshore from Rakiura. This includes Whenua Hou, which is home to the largest population of the critically endangered kākāpō, along with other extremely rare birds including mohua/yellowhead, kuaka/Whenua Hou diving petrel, mātātā/fernbird and tūtukiwi/snipe.

Although Whenua Hou is off-limits to the public to help protect threatened wildlife, DOC and Ngāi Tahu have been working there for decades, largely to support and study kākāpō and prevent rats from re-invading. 

As we are working to eradicate rats, feral cats and possums on Rakiura, we asked two experienced conservationists to describe the eco-system on Whenua Hou and how it compares to Rakiura National Park which is just three kilometres east of the island.  

‘We are Whenua Hou, Whenua Hou is us’

Tāne shows how his ancestors on Whenua Hou harvested tōtara bark to make poha – kelp bags used to store tītī/muttonbirds birds for kai.

Whenua Hou was the first place in the south where European men – mostly sealers – and Ngāi Tahu women lived together. It was also an important place for Ngāi Tahu voyagers who used to stop there on the way to the Tītī Islands to harvest tītī/muttonbirds.

Tāne Davis is one of the descendants of these inhabitants, and as a child, he remembers seeing the island’s mighty tōtara from his father’s boat on the way to the Tītī Islands to catch crayfish.

“I used to wonder what was there… and my mother used to say, ‘Ko mātou ko Whenua Hou, ko Whenua Hou ko mātou’. We are Whenua hou, Whenua hou is us.”

Left to right: Ngāi Tahu Carver James York, Ngāi Tahu Fund Chair Suzanne Ellison, Mahri Batey, Leanda Davis, Jane Davis, Tane Davis. Pictured with Te Pou Nehera

Tāne first stepped foot on Whenua Hou 25 years ago, not long after it became predator free, with DOC and Ngāi Tahu working together to eradicate pacific rats/kiore in 1998 and possums in 1986.

Tāne has since had a vital role in the management of the island as the chair of the Ngāi Tahu Whenua Hou Komiti and the Ngāi Tahu representative for the Kākāpō Recovery Programme.

“You don’t have to look hard to see the changes. Whenua Hou has become a safe haven for taonga species, and the forest has regenerated quite quickly from possum browsing.”

This work has paved the way for kākāpō to potentially have their biggest breeding season on record this year.  

It has also helped to create opportunities for Ngāi Tahu descendants to return and re-affirm their whakapapa connections on Whenua Hou. This included the establishment of three pou in 2017 to tell the story of the island’s human history and preserve it for generations to come.

“You can feel the presence of our tīpuna on the island, and we feel a sense of belonging and the responsibility as kaitiaki.”

Tāne has great belief in the vision for Rakiura to become predator-free, and the benefits this will have for all people connected to the island.

“Whenua Hou is like a role model for Rakiura. We’ve got to utilise these achievements on a larger scale.”

An island heaving with wildlife

DOC scientist, Graeme Elliott using an aerial and a receiver to find kākāpō that have transmitters attached to them. Photo supplied

DOC scientist, Graeme Elliott, has spent most of his life studying New Zealand’s wildlife, including kākāpō on Whenua Hou.

“My first visit was in 1995. We often slept in tents and there was a constant chatter of seabirds, but we also stayed in the hut next to this stunning white sand beach.”

He says when visiting Whenua Hou, nature is no longer a spectacle that you’re searching for, but you’re living amongst it and interacting with it at every moment – it’s naturing at its finest.

“When you go outside the hut, the forest is heaving with birds. There’s a little duck or a kākāpō wandering around, and tītī nesting underneath the deck.

“Without deer and possums, the forest has grown dense and luscious, making it difficult to get around. There are kākā and kererū everywhere, along with big flocks of mohua, brown creeper, kākāriki and riflemen.”

On summer nights, Graeme says you can hear hundreds of thousands of petrels flying over the forest as they come ashore to breed.

“Their colonies on the island are a bit whiffy but their poop acts as an incredible natural fertiliser. Big parts of the island are porous with lots of holes made by burrowing petrels. Most of New Zealand used to be covered in seabird burrows once upon a time.”

Check out the diversity of wildlife in this gallery of images captured by DOC volunteer Archer Tern during a trip to Whenua Hou last year.

Kākāriki/red crowned parakeet

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Kākāriki/red crowned parakeet
Mohua/yellowhead

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Mohua/yellowhead
Korimako/bell bird

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Korimako/bell bird
Mātātā/fern bird

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Mātātā/fern bird
Stewart Island skink

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Stewart Island green skink
Campbell Island teal

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Campbell Island teal
Ruru/morepork

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Ruru/morepork
Helm’s Stag Beetle

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Helm’s Stag Beetle

Rakiura could become like a huge version of Whenua Hou

Whenua Hou is a fair comparison to Stewart Island regarding its landscape as they are nearly identical, but just on a smaller scale, Graeme says.

“The type of vegetation is similar as well, with rimu, totara, kahikatea, rātā, and miro. But the bird life is vastly different. Forest birds are so uncommon on Rakiura, and the damage caused by pests and predators is visible all over the place.”

Oban township, which has more bird life than other parts of Rakiura, gives a false impression of what life is like in the forest, he says.

“This is likely because regular trapping has occurred in the area for many years. Oban is also in close vicinity to Ulva Island, which is predator free and hosts a range of native species, some of which have large home ranges and will travel around the township.

“Oban also has a variety of urban food sources for birds like kākā, kererū and tui that are not available elsewhere on the island, such as exotic fruit trees.”

When you get out into Rakiura National Park, Graeme says there’s a shocking absence of sound and forest health is poor in comparison to Whenua Hou.

“We have feral cats eating birds, rats hoarding and eating seeds and eggs, deer eating plants and saplings on the ground, and possums stripping the new shoots and leaves off trees like Southern Rātā which thins out the canopy. It’s so still in places that you can hear a single fly buzzing when the bird noise should be dominant.”

Honouring the legacy of Solstice

Solstice on her third nest in 2019 on Whenua Hou. She sadly died of an infection last year after battling cloacitis. Credit: Andrew Digby

Graeme and Tāne have dedicated much of their lives to protecting te taiao – the natural world. They both dream of seeing Rakiura become New Zealand’s largest wildlife sanctuary yet.

“It’s desperately needed for our threatened species, especially for kākāpō, which are nearly at capacity on Whenua Hou, so they can grow their population,” Graeme says.

This was reinforced recently with the passing of Solstice, who was the last kākāpō to be found and rescued on Stewart Island in 1997. She was one of the female founders of the modern population and has 27 descendants.

“Solstice was a matriarch for the species,” Tāne says.

“Her legacy is one of desperate survival and hope for future generations. We can honour her by enabling her mokopuna to return home to Rakiura and fill the forests with their booming calls once again.”

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/whenua-hou-an-inspiration-for-rakiura-wildlife-recovery/

Posted on

Waikato Police recover stolen vehicle and belongings

Source: New Zealand Police

Waikato Police investigating a burglary reported on Monday morning have arrested two people after recovering the stolen vehicle and personal belongings. 

The burglary was reported to Police around 10.30am on Monday after the occupants of a residential property in Tamahere had come back from a walk. When they returned, they saw the home had been broken into, with their vehicle and belongings stolen.

Investigators from the Waikato Tactical Crime Unit attended the incident and quickly identified a local address of interest.

Further assistance was provided by recently installed CCTV cameras within the Tamahere Village including Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), which identified the suspect and stolen vehicle.

Upon searching the address, Police located the missing belongings in a separate vehicle parked at the rear of the property and spoke with people at the house.

The stolen vehicle was identified in several thefts in Te Rapa later that night and fled Police before crashing into a fence. Two people were taken into custody.

A 29-year-old woman and 34-year-old man will appear in the Hamilton District Court today for breaching court release conditions. Further charges will follow in relation to dishonesty offending.

Investigation into the burglary continues.

Police urge residents to consider prevention measures they can take to keep their homes safe from being a target for burglary. Home security systems, community CCTV, motion activated lights and secured windows and doors are some good measures.

Call 111 if you suspect a burglary.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/waikato-police-recover-stolen-vehicle-and-belongings/

Posted on

National Iwi Chairs Forum backs court case challenging amendments to Marine and Coastal Areas Act

Source: Radio New Zealand

Iwi Chairs Forum kaikōrero Rāhui Papa says his rōpu fully support the challenge. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

The National Iwi Chairs Forum is backing a court case by Ngāti Manuhiri looking to challenge amendments to the Marine and Coastal Areas Act (MACA).

Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri are set to take the government to the High Court over changes made to the act last year, which made it harder for Māori to win customary marine title.

Justice minister Paul Goldsmith has repeatedly said the changes restore the act to Parliament’s “original intent”.

The changes have been bashed by former ministers, treaty lawyers, iwi and hapū leaders and even prompted an almost 20,000-strong petition opposing the amendments.

Now, Ngāti Manuhiri want to challenge those changes in the High Court, alleging that the changes limit their ability to exercise of their culture, deny their access to justice, and discriminate against Māori.

In a statement, Ngāti Manuhiri chair Mook Hohneck said the revised test measures customary ownership through Western concept of exclusion rather than tikanga Māori.

“What we’re seeing is not an attempt to uphold the original intent of the law, it is an attempt to fundamentally change the rules with which we’ve engaged in good faith because the Crown isn’t getting its way,” Hohneck said.

“The Crown is stacking the deck in its favour, and is setting a precedent that future governments can constantly move the goal post whenever they see fit.”

The legislation is retrospective, meaning some applicants would need to start the process from scratch.

Hohneck claimed those changes amounted to retrospective interference with ongoing court proceedings, and breached their expectation that their application would be determined under the law as it stood when they applied.

“Our claim seeks declarations that the 2025 law changes are inconsistent with natural justice and the Bill of Rights Act, and are discriminatory against Ngāti Manuhiri.”

“Our settlement with the Crown included a formal apology and commitment to rebuild their relationship with Ngāti Manuhiri, based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Marine and Coastal Area Act amendments cut across that promise and apology,” Hohneck said.

Speaking from Waitangi, Iwi Chairs Forum kaikōrero Rāhui Papa said his rōpu fully supported the challenge.

He told media the current legislation “unpicked” settlement processes and agreements.

“In the case of Ngati Manuhiri, they feel that they had quite a strong and enduring settlement because it was hard negotiated.”

“We absolutely support [it]. If an iwi feels that their settlement, their hard negotiated settlement, is being unpicked some years after the agreement, that just shows the institutional forgetfulness and amnesia of the government to what they actually agreed to.” he said.

There was a similar sentiment from Northland Regional Council chair and Ngāti Hine chair Pita Tipene, who told RNZ support for the challenge from Ngāti Manuhiri was unanimous.

“In terms of Ngati Hine, we will support any measure, any action that protects and enhances our collective rangatiratanga.”

“Whether it is in court, whether it is out in the community, that’s our focus,” Tipene said.

Changes to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act were made in October last year.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/national-iwi-chairs-forum-backs-court-case-challenging-amendments-to-marine-and-coastal-areas-act/

Posted on

Horizon survey: Almost three-quarters of New Zealanders think that honouring Te Tiriti is important for the future of Aotearoa New Zealand

Source: Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission

For the third year, Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has surveyed New Zealanders’ awareness, understanding and attitudes to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, human rights and New Zealand’s constitution.

The survey found that a sense of belonging, respect for human rights, and an understanding of our history are overwhelmingly viewed by New Zealanders as important to Aotearoa’s future. It also highlighted the importance of respectful discussion about Te Tiriti (viewed as important by 78%), positive relationships between Māori and the Crown (83%), and legal and constitutional protection of Te Tiriti (70%).

Conducted by Horizon Research on behalf of the Commission in December 2025, it follows similar surveys in 2024 and 2023.

“Many of the results tell a different story to the narrative of division we have been fed over the past two years,” says the Commission’s Indigenous Rights Governance Partner, Dayle Takitimu. “The majority of New Zealanders value Māori culture and traditions, care about the real histories of Aotearoa, and want respectful discussions about Te Tiriti.”  

In December the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on New Zealand to uphold Te Tiriti, making a specific recommendation to Government to “take measures to counter misinformation and divisive narratives regarding the Treaty and to promote public understanding of its role in advancing harmony and equality”.  The Committee raised concerns about a range of recent government initiatives and warned that weakening Treaty protections “could undermine progress towards reconciliation and risk entrenching historical, structural, and systemic discrimination against Māori”.    

“It’s our hope that this data reassures New Zealanders that they are more united than they think,” adds Takitimu. “We want people to share these numbers far and wide, even the areas where we can do better. Let’s have a discussion about how political rhetoric and misinformation moves us, and how we can all have more constructive discussions in future — tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti.”

What New Zealanders think is important for the future of their country

  • 70% that Te Tiriti is protected in our laws and constitution.
  • 78% respectful discussion of Te Tiriti.
  • 87% everyone knows the country’s history.
  • 83% positive Crown/Māori relationships.
  • 79% protecting and celebrating Māori culture, language and identity.
  • 74% harmonious race relations through honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
  • 91% that human rights are protected in New Zealand’s laws and constitution.
  • 93% that everyone feels a sense of belonging.

* Horizon Research Human Rights and Te Tiriti/Treaty Issues December 2025

The survey also asked respondents to rate their own level of knowledge around Tiriti issues, as well as their awareness of a range of statements. The findings show that people feel well informed about Te Tiriti and have high levels of awareness of a range of basic Treaty facts.

For example, there is strong awareness of the links between Te Tiriti and human rights, with 88% aware that Te Tiriti relates to people’s human rights, and 80% aware that globally agreed human rights standards recognise and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples. Four in five people are aware that the Waitangi Tribunal has made expert findings on what was agreed to through Te Tiriti.  

The Waitangi Tribunal also emerged as the most trusted source of accurate information about Te Tiriti / the Treaty, trusted by 45% of respondents. The Human Rights Commission is named as the fourth most trusted source of accurate information (31%). 17% of respondents said they don’t trust any source.

Of note, areas rating highest in terms of lack of awareness included:

In relation to the signing of the Declaration of Independence/ He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga in 1835 (with 15% of respondents not at all aware of this)

That the Waitangi Tribunal has made expert findings that Māori didn’t give up their sovereignty when they signed the Treaty / Te Tiriti (14% not at all aware)

The tino rangatiratanga guaranteed in the Treaty / Te Tiriti closely aligns with the human right to self-determination (13% not at all aware)

The fact that current checks and balances don’t stop Parliament from passing laws that breach human rights or Te Tiriti (13% not at all aware)

The fact that around 500 Rangatira signed Te Tiriti, while 39 signed the English language Treaty (12% not at all aware).

The findings will be used by the Commission to inform its awareness-raising, research and education activities.

Click to download the full report: Horizon Research Human Rights and Te Tiriti/Treaty Issues December 2025 : https://hrc.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=96944bb5abdb8a8e53e15e696&id=3b0524cead&e=f1c48a8452

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/horizon-survey-almost-three-quarters-of-new-zealanders-think-that-honouring-te-tiriti-is-important-for-the-future-of-aotearoa-new-zealand/

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All six rural pilot sites rolled out

Source: New Zealand Government

The rollout of delivering healthcare closer to home for six rural communities in Golden Bay, Tūrangi, Twizel, Te Kūiti, Coromandel and Great Barrier Island has been completed, marking the first phase of strengthening urgent and after-hours care across 70 rural locations, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.

“Access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people in rural and remote areas. Our Government is committed to ensuring New Zealanders can get the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they live,” Mr Doocey says.

Budget 2025 invested $164 million to strengthen urgent and after-hours care nationwide, meaning 98 per cent of New Zealanders will be able to access these services within one hour’s drive of their home.

Services were piloted in Twizel, Golden Bay, Tūrangi, Te Kūiti, Coromandel and Great Barrier Island, helping shape the design of rural health services for up to 70 locations. 

“People in rural areas can often travel long distances for care and rely on small teams supporting large regions. Already, the first phase shows the difference locally led approaches can make, with faster care, better access to treatment, and stronger links between rural health services.”

Across the six sites, several improvements have been implemented, including:

  • Point-of-care blood testing is available at all locations, allowing clinicians to run key tests immediately without waiting for samples to be transported or sending people to hospital.
  • Point-of-care ultrasound has been introduced across all sites, with sixteen rural clinicians trained to use the equipment, supporting faster decision-making and reducing hospital transfers.
  • Improved access to after-hours medicines, with Tūrangi and Twizel now providing on-call pharmacy services through telehealth and local pharmacists.
  • Expanded ambulance support, including 24/7 coverage in Twizel over the holiday period, with work underway with Hato Hone St John on long-term options for the Mackenzie District.
  • Integrated rural urgent care workforce models, with Extended Care Paramedics now working within local teams in Golden Bay and Great Barrier Island, strengthening urgent care capacity and easing pressure on small practices.

“This year, an additional 30 rural locations will have their services strengthened. This will include expanding point-of-care testing and ultrasound, improving access to after-hours medicines, and scaling integrated paramedic support,” Mr Doocey says.

“The results from the first six sites show what’s possible when rural providers are supported to design solutions that work for their communities. The momentum from this first phase will help strengthen urgent and after-hours care for years to come.”

This builds on work underway to strengthen the rural health workforce, including rural training hubs and the new medical school at the University of Waikato.

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/all-six-rural-pilot-sites-rolled-out/

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The Epstein files are rocking Britain from the palace to parliament

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Christian Edwards, CNN

Peter Mandelson, Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are facing fresh questions about their ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Getty via CNN Newsource

The US government’s release of more than 3 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has raised further questions about the ties of three prominent figures in British public life to the disgraced financier, who appears to have been granted access to the heart of Britain’s government and royal family.

The former Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the US, are all listed multiple times in the latest trove of Epstein files, ramping up pressure on the trio to explain their ties to the late sex offender and further distance themselves from British institutions.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to testify before the US Congress, while Mandelson – who resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday – is facing calls from leading figures, including Starmer, to retire from the House of Lords.

Here’s how the Justice Department’s latest drop of files is scandalizing Britain.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The former Prince Andrew has for years attempted to bat away questions about his links to Epstein. In a now-infamous interview with the BBC in 2019, Andrew claimed that he had severed all ties with Epstein in 2010, following the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.

Emails uncovered last year called Andrew’s claim into question. The British media reported that Andrew appeared to contact Epstein again in 2011, telling him to “keep in close touch” and that they were “in this together.” Soon after, King Charles III stripped Andrew, his brother, of his royal titles in October, and began the process to evict him from the royal estate at Windsor.

But the latest trove of Epstein files has heaped further scrutiny on the disgraced royal. Three undated photos appear to show the former prince, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, kneeling over what appears to be a female – whose face has been redacted – who is lying fully clothed and supine on the floor. In two photos, Andrew touches her stomach and waist; in a third, he looks at the camera while on all fours, leaning over her body.

It is unclear when or where the images were taken; no captions or context for the photographs was provided with the document release. Neither the photographs nor the email messages suggest any wrongdoing.

Andrew previously faced pressure to explain a 2001 photograph which showed him standing with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and a convicted child sex trafficker, and Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein who died by suicide in April.

Newly released images from the US DOJ appear to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – formerly Prince Andrew – on the floor with an unidentified person. US Department of Justice/Handout via CNN Newsource

In her posthumous memoir, Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17. She wrote that Andrew “believed that having sex with me was his birthright”. Despite claiming never to have met her, Andrew reportedly paid millions of dollars to Giuffre in 2022 to settle a civil case she brought against him. He has repeatedly denied all allegations of wrongdoing and said he never witnessed or suspected any of the behaviour that Epstein was accused of.

The latest Epstein documents also contain an email exchange between Epstein and Andrew in August 2010, in which the financier invites the royal to meet a “friend” – whose name was redacted – for dinner in London. Andrew replied that he would be “delighted to see her” and told Epstein to pass on his contact details. Epstein then describes the woman as a 26-year-old Russian who is “clevere (sic) beautiful, trustworthy,” and confirms that she has Andrew’s email.

In November, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee requested that Andrew come to Washington to give evidence as part of the panel’s investigation into Epstein. Although Andrew did not respond to the request at the time, Starmer on Saturday urged the former prince to submit himself to questioning.

“Anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that,” Starmer said. “You can’t be victim-centered if you’re not prepared to do that.”

Sarah Ferguson

Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – known as “Fergie” – is also mentioned several times in the latest tranche of files, although this does not indicate any wrongdoing. Ferguson was dropped last year as the patron or ambassador to several British charities after earlier documents showed she had called Epstein her “supreme friend”. At the time, a spokesperson for Ferguson said she regretted her association with Epstein.

But the latest documents are further evidence of the depth of their relationship. In March 2009, Ferguson – then the Duchess of York – sent an email thanking Epstein, touting fashion and media outlets which she said now wanted to work with her.

“In just one week, after your lunch, it seems the energy has lifted. I have never been more touched by a friends (sic) kindness,” she wrote. “Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for.”

Sarah Ferguson, pictured in March 2023, said Jeffrey Epstein was her “supreme friend.” Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP via CNN Newsource

In January 2010, she wrote: “You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe, my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. Xx I am at your service. Just marry me.”

The emails also appear to suggest that Epstein wanted to use Ferguson to help clear his name. In one undated email, Epstein wrote to Mike Sitrick, chair of the crisis management firm Sitrick and Company, which was retained by Epstein’s law firm, saying: “I would like you to draft a statement that in an ideal world fergie would put out.” Sitrick told CNN that he had never contacted Ferguson or her representatives directly.

In a March 2011 email to Sitrick and two others, Epstein wrote: “I think Fergie can now say, I am not a pedo.” In reply, Sitrick said there is a “strategy” to “get newspapers to stop calling you a pedophile and get the truth out,” and that one tactic was to “get Fergie to retract”.

The next month, Ferguson wrote in an email to Epstein and James Henderson, her spokesperson at the time, saying she “did not” and “would not” call him a “P”.

In October 2009, she wrote to Epstein saying that she “urgently” needed £20,000 for rent, and that her landlord had “threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay”.

It was not clear if Epstein sent that money. However, in 2001 – years before Ferguson’s request – newly released documents appeared to show that Epstein wired the former Duchess $150,000 after helping her to cash in the share options she earned from her work for Weight Watchers. CNN has asked a spokesperson for Ferguson for comment.

Peter Mandelson

Mandelson, widely known in political circles as the “Prince of Darkness” for his Machiavellian approach to power, was fired as the UK’s ambassador to Washington in September over the deepening scandal surrounding his ties to Epstein. That month, US lawmakers had released a “birthday book,” compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, in which Mandelson penned a handwritten note describing the financier as “my best pal”.

The latest tranche of documents has revealed that Mandelson appeared to leak sensitive UK government tax plans to Epstein. They also show that his partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, regularly received undisclosed payments from him.

In September 2009, da Silva – who married Mandelson in 2023 after three decades together – emailed Epstein to ask for £10,000 to help fund his osteopathy course. Epstein replied: “I will wire your loan amount immediated’y (sic).”

In April 2010, da Silva emailed Epstein again, sharing his bank details. Epstein forwarded the message to his accountant, Rich Kahn, adding: “send 13k dollars”.

That same month, Epstein told Kahn to “send 2k per month to reinaldo.” When Kahn asked if this was in addition to the original $13,000, Epstein replied: “no after rethinkoing (sic) send 4000 dollars only.”

Peter Mandelson speaks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a welcome reception at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC, in February 2025. Carl Court/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

In October that year, Mandelson asked Epstein, jokingly: “Have you permanently stopped the reinaldo sub?! I may have to put him out to work on the streets.”

The latest files also revealed that Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to the financier while he was business secretary in 2009. The memo, written for then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown, advocated £20 billion asset sale to help relieve Britain’s debt burden following the 2008 financial crisis, and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans.

On Sunday, Mandelson – who also sits in the House of Lords – announced his resignation from Labour, saying he did not want to cause the party “further embarrassment.” He also apologized “to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now”. CNN was unable to contact Mandelson for further comment.

Some lawmakers have called on Mandelson to refer himself to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct.

Mandelson has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since February last year, to allow him to serve as the UK ambassador to the US. On Monday (local time), a Downing Street spokesperson said that Starmer believes that Mandelson should be stripped of his peerage.

“The prime minister has asked for this to be urgently looked at. The prime minister believes that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title,” the spokesperson said.

– CNN

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/the-epstein-files-are-rocking-britain-from-the-palace-to-parliament/

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Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae welcomes manuhiri once again for Waitangi celebrations

Source: Radio New Zealand

Te Tii Marae chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha says remembering those who have passed in the last year was a beautiful way to begin Waitangi commemorations. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The iconic Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae is once again welcoming manuhiri from across the motu after reopening at last year’s Waitangi celebrations.

The marae, commonly known as Te Tii, welcomed iwi from around the country in a pre-dawn pōwhiri on Tuesday morning, one of eleven it will host this week.

The pōwhiri was also a kawe mate, a mourning ceremony where photos of those who have recently died are brought to a marae.

Among those remembered this year were activist Hinewhare Harawira and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Ariki Tumu Te Heuheu. His son and successor Te Rangimaheu was in attendance.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Marae Chairman Ngāti Kawa Taituha said it was a beautiful moment to welcome Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and the taumata acknowledged the many connections between Waitangi and Tūwharetoa.

“Hepi Te Heuheu opened our whare tupuna in 1977. So that was our connection with Tumu and down to Te Rangimaheu.”

Remembering those who have passed in the last year was a good way to begin the commemorations at Waitangi this week, he said.

Governor-General Cindy Kiro will be welcomed to the marae on Tuesday, a first as she has previously only been welcomed to the Whare Runanga on the Upper Treaty Grounds, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Taituha said there has been some discussion among Ngāpuhi leaders about moving all pōwhiri back to the lower Marae.

“They’ve seen the beautification of our whare tūpuna, the new carvings, the whole restoration, and it’s kind of a reflection on where we’re at as a people, as a whānau, as Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, Te Matarahurahu.”

More and more people are gravitating to the marae, he said.

Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Although there is still a little bit more work to do, he said, with additional carvings only added to the sides of the doorway of the whare in the last week.

“So there’s a big kōrero with that with the quill… and on the other side is a scroll. And so that’s to acknowledge our documents, of course. He Whakaputanga, Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“So it’s just again, adding and enhancing the mana of our tūpuna, the signatories, and then down to us, the descendants and here we are today, carrying out all that mahi of our forebearers. Putting in all the effort to set up our next generation. Obviously, that’s what it’s all about for us.”

A sunrise sets over Te Tii beach as Waitangi commemorations commence. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/te-tiriti-o-waitangi-marae-welcomes-manuhiri-once-again-for-waitangi-celebrations/

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Former Prime Minister says government must be more transparent about any US minerals deal

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZ Herald pool / Dean Purcell

The government must be more transparent about any potential minerals deal with the United States, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says.

New Zealand is in talks with the US about the supply of rare and critical minerals, as Donald Trump seeks to reduce America’s reliance on China for material it sees as pivotal for tech innovation and national security.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said New Zealand was among more than 40 countries talking to the US about supplying minerals, and no Cabinet decisions had been made.

He dismissed reporting on the talks as “speculative and hypothetical”.

Helen Clark chairs the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which about 50 countries have signed up to – not including New Zealand.

She told Midday Report the government must be more up front about its discussions with the US.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon dismissed reporting on the talks as “speculative and hypothetical”. Supplied / Christopher Luxon via X

“We’re told that it will be a non-binding critical minerals framework, but as recently as the 14th of January, President Trump was threating tariffs if trading partners didn’t sign critical mineral agreements within 180 days.

“Are we one of those countries?”

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark. RNZ / Diego Opatowski

Clark said New Zealanders needed the chance to debate the type of society, economy and environment it wanted.

“Do we just want to throw all the concerns we’ve traditionally had for our national parks and wild places and landscapes out the window, or do we want to build on the clean and green, sustainable image that we’ve cultivated carefully over many years?”

The environment would suffer if New Zealand signed up to large-scale, “destructive” mining practices, Clark said.

“We don’t have vast resources in easily accessible places. To mine in New Zealand now, you’re going to be going into pristine landscapes, areas that have been subject to conservation controls for many, many years.”

Clark was also concerned that giving the US a “preference” would cause problems for New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreements, and any provisions not to discriminate against those countries.

‘We should mine what we can’

On Monday, chief executive of the Minerals Council – which is the industry association representing mining in New Zealand – Josie Vidal told Midday Report Aotearoa should scale up mining.

She said it can be done responsibly.

“We believe that we should mine what we can here because of the high standards that we have when it comes to looking after people and the environment,” Vidal said.

New Zealand has some of the strictest environmental conditions in the world, she said.

The government plans to double New Zealand’s mineral exports to $3 billion by 2035.

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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/2026/02/03/former-prime-minister-says-government-must-be-more-transparent-about-any-us-minerals-deal/

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Waitārere Beach investigation

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Central District Crime Manager, Inspector Craig Sheridan:

Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the Waitārere Beach incident.

The scene examination and post-mortem have since been completed.

As a result, Police now believe one person at the address received a wound consistent with being stabbed.

The three people who received wounds consistent with being shot remain in hospital in a stable condition. They have asked for privacy at this time.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/waitarere-beach-investigation/