A nationwide movement that has trained more than 93,000 advocates to recognise and respond early to signs of child abuse has been awarded the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year 2026.
Safeguarding Children CEO Willow Duffy accepted the award at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards ceremony, reflecting on how the initiative has grown to have far-reaching impact around Aotearoa after starting “as an idea over a cup of coffee with three nurses and a detective.”
“Recognising that the rates of child abuse in New Zealand was one of the biggest public health issues, we put this idea together that we could inspire people to speak up for children, do the best for them and take steps to protect our tamariki not just in their homes but in their communities and places children go,” Duffy said.
Duffy said what continues to motivate her are the harrowing stories of child abuse, such as those from The Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry, and firsthand accounts where the opportunities for adults to step in and prevent abuse are strikingly apparent, yet not taken.
“Protecting our precious taonga, our nation’s tamariki, is everyone’s responsibility. Safeguarding Children will continue to advocate for better safeguards to prevent abuse in New Zealand, as well as equip people with the knowledge and tools to step in and do the right thing.”
Duffy said she is humbled by the recognition the award brings. “The team behind the initiative make me so proud every day. We are supported by an incredible voluntary board who work so hard to give their time and make it happen, and sponsors who donate so we can do this work.
“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
Duffy said she hopes the recognition will help draw further attention to New Zealand’s shocking record of child abuse and support calls for change. “It requires a collective response from all levels to prevent abuse and create change for our vulnerable tamariki. Our work is far from done.”
About Safeguarding Children:
Safeguarding Children’s vision is for the children and young people of Aotearoa New Zealand to be safe from abuse and neglect.
Safeguarding Children is a registered charity and a leading provider of safeguarding and child protection education and guidance in New Zealand. It has trained over 50,000 New Zealanders on how to implement prevention measures within their organisations, work with vulnerable families and children, and recognise and respond to child abuse and neglect. Safeguarding Children believes a proactive, preventative approach produces the best outcomes for children, organisations and staff. It offers a range of services to suit the needs of any individual or organisation that works with children and young people.
The PSA is urging the Finance Minister to make 23,000 home support workers a priority when delivering urgent support to low income workers hit by sharply rising petrol prices.
Nicola Willistold media todayshe wants a ‘very targeted and temporary’ fix for those ‘acutely impacted’, adding she doesn’t want to see a situation where ‘people can’t drive to work.’
“We agree with Nicola Willis – and home support workers should be at the front of the queue – and right now there’s a fast, ready fix available that could be done today by raising their mileage allowance,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The Finance Minister is seeking advice from Inland Revenue and Treasury about using the tax and transfer system to deliver support – tax credits under Working for Families or the Independent Earner Tax Credit. But neither may help many home support workers.
“These workers drive their own cars between clients every day, and are the only publicly funded workers required to do so with such a miserable mileage reimbursement. They have no choice but to drive and rising petrol prices are hitting them directly in the pocket with every shift.
“But there’s a simple, fast fix right now for these essential workers. The Home and Community Support (Payment for Travel Between Clients) Settlement Act 2016 requires Health NZ Te Whatu Ora to pay a mileage rate to these workers. The Health Minister can direct that rate to be lifted immediately, no complicated fiddling with the tax and transfer system required, no delay, just fast, real help.”
The allowance was last adjusted four years ago so should be being reviewed right now.
Fleur Fitzsimons said: “These are low-paid, predominantly female workers providing critical care to elderly and disabled New Zealanders. If the Government is serious about protecting working people from the fuel crisis, it can today deliver the support they need right now.
“The PSA urges the Government to do the right thing by these workers, today. They can’t afford to wait.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Police are investigating following a serious assault on Thursday night in Amberley, in the Hurunui District in North Canterbury.
Detective Senior Sergeant Karen Simmons said officers responded around 10.25pm after being told a person had been seriously assaulted at a rural property on Racecourse Road.
The victim was taken to hospital with critical injuries and was due to undergo surgery on Friday, she said.
Police are speaking with a person in relation to the incident and are not seeking anyone else at this time.
A scene examination is underway at the address, and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are continuing.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Attribute to Detective Sergeant Ben Rolton, Christchurch Metro CIB:
Police are investigating after a woman was found with serious injuries in Christchurch last night.
Police were called to Worcester Street, between Latimer Square and Barbadoes Street, around 10pm last night, with reports that a person had received wounds consistent with being stabbed.
The woman was transported to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance where she underwent surgery.
A scene guard was in place overnight, and a scene examination is taking place today.
Police are making enquiries into the circumstances of the incident and working to identify who is responsible.
We are pleased to announce the 13 emerging writers who have been selected for The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa 2026 Mentorship Programme.
The Judging panel of Dr Paula Morris (convenor), Cassie Hart and Philippa Werrycommented: ‘We were impressed with the number of applications and the range of projects they represented – including historical, crime and speculative fiction, children’s and young adult fiction, multi-genre works, poetry collections and memoirs. Many of our writers are working on books with much potential, and it was difficult to narrow the list to just 13 mentorships.
We encourage applicants who were unsuccessful this time to keep working on their craft, and to take advantage of all the resources the NZSA offers.’
The 2026 mentees are emerging writers with unique voices and we congratulate: Vivienne Bailey (Paraparaumu), Cassandra Barnett (Waikato), Angela Barnett (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland), Catherine Bennett (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland), Michelle Cheever (Upper Moutere), Marcus Hobson (Aongatete), Margaret-Mary Hollins (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland), Annelies Judson (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland). Philip Luke (Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta | Upper Hutt), Jemma Richardson ((Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington), Lisa Stanley (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland), Kirsteen Ure (Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland), and Kirsty Wadsworth (Ngāmotu | New Plymouth).
The writers will spend the rest of 2026 refining their skills and working on their craft under the mentorship of some of New Zealand’s finest professional writers. Each mentee will be matched with an experienced writer for their mentorship, selected from a curated list of industry mentors. Find out more about the NZSA Mentor Programme: https://authors.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=905a5275ec5c023659502ec21&id=d26a2d9964&e=466373ae7c
The NZSA Mentorship programme is offered every year by the NZSA to foster and develop emerging writers to hone their craft with the support of established practitioners. The NZSA has run its highly successful mentoring programme for writers since 1999. The NZSA Mentor programme is made possible with funding from Creative New Zealand.
Team Brazil was crowned champion at the Robot Rampage World Cup.Robot Rampage
Fought inside a bulletproof cage, a battle between combat robots is not for the faint-hearted.
It’s the grand final of Robot Rampage World Cup, a four day competition between teams from New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and the United States.
Sparks are a common sight during the battle between the bots.Robot Rampage
Unfolding on a quiet Sunday evening at Auckland’s shopping suburb Onehunga, the venue is packed with enthusiasts.
Ten-year-old Elon Jacobs secured a front row seat to catch the sparks, the clashes, and sometimes even a small fire.
Ten year old Elon Jacobs brought a robot he is building to the battle.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
“It’s really loud and there’s a lot of robots fighting today. So far there’s been a lot of action and it’s been very fun.”
He had been sketching robots since he was four years old, and thinks robotics will definitely be a big part of his future.
On Sunday, the battle was between Brazil and USA.
Thirteen-year-old Josephine Estevez gave her predictions.
“Brazil looks like it’s winning. I do enjoy watching different robots. I really like Touro. That was a great design. Displaying blade and it being a mostly defense robot, it’s very locked in on all sides and very sturdy looking.”
Josephine Estevez and Kira Matevie are enjoying the battle between the robots.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
Her mom, Kira Matevie, the bigger robotic fan among the two, has her eyes laid on other robots.
“For tonight, I’ll have to say my favorite is Jump Rope because he’s a showboat, I like that. But my favorite robot to date is Black Rose. It reminds me of a vacuum cleaner.”
The matches are livestreamed for free, but that didn’t stop Ashley and Bryan Pierre booking a trip from USA to watch in person.
“It’s a neat format that they have here. You have five robots and basically until all your robots are out, you keep going. So, they kind of need a little bit of strategy to play. Do they want to fix a robot after the match if they win? They only got eight minutes to fix it. Not a lot of time if they got a lot of damage.”
Robot Rampage
After Bryan introduced Ashley to battlebots, robots quickly infiltrated every part of the couple’s life.
“Our wedding rings are made of a battle bot. We’re from Wisconsin and Team Wyachi is from Wisconsin. One of their main bot, Son of Wyachi, they sent us a signed part of Son of Wyachi.”
Ashley and Bryan Pierre’s wedding rings are made of a part of one of their favorite combat robots.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
Ashley said turning the signed part into rings is another miracle.
“We randomly met someone who could work titanium and they were able to save the signature and make 4 rings out of it.”
Back inside the cage, the decisive moment arrives.
As Brazil’s Touro Feather defeated USA’s last standing bot, they were declared champions!
The decisive moment when Team Brazil defeated Team USA.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
Team Captain Matheus Freitas said the victory means a lot.
“It’s such an amazing fight. We are from 4 different teams from Brazil, we designed two new robots that we put to test here. It did such a great job, and we are very excited for the results. It’s our first time here on New Zealand. I hope that we come on more times in the future.”
His family had been up early to watch him fight.
“When the live stream started, it’s 3am in Brazil and they [stayed up] just to watch and send good energies to us.”
The team brings together members from Brazil’s top robot combat teams, and Freitas said their strategy paid off.
In between fights, the Brazil team works on fixing their robots.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
“We won the first fight with Dark Khaos and then we unfortunately got some damage and then we swapped that, very strategically, and then we brought Jublieu. Jublieu did such a good damage on Synthesis 30, and then we put Touro, Touro did the rest of the job.”
The competition format means teams have very little time to fix their robots.Robot Rampage
Getting to New Zealand was a battle in itself.
Together, the Brazilians travelled with more than 180 kilograms of gear.
Team member João Marcos Cavalheiro recounted his journey.
“From Brazil to Miami, Miami to Atlanta, Atlanta to Austin, then we drove to Dallas, and Dallas to Houston, and Houston to New Zealand, six flights.”
Meanwhile, runnerup Team USA is looking on the bright side.
Team USA is fully made up of members without engineering backgrounds.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
Captain Sam Hanson is proud the team is made up entirely of members with no engineering background, and encourages anyone to give robot building a go.
“One of them is a student. One is a nurse. I managed a farmer’s market. I’ve been building fighting robots since the early 2000s. All the information is on the internet. You don’t have to be an engineer. You just have to want to do it.”
Hosting the event was Robot Rampage, a venue founded by friends Jack Barker and Nick Mabey.
Jack Barker and Nick Mabey are founders of Robot Rampage. Outside of hosting events, the space also runs robot building and fighting experiences.Ke-Xin Li/RNZ
Barker said the venue has 90 seats, but there were more people standing.
“I’m really stoked with the turnout. We’ve had six shows and every single seat has been sold out.”
He said there is a special appeal to the format.
“Normally it’s a 1v1 fight, but this is a 5v5 fight format. It’s more exciting because instead of supporting one robot for one fight, you get to support your country between five to nine matches.”
Barker said it took them two years to build the venue with a bulletproof cage, and now they intend to fully utilise it.
Their next event – Kings Crown – is scheduled for May at Robot Rampage in Onehunga.
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Mark ‘the mahi man’ pictured here with Warriors skipper James Fisher-Harris, will lead the Warriors onto the field this weekend to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.instagram
He’s the unofficial Warriors hype man, and a worthy challenger to the Mad Butcher’s title of the club’s biggest fan.
Introducing Mark ‘the Mahi Man’ Dekker.
From filling water bottles, to leading the team victory song, there is no job Dekker won’t do for the club.
But this weekend’s role stands out.
Dekker will lead out the Warriors team onto the field for their round three NRL clash against the Newcastle Knights on Saturday evening to mark World Down Syndrome Day.
It is not the the first time he has been asked to do the honour, but after a slight hitch in 2024, Dekker is ready to deliver in Newcastle.
“He jumped the gun and ran out a bit too fast ahead of the boys. Hopefully this year he’ll take his time,” said friend Leityn Swann.
Dekker was introduced to the Warriors after Swann emailed and asked if he could attend a training.
Although it was supposed to end after a few trainings, the cub quickly fell in love with the Mahi Man.
Dekker is always on hand to offer high-fives to players before and after training, as well as cater to needs from hydration, to a chat on the mats during stretching sessions.
Halfback Tannah Boyd said Dekker is the “energiser” of the club.
“He’s amazing, he waits for us when we come out every day to train, he gets us fired up, he has a big role this weekend and he’s pumped for it.”
Former Warriors star Shaun Johnson greets Mark Dekker ahead of the Warriors first game back at Mount Smart in June 2022.Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Swann said Dekker’s duties are wide ranging.
“He’s filling the waters and ice in the morning, setting up the field, getting all the equipment in the field ready for the coaches to come and lay the safety fields. And then I think he’s head of morale boosting.”
Swann said the Mahi Man had a special connection with players.
“Some of them are very patient and sit down and listen, they’ve got banter, I wish people could see what I get to see every day, the love and time he gets from them. He gets a sense of fulfilment with what he does.”
Dekker said it’s a special moment to be in the spotlight.
“I love my club.”
He said he is already preparing for the party when the Warriors win the 2026 grand final.
“Up the Wahs, baby!”
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The council publishes multiple different flood maps, which provide broad information about flood risks across the city.Auckland Council
An Auckland homeowner disputes her property is flood-prone, despite it being designated as such on Auckland Council’s online maps.
The council publishes multiple different flood maps, which provide broad information about flood risks across the city.
Stephanie Burgess said the council’s flood modelling used a “broad brush model”, but it had a real impact on value of her Glendowie property and other properties in those areas.
Auckland Council’s flood mapping was based off aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) from 2016, which did not accurately reflect the real risk on her land, she said.
“There’s never been any flooding at my property. It requires a pipe to block and a 100-year flood to both happen together.”
The flood-prone marking from the Auckland council maps she had seen was not yet on her Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report, but she was concerned it would be, she added.
Auckland Council’s natural hazard map designates half of Stephanie Burgess’s Glendowie property as flood-prone.Auckland Council
Looking to sell her house, she was worried by the impact this flood-prone designation would have.
“I’m fearful that our property will be devalued because a lot of buyers will not be interested, because they see this notation.”
She was also concerned that people did not understand the difference between a flood-prone area and a flood plane, and the different risk levels between them.
Working in real estate, she said some people would not even enter the open home if there was flood notation on the LIM.
She was calling for the council to factor in site-specific information to more accurately represent the flood risk at properties in designated flood-prone areas.
“I’d like a letter that I can give to buyers that explains the real risk.”
‘Literally within centimetres’
Auckland Council head of planning networks Nick Vigar said the councils across the country were working to provide better information about flood risks, but contested the claim that LiDAR was not an accurate measurement.
“Modern LiDAR is getting within centimetres on your property. Yes, it makes some assumptions where there’s trees and where there’s buildings, but it’s literally within centimetres.”
It was, to an extent, “broad brush”, he conceded, but it was the best information the council had.
“If you want to go and develop your house you should absolutely get someone to come in and survey it accurately,” he said.
The council assessment was only based on the land, so flood mitigation work would generally not be acknowledged in its data, Vigar said.
“If there’s some mitigation in which the landform is changed then, next time we run the LiDAR, that will get brought into the model. But I think the important thing here is: its triggering an assessment of the house on the property.”
The flood-prone designation would need to appear on the LIM report, he said.
“If you get a LIM on that property then you have to understand if there’s one of these triggers across you property … because you need to understand that if you’re developing, the presence of one of those will trigger a flood risk assessment.”
He acknowledged that using decade-old LiDAR was not necessarily fair, but said new data had been gathered in 2024 and would soon be available.
That data was already being applied to landowners who had contested their designation, he said.
“Where we have more accurate information in the new LiDAR, we have inserted it for customers already.”
But getting a property survey would not remove the flood-prone overlay from Burgess’s property, Vigar said.
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It’s part of a wider goal to have a pest free Kaitorete Spit which is internationally recognised for its ecological value and contains many globally unique plants.
DOC Mahaanui Operations Manager Andy Thompson says the plan is to restore more than 300 hectares and bring back rare plant species which have been decimated by rabbits and hares.
“We’ve seen a huge increase in rabbit numbers, and they’re destroying incredibly special plants like native broom which has beautiful lilac flowers. Kaitorete is the only place in the world this plant exists. This could be our last chance to save it,” Andy Thompson says.
DOC is working with partners Pest Free Banks Peninsula and Tāwhaki. Tāwhaki was established in 2021 as a partnership between Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Wairewa Rūnanga, and the New Zealand Government, with a dual kaupapa (purpose) to advance Aotearoa’s aerospace sector and rejuvenate the unique whenua at Kaitorete.
Tāwhaki Head of Whenua Planning and Rejuvenation Julian Phillips says Kaitorete is a significant cultural landscape renowned for its mahinga kai, taonga species, and history.
“Kaitorete is home to rare and threatened flora and fauna species, including tororaro and pīngao which plays an important role in dune health and is coveted by weavers due to its brilliant yellow colour,” he says.
“This whenua is part of an ancestral travel route for tīpuna travelling north and south along the east coast of Te Waipounamu. It’s home to some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest concentrations of middens and pre-historic archaeological sites.
“Whānau from Wairewa and Taumutu, through Tāwhaki, have been completing observational monitoring across Kaitorete for four years to track the health of this whenua – including the land, water, taonga species as well as our connection to the taiao.
“What we’ve seen is increasing evidence of damage caused by rabbits and hares, despite the incredible work of DOC and Pest Free Banks Peninsula.
“Left unchecked, rabbit populations strip vegetation, de-stabilise dunes and put pressure on already vulnerable species,” says Julian Phillips.
Pest Free Banks Peninsula Team Leader Tim Sjoberg says DOC’s rabbit control work supports the multi pest elimination programme on Kaitorete.
“By working together, we have a much greater chance of creating a truly pest-free environment, which will allow the precious and rare plants and animals to thrive here,” he says.
Today, a helicopter with under slung cereal bait sowing equipment, and GPS tracking navigation will be used. The loading zone is at the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre with the helicopter transporting the bait to trickle feed across the DOC scientific reserve. The cereal bait contains the pesticide pindone.
Andy Thompson says due to the rabbit numbers and the size of the terrain and vegetation, the aerial operation was the best way to eliminate the rabbits with ground-based bait laying and night shooting as a follow up if necessary. A rabbit proof fence has also been constructed to keep the pests out long term.
“We”ve got this one chance to save this precious landscape which has enormous cultural and biodiversity values. We are so lucky to have a community so committed to naturing and helping us restore this area.”
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn’t scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It’s behind our identity and our way of life.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said as of Sunday, New Zealand has 41.3 days worth of petrol 47 days of diesel and 49 days of Jet Fuel but they are preparing for the ‘worst case scenario’ from a prolonged conflict.
On Friday morning, some Pak ‘n’ Save and New World petrol stores had closed their stations because they were empty and awaiting delivery.
New World Levin had been waiting for more than two days. Consequently, the Gull station across the road was very busy.
Pioneer New World in Palmerston North and Pak’ N’ Save Hawera were also without supplies on Friday morning.
A Foodstuff’s spokesperson said fuel was available across New World and PAK’n SAVE sites, and there was plenty of supply.
On Friday morning, some Pak ‘n’ Save and New World petrol stores had closed their stations because they were empty and awaiting delivery.Jimmy Ellingham / RNZ
“The increased demand has meant some sites have temporarily run out ahead of scheduled deliveries.”
Foodstuff’s said there were no changes to it’s fuel discount program at this time.
“We continue to closely monitor demand and work proactively with our suppliers to maintain continuity at all sites. “
Pak ‘N’ Save Kapiti said it had been without stock but was refilled overnight.
“We’re still operating on a day-to-day basis as demand remains high and our supplier is finding it challenging to keep up.”
Overnight, petrol price app Gaspy updated to allow it to remove stores/stations from the site when they have run out of fuel.
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Genesis Energy says its $300 million rights issue has been strongly supported, raising $242.7 million from eligible shareholders – including the Crown, which will maintain its 51 percent stake.
The offer opened on 23 February, giving investors one new share for every 7.9 held, and about 81 percent of eligible shareholders took up the offer.
Genesis said shareholders who exercised all their rights also applied for an extra $48.1 million in additional shares, which will be considered in Friday’s shortfall bookbuild by its underwriter, local investment bank Jarden.
Chief executive Malcolm Johns said the company was delighted with the response from its shareholders, including the Crown.
“The success of the equity raise is a strong endorsement of the Gen35 strategy from shareholders,” he said.
To complete the shortfall bookbuild, Genesis has asked the NZX and ASX to halt trading in its ordinary shares and subordinated bonds from the start of trading on Friday.
The halt will be lifted once the bookbuild results are announced, or when markets open on 24 March, whichever comes first.
The company said the halt was needed to ensure the bookbuild could be conducted fairly, without some investors having information before others.
Shareholders who did not take up their rights – along with those ineligible to participate – may receive a pro‑rata payment if the bookbuild price ends up higher than the rights‑issue price of $2.05, although this is not guaranteed.
Settlement of the new shares is expected on 24 March for ASX investors and 25 March for NZX holders, with trading beginning on 25 March.
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Reserve Bank to increase media events after cash rate decisions
Will have online news conference after cash rate reviews, starting 8 April
Previously cash rate reviews only had written statement
Governor Anna Breman to speak about Middle East impact on economy next week
Reserve Bank governor Anna Breman has moved to deliver on her pledge to improve the central bank’s communication and transparency.
She is due to speak to business leaders next week on the RBNZ’s February monetary statement and the country’s payments system, but will now directly comment on the conflict in the Middle East.
“Due to the wider economic impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, this speech will now focus on the potential impacts of this evolving situation on the New Zealand economy,” the RBNZ said in a statement.
The speech will be released ahead of delivery and Breman will do a news conference and briefing for economists.
In the past, the RBNZ has entered a monetary “cone of silence” in the run-up to a meeting and decision about the official cash rate (OCR).
The next decision is due on 8 April and would normally only be a short statement and a summary of the meeting of the monetary policy committee.
But the April decision will be followed by an online news conference, which will now become standard practice.
In the past the RBNZ has only given media conferences after a quarterly monetary policy statement, along with full economic forecasts and interest rate track.
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Have you ever wondered whether the information privacy principles in the Privacy Act 2020 are relevant to the right against unreasonable search and seizure? The Supreme Court answered that question with a yes in this criminal appeal.
The appellant, Mr Tamiefuna, was convicted of one charge of aggravated robbery. He challenged the inclusion of photographic evidence used by Police to obtain this conviction. Mr Tamiefuna appealed a Court of Appeal decision which determined the photographic evidence was improperly obtained but declined to find the evidence should have been excluded from his trial.
The Supreme Court found that the photographic evidence was both improperly obtained and should have been excluded from Mr Tamiefuna’s trial under s 30(4) of the Evidence Act 2006. A retrial was ordered.
Background
On 5 November 2019 Mr Tamiefuna was a passenger in a car which was the subject of a routine traffic stop. A police officer ran a National Intelligence Application (NIA) check for the occupants of the vehicle and discovered Mr Tamiefuna had previous convictions relating to property offending. The check revealed the driver of the car was unlicensed and the car was impounded. This required the occupants to exit the vehicle.
Mr Tamiefuna and his companions removed property from the car and stood on the footpath while waiting to be picked up. A police officer noticed there was a lot of property, including batteries and a woman’s purse and coat. This made them suspicious the property may have been stolen. At this point, the police officer took photographs of the property and the car’s occupants using their police issue smartphone. The photographs of Mr Tamiefuna show him standing on the footpath beside the car. He is looking towards the camera and is clearly aware that he was being photographed. Mr Tamiefuna’s face and clothing are captured in the images.
The police officer added these photographs and a note of his observations to the NIA. The information was collected and retained as the officer thought it might be useful in future. There was no specific purpose.
The photographs were critical evidence at Mr Tamiefuna’s trial, linking him to the aggravated robbery, as the clothing in the photographs matched a man captured in CCTV footage at the scene of the offending.
There is no statutory authority authorising the taking of these photographs, nor the retention of one of those photographs on the NIA.
Litigation history
Prior to his trial, Mr Tamiefuna challenged the admissibility of the evidence collected at the traffic stop. He argued it was improperly obtained and inadmissible under s 30 of the Evidence Act. The challenge was rejected in the High Court. The Court of Appeal declined leave to appeal that decision pre-trial.
Following the trial, Mr Tamiefuna appealed his conviction. The Court of Appeal decided that the taking of a person’s photograph in a public place by police without a current investigative or law enforcement purpose, breached their right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure under s 21 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA). However, the Court did not consider the evidence should have been excluded under s 30 of the Evidence Act, on the basis the impropriety was outweighed by the need for an effective and credible justice system. The appeal was dismissed.
The Privacy Commissioner’s role as an independent intervener in the proceeding
An intervener is a third party who is allowed to join litigation even though they are not a party to the proceedings. This process is called “intervening” and allows an expert or interested party to assist the court by making legal submissions on particular points – especially if the case is of general public importance.
The Privacy Commissioner was granted leave from the Court to intervene as an independent expert as the appeal would have broad consequences for the interaction between information privacy, NZBORA, and Police information gathering powers.
Grounds of appeal in the Supreme Court
(a) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct to find that the photographic evidence was improperly obtained for the purpose of s 30 of the Evidence Act; and (b) Whether the Court of Appeal was correct in admitting the evidence under s 30 of the Evidence Act.
Majority decision (Winkelmann CJ, Ellen France and Williams JJ)
At common law, Police have a duty to prevent crime and to detect and bring offenders to justice. The police have powers to undertake these duties and the common law will supplement existing statutory provisions when necessary. As the collection and retention of the photographs on the NIA were not authorised by statute, police were exercising their common law powers.
The exercise of police common law powers is subject to statutory requirements and restrictions. Relevant in this case was s 21 of NZBORA, which provides that every person has the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure.
Was taking the photographs a search?
In determining whether Police taking photographs of a person in a public place after they were required to leave a car following a lawful traffic stop was a search, the majority considered four key factors; the nature of the place, the use to which the information was put, the manner of collection, and the nature of the information.
Significant weight was given to the fact that Mr Tamiefuna was only in a public place because he has been ejected from a vehicle. The manner of collection was not at the higher end of intrusiveness, however, the use to which the information was put increased the level of intrusiveness. They also noted there were very few controls over the retention and use of Mr Tamiefuna’s personal information. The majority considered the police power exercised was intrusive and very general.
The Joint Report highlighted that photographs of individuals are sensitive biometric personal information, stating they are “capable of being analysed using facial recognition technology and other digital techniques which makes it even more important that the information is being collected, used, retained and stored lawfully.” The majority added that the sensitivity of biometric information is recognised in the fact that statutory regimes are required to govern their use and collection.
Overall, the majority concluded the police officer’s actions amounted to a search as Mr Tamiefuna had a reasonable expectation of privacy that was intruded on.
Was the search reasonable?
The taking and retention of the photographs was not lawful. Police are subject to statutory controls when conducting searches and it was not appropriate to extend their common law power to authorise a warrantless search for generalised intelligence gathering in a way which is not appropriate, particularly where the relevant statutory framework imposes controls in relation to the very same activity (though in a different context).
The majority stated the information privacy principles (IPPs) (when this incident occured the Privacy Act 1993 was in effect. The Privacy Act 2020 sets out the current IPPs in section 22. For the purposes of this case, there are no material differences between these iterations of the IPPs) were relevant, though not decisive, in an analysis of s 21 of NZBORA and s 30 of the Evidence Act. In discussing the IPPs, the majority stated:
Under IPP 1, an agency may only collect personal information as is necessary for a lawful purpose. This was breached as there was no lawful purpose for the collection of Mr Tamiefuna’s information.
Under IPP 3, the collecting agency must take reasonable steps to inform the person concerned, among other things, about the collection, the purpose of the collection and its legal basis. This was not done in this case.
Under IPP 9, personal information once collected must not be held for longer than is required for the purposes for which the information may lawfully be used. As there was no lawful purpose, the retention of the information was in breach of this principle.
The IPPs were useful in stating the expectations of a reasonable person. As Police failed to comply with the IPPs, the search was not reasonable (as it breached the Privacy Act) and the evidence was therefore improperly obtained.
As the search was illegal it was unreasonable under s 21 of NZBORA. This meant the photographic information was improperly obtained for the purposes of s 30 of the Evidence Act.
Was the court wrong to admit the evidence?
If evidence is found to have been improperly obtained, s 30(2) of the Evidence Act requires the Judge to “determine whether or not the exclusion of the evidence is proportionate to the impropriety by means of a balancing process that gives appropriate weight to the impropriety and takes proper account of the need for an effective and credible system of justice.”
In this case, it was decided that excluding the evidence would not be disproportionate to the breach. There was a breach of an important right and an overextension of police powers (though the Court noted the police officers involved acted in good faith). The majority stated “an effective and credible system of justice in this case requires the exclusion of the evidence. Otherwise, on a longer-term basis, the justice system is brought into disrepute.”
As intervener, OPC submitted in the cases where evidence has been obtained in breach of s 21 of NZBORA or another human rights obligation, s 30 should be applied to provide an effective remedy for that breach. An effective remedy must both vindicate the right of the individual and avoid recurrence of the breach in other cases. This submission was accepted by the majority.
Outcome
The appeal was allowed. Mr Tamiefuna’s conviction was quashed and a retrial was ordered.
Minority decision (Glazebrook J)
Glazebrook J considered there was no search in this case, finding the concept of a “search” would be extended too far if it included filming or photography of what a person saw and heard, where there is no active looking for someone or something. Further, Glazebrook J found Mr Tamiefuna did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The photograph was taken on a public street, it was not covert, and people should be expected to be observed while in public. An individual interacting with another person (including the Police) can have no reasonable expectation that the other person will not make and store a full and accurate audio or video of the interaction, which can later be disclosed and used.
This minority decision also considered the collection and retention of the photographs was both reasonable and lawful. It was an appropriate use of Police investigative powers into offending.
Glazebrook J agreed with the reasoning in the Court of Appeal and would have admitted the photographs under s 30 of the Evidence Act. In reaching that conclusion the Court of Appeal said that while the right breached was important, the intrusion on this right was not very serious and the evidence obtained was central to the prosecution. In these circumstances, exclusion of the evidence would be disproportionate to the breach.
Minority decision (Kós J)
Kós J also considered there was no search, as the traffic stop and ejection of Mr Tamiefuna from the car was lawful and Mr Tamiefuna was in a public place. People on a public street lack a reasonable expectation of privacy from being photographed. Cell phones and CCTV make this a routine experience.
The essential feature of a search was described as an examination or investigation for the purposes of obtaining evidence, which intrudes upon a right to privacy. Kós J stated there was no right to privacy on a public street and no reasonable expectation of privacy, finding an ordinary photograph of a person present on the pavement of a public street should not engage s 21 of NZBORA.
In this case, the entry of Mr Tamiefuna’s photographs in the NIA was unlawful, as it was not permitted by either statute or common law. However, Kós J would not have excluded the evidence for the same reasons as Glazebrook J.
Kós J concluded by stating “What might have been seen as a grey area in 2019 was no longer so grey after [the Joint Report] was published. A different balance might be struck thereafter, in another case.”
Privacy implications
Key takeaways:
The IPPs can be compelling in determining whether human rights have been breached.
Despite the current cultural context (including available technology, such as cell phones and CCTV) being on a public street does not mean an individual has no expectation of privacy. Particularly where the state is exercising an intrusive power.
At [33] the majority stated “there were features of the relevant events that mean the fact [Mr Tamiefuna]’s photograph was taken whilst he was on a public road is not a conclusive factor against the asserted reasonableness of his expectations of privacy. It remains important to preserve a sufficient zone of privacy for individuals. That in turn is a part of preserving the fundamentals of a liberal democracy.”
A new dedicated child mental health service in Counties Manukau was officially opened today by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, marking an important step in ensuring our young people have faster access to support.
“Mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing our youth today. Every New Zealander deserves access to support, when and where they need it. By expanding the help available, we can ensure no one is left stuck on a waitlist,” Mr Doocey says.
The new specialist child mental health team –Te Ooritetanga oo ngaa Ratonga moo ngaa Tamariki | The Equality of Services for all Children – will operate within the Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (ICAMHS) at Counties Manukau Mental Health and Addiction Services. It has been established to support young people up to intermediate school age, along with their families, who are experiencing, or are at risk of developing, moderate to severe mental health challenges.
“We know the massive difference that early intervention can make. By identifying needs early and providing the right support before issues escalate, we can give our young people the tools they need to live the lives they deserve,” Mr Doocey says.
Counties Manukau is home to one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing populations. Of the estimated total population in 2021, more than 20 per cent were under 15 years old, that’s around 123,400 children and young people.
“I am pleased that this new dedicated team will strengthen our specialist services, help meet the needs of this rapidly growing community, and ensure young people get support at the top of the cliff, rather than waiting for the ambulance at the bottom.”
The multi-disciplinary team will provide wraparound support and includes a senior medical officer, registered nurses, two clinical psychologists, two occupational therapists, and two social workers. Recruitment is underway for whānau workers.
The service is funded through the Government’s $18.7 million investment to expand and enhance ICAMHS.
“We have all seen the startling youth suicide statistics in New Zealand and, quite simply, this is not good enough. What keeps me awake at night is knowing that some young people aren’t getting the support they need. I do not want any young person to fall through the cracks.
“Nationally, we have seen our focused efforts pay off. The frontline Health NZ mental health workforce grown by over 11 per cent since we came into Government. We have also seen increases in key workforces such as the child and adolescent workforce which has grown by 19 per cent.
“This is part of the Government’s plan to deliver faster access to support, more frontline workers, and a better crisis response.”
It’s the third year in a row New Zealand has ranked outside the top 10 in the World Happiness Report.123rf.com
Finland has once again been named the happiest country in the world, a title it has now held a record nine times.
New Zealand often ranks in the top 10, but it has just dipped outside to 11th in the most recent World Happiness Report. It’s the third year in a row New Zealand has ranked outside the top 10.
It’s mostly Nordic countries ahead of New Zealand, but Israel is in 8th. Our friends across the ditch, Australia, were ranked 15th.
Finnish philosopher Frank Martela, the go-to expert on Nordic happiness, told First Up that Finnish people were relatively sceptical of the results.
“I guess the Finnish people think of themselves as this slightly introverted, even melancholic, bunch of people. So, being the happiest people in the world doesn’t really fit into Finnish self-image,” he said.
Martela said rather than Finnish people being happier, there are fewer extremely unhappy people in Finland, which drives up the average.
“When you say that Finland is the happiest country, it’s one way of putting it, [but] another way of putting it would be saying Finland is the country where there are the least amount of people who are actively unhappy about their lives – that would be, in a way, a more accurate description.”
In other words, if New Zealand wants to boost its ranking, Kiwis should complain less.
“That’s the Finnish way of doing this – not complaining too much, just minding one’s own business and being happy about it,” Martela said.
To determine the ranking, the Gallup World Poll asks respondents in 147 countries to evaluate their lives using the image of a ladder, with the best possible life as a 10 and the worst possible as a 0. Each respondent provides a numerical response on this scale, referred to as the Cantril Ladder.
Researchers look at six factors, including GDP per capita, life expectancy, generosity and perceptions of freedom and corruption to help account for variations among countries. The rankings are based on a three-year average, which smoothes out spikes and dips occasioned by big events such as war or financial downturns.
The Finns reported an average score of 7.764 to evaluate their life satisfaction.
Martela said universal healthcare, low corruption, high-quality free education, unemployment benefits and good maternity leave are some of the factors behind the score.
Finland’s deep commitment to cooperation helps explain its staying power at the top of the ranking, John F. Helliwell, professor emeritus of economics at the University of British Columbia and a founding editor of the World Happiness Report, said in an interview.
“Successful societies cooperate in the face of adversity,” he said. “The Finns know this. And once you have the sense that you are in this together, there’s no end to what you can do.”
New Zealand has ranked 11th in the World Happiness Report.123rf.com
Youth crisis
The report’s writers have begun to pay attention to what they consider a crisis in youth happiness, first mentioned in the 2024 ranking.
In the latest edition, the survey found life evaluations among respondents under age 25 in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped by almost one full point on the scale of 0 to 10 over the last decade, a dramatic slide especially since the average satisfaction for young people in the rest of the world has increased, according to Gallup World Poll data.
A key factor in the sharp drop in youth happiness, researchers said, is the number of hours young people spend consuming social media or gaming. And while experts say it’s important to limit time spent with the Internet overall, some ways of spending time online are healthier than others, including communicating with loved ones, and learning new skills.
A certain amount of Internet and social media consumption wasn’t necessarily negative, he said, saying, “There seems to be a sweet spot.”
“You don’t want to be unconnected but you don’t want to be too connected,” he said. “With the Internet, too much is a bad thing.”
Police are investigating after a woman was found with serious injuries in Christchurch on Thursday night.
Detective Sergeant Ben Rolton, Christchurch Metro CIB said officers were called to Worcester Street, between Latimer Square and Barbadoes Street, around 10pm.
There were reports that a person had been stabbed.
The woman was taken to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance where she underwent surgery.
A scene guard was put in place overnight, and a scene examination is taking place today.
Police are making enquiries into the circumstances of the incident and working to identify who is responsible, Detective Sergeant Rolton said.
St John Ambulance told RNZ two people were taken to hospital.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ)
20 March 2026 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) is expanding its communications approach for the 8 April Monetary Policy Review.
This approach aligns with the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) commitment to greater transparency. Future Monetary Policy Reviews will also follow this revised format. We will review and adapt this format over time in response to stakeholder feedback.
The RBNZ’s quarterly Monetary Policy Statement, which includes updated economic forecasts, an Official Cash Rate projection and more detailed forecasts will continue as normal. Monetary Policy Statement releases will also continue to be followed by in-person media conferences. The next quarterly Monetary Policy Statement is scheduled for release on 27 May.
Change of focus for Business NZ speech On Tuesday 24 March, Governor Breman is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to Business NZ’s CEO Forum in Auckland. The RBNZ previously advised that the speech would touch on the current economic outlook, drawing on insights from the February Monetary Policy Statement, and outline how the Reserve Bank is working to modernise New Zealand’s payments system.
Due to the wider economic impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, this speech will now focus on the potential impacts of this evolving situation on the New Zealand economy.
The speech will be published on the RBNZ website at 9am on Tuesday 24 March ahead of two planned external engagement events with Governor Breman that morning. The first engagement is with external economists and analysts, and the second is with Auckland media representatives. The Business NZ CEO Forum event that Governor Breman is speaking at will commence from 2pm. The RBNZ is releasing the speech earlier in the day to ensure that all stakeholders have equitable access to information.
A speech outlining how the Reserve Bank is working to modernise New Zealand’s payments system will be delivered at a later date.
This speech will not pre-empt the MPC’s April Monetary Policy Review decision. The global environment, and other salient factors, will be discussed in full by the MPC when it meets ahead of its April decision.
Christchurch Men’s Prison.Luke McPake / The Wireless
An investigation is underway into the death of an inmate at Christchurch Men’s Prison.
Corrections says staff and paramedics tried to revive the man, who died in the health unit early on Thursday morning.
Other inmates and staff are being provided support.
Corrections says all deaths in prison are subject to an internal incident review, an investigation by the independent Corrections Inspectorate and are also referred to the coroner.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand