Category: LiveNews

Source: Radio New Zealand

Despite the conflict in the Middle East and growing worries over global oil supply, New Zealand remains at the lowest level of official concern – but that could quickly change.

Motorists are being urged not to panic-buy fuel amid going concerns about rising prices, with the average 91 petrol price around country surging past $3.

The pressure on fuel priuces is being largley driven by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran launches attacks to halt maritime traffic. The area is critical because about 20 percent of the world’s oil consumption or 20 million barrels a day, usually passes through it.

The National Fuel Plan – published in 2024 – includes details on how the country could respond to a fuel supply disruption or emergency, with four levels of concern, similar to the levels seen during the fight against Covid-19.

The plan does point out that many events could disrupt fuel supply, including compromised overseas supply, pipes being sabotaged, earthquake or a damaged road network.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says the country is not experiencing the types of sustained supply disruption that the would lead to the emergency measures outlined in the plan, and confirmed last week that Aotearoa remains at the lowest of the four levels.

But it has convened the Fuel Sector Co-ordinating Entity (Fuel SCE), which is comprised of officials and members from key fuel companies, and “increases lines of communications with the fuel industry and oversight of fuel imports”.

The fuel escalation process in the plan includes four levels. The plan says an emergency may progress from one level to the next – due to something like a damaged pipeline that is taking longer than expected to repair – or move straight to a high level, in the case of a “sudden, major infrastructure disruption expected to last longer than a few days”.

Level 1: Minor impact on fuel sector

The country is currently at this level. Under it, there is the potential for escalating fuel supply disruption to higher levels, but “minimal current impact on fuel distribution”.

The Fuel SCE is convened to monitor the situation and start planning for potential disruption and escalation.

Fuel companies are also directed to start planning for possible disruption.

Level 2: Moderate impact on fuel sector

In this level, “most” customers are still serviced, but there is a risk of shortages to critical fuel customers.

Critical fuel customers are organisations seen as “critical to response activities and have a reliance on fuel resupply to carry out response activities”, including emergency services, the Ministry of Health, Corrections and Defence.

The Fuel SCE monitors demand levels and resupply options, and also coordinates government support “as required” for the fuel sector.

This may include air or overland vehicle transport; a range of support by NZDF, where resources are available, such as NZDF ships, drivers, engineering resources or specialist aviation resources; assistance with sourcing key international resources including barges and fuel air transport capacity; and relaxation of regulations, such as allowing night-time fuelling to increase distribution.

Fuel companies are also required to take steps to ensure critical customers are supplied and government powers may be used to enforce this.

Level 3: Major impact on fuel sector

Under level three, there is a “serious impact on fuel distribution with severe resource and capacity constraints and multi region and/or major impacts to critical customers”.

Additional measures that may come into play at this level include:

• Opening hour restrictions (reduced hours, only open on alternate days)
• Setting maximum purchases at point of sale – either price or volume,
• Restricting sales into containers (to discourage hoarding), and
• Price limits can be set at unmanned fuel retail outlets (e.g. truck stops).

There will also be critical customer prioritisation measures under level three.

“Critical fuel customers will continue to source fuel from, and be supplied by, their regular fuel suppliers until it is no longer possible or practicable to do so.”

These additional actions will be implemented and coordinated through the Fuel SCE, which will also monitor fuel companies’ compliance with any directions issued by the Minister for Energy or CDEM Controller

Level 4: Severe impact on fuel sector

At this highest level, there is a severe impact on national fuel supplies

As well as all the actions seen in lower levels, fuel companies will be required to supply only critical fuel customers and these customers can be serviced by any supplier.

Public help

As well as the fuel escalation process, the National Fuel Plan also notes that the public can be encouraged by the government and the fuel sector to voluntarily reduce fuel consumption.

“This can be achieved through reducing speed on open roads, car-pooling, working from home, checking tyre pressure and reducing unnecessary trips or using other transport modes.”

The plan does note that this is “only considered a practicable option when managing a long-term supply disruption where immediate stocks are not at threat”, as it could cause panic buying.

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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/2026/03/17/when-the-petrol-lights-come-on-how-nzs-fuel-escalation-levels-work/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Two people have been seriously injured after two cars collided in North Canterbury.

Emergency services were called to the crash on State Highway 1 near Domett, between Christchurch and Kaikōura, about 10.40am.

One of the cars was towing a horse float but it was unknown if any horses were inside.

St John said two ambulances, two helicopters, two operations managers and a PRIME responder were sent to the crash.

“Two patients, in serious condition, have been airlifted to Christchurch Hospital. One additional patient, in minor condition, has been transported by road to Christchurch Hospital,” St John said.

A police spokesperson said the Serious Crash Unit were advised and the road remained closed.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said drivers should expect delays and consider avoiding travel through the area.

“SCU (Serious Crash Unit) will be attending the scene and their investigations can take several hours. Consider an alternative route.”

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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/2026/03/17/crash-closes-stretch-of-state-highway-1-in-north-canterbury/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Retired Supreme Court judge Sir Mark O’Regan will lead the government’s inquiry into the Tauranga landslides which killed eight people.

The terms of reference, released on Tuesday, task him with investigating how the landslides occurred and whether relevant agencies took appropriate steps to manage any risk.

That includes whether they missed any opportunities to warn or evacuate people.

Investigators will consider evidence including what agencies already knew about the risk of landslides, as well as the weather forecasts, storm alerts, and any warnings from the public.

The inquiry has no power to determine criminal or disciplinary liability, but can make “findings of fault”.

The government said it does not expect the inquiry to hold public hearings and can seek evidence from overseas, but without travelling itself.

In a statement, the responsible minister Chris Penk said the government recognised the significant public concern surrounding the tragic events and the importance for the families and wider community of determining exactly what happened.

“Those responsible for the Inquiry will be required to communicate with the families of the victims about its progress. It is my expectation that this engagement will be conducted with respect and sensitivity, and that the work will proceed as efficiently as possible,” Penk said.

Sir Mark will be assisted by a former public sector boss Helen Anderson and lawyer Steve Symon.

They will start considering evidence at the end of the month, to report back with recommendations by early December.

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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/2026/03/17/retired-supreme-court-judge-to-lead-government-inquiry-into-tauranga-landslides/

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Education Review Office is introducing a colour-coded, four-point scale for rating schools’ performance.

It said the new system would apply to ERO review reports for schools visited from term two and would be easier for families to understand.

The new-look reports would rate schools’ as excelling, doing well, working towards or requiring improvement across 14 areas with colour coding of dark green, light green, orange, and red.

The reports would start with a “snapshot” table showing the number of areas in which each school was excelling, doing well, working towards, or required improvement.

They would then provide an overview of the school’s ratings in 14 areas including student achievement, student progress, teaching, reading and writing, maths and attendance.

ERO said the new reports would be easier for families to understand.

ERO last changed the way it reported on schools at the end of 2024 when it introduced short descriptions of performance in areas including how well learners were succeeding and the quality of teaching.

It also introduced brief outlines of schools’ performance in reading, writing, maths and attendance.

England’s school reviewer, Ofsted, recently introduced a colour-coded, five-point scale for schools’ performance in areas including attendance, behavour, acheivement, and personal development.

The scale was exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, and urgent improvement with colour-coding ranging from blue, through green to orange and red.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the new reports would provide parents with clearer, more useful information.

“To date, reports on school performance through ERO have not sufficiently focused on the details most relevant to parents and have been dense and complicated to read and understand,” she said.

Stanford said the reports would provide more detail on twice as many topics.

“The new reports will recognise successes as well and provide a roadmap for improvement. They focus on the key changes that will make the most difference for students,” she said.

Stanford said the reports would help the Education Ministry target support to the schools that needed it.

“Overall this is really about good data and making sure that we are targeting resource to the areas we need it the most so we can raise achievement standards across the board,” she said.

She said the review office had not changed how it reviewed schools, just how it reported its findings.

Chief review officer Ruth Shinoda said parents did not understand some of the language ERO used.

“Sometimes words are clear to us but not clear to schools and parents,” she said.

“For example, the word ’embedding’, which is one of our judgements – it means a lot to us in education, parents have no idea what this word means so we’ve changed it to ‘doing well’.”

Shinoda said a focus on progress would celebrate the difference schools made in challenging circumstances.

She said the reports would show how many areas a school was excelling in, how many areas it was good at, and how many it needed to improve.

They would also provide more clarity about what schools needed to do next.

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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/2026/03/17/new-rating-system-for-schools-unveiled-as-ero-reports-overhauled/