Category: Public Media

Source: Radio New Zealand

• Parents feel the effect of Ministry of Education-funded school bus route reviews
• One mother’s petrol bill jumps from $120 a week to $300 a week now her son can’t catch a bus
• Ministry says reviews are routine, to make sure transport funding is fair and efficient
• Officials back down from changes in Gisborne, RNZ understands.

A mother who now has to make two one-hour round trips to get her son to school every day says her petrol bill has tripled to more than $300 a week.

Becs Barr said her son Murphy is no longer eligible for a government-funded bus to school, after the Ministry of Education reviewed routes in the wider Manawatū region last year.

Officials said such reviews are routine and ensure compliance with its rules, such as students going to their nearest school.

It had recently undertaken such a review in the Gisborne area, but today it’s understood officials have backed down from changes that were to take effect from the start of the second school term, in April.

Fuel bill triples

For Murphy Barr’s first three years at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, getting to and from his home near the Horowhenua town of Shannon was easy – he’d catch the bus.

But this year, his fourth at the high school, he’s had to rely on his mum Becs for transport, after he was ruled ineligible to catch a ministry-funded service because Boys’ High isn’t his closest school.

“I have to take him to school each day, travel by car, and then turn around and come all the way back pretty much nearly to home to then go in the other direction to go to my job.

“I’ve now have lost an hour each morning at my job and I’ve also tripled my fuel bill.”

That bill has gone from $120 a week last year to more than $300 a week before the price hikes of the past few days.

When Becs Barr was recently sick, Murphy had to drive to Palmerston North, just two weeks after getting his restricted licence, to make sure he got to class.

Shannon parents and caregivers were looking at user-pays options, like families in some Manawatū towns Rongotea and Tangimoana had organised, Becs Barr said.

She was particularly displeased to often follow the funded-school bus into town as it transported students still deemed eligible to catch it.

“The bus which he would normally have got still leaves from exactly the same spot it used to and still takes children to their colleges in Palmerston North, but it won’t take Palmy Boys’ or Palmy Girls’ [students].”

Murphy Barr is set on becoming a helicopter engineer, and his Becs Barr said Palmerston North Boys’ High offered the best courses to help him achieve this.

The family made the decision to send him there knowing a funded bus was then available, and with no reason to think they wouldn’t fall within rules that weren’t being enforced.

“We’re fighting against a government that’s saying, ‘Get your children to school’. On the other hand they’re saying, ‘We’re not going to help you. We’re actually going to make it harder.’

“Do I quit my job to go on the dole and claim lots of benefits, so I can have more money to get my child to school. Is that what they want to happen?”

Reviews routine – ministry

The ministry has reviewed more than 250 routes nationwide, including in Manawatū, Northland and Hawke’s Bay.

General manager school transport James Meffan said such reviews were a routine, ongoing part of its work.

“We generally give schools at least a term’s notice of any changes to their school bus services,” he said.

“We notified the schools affected by the Palmerston North area review of the final outcome of our review on 17 September 2025. It is the school’s responsibility to notify their communities of school bus changes.”

The ministry funded buses from Shannon for students attending the closest high school, in Levin, and for those at state-integrated religious schools.

Eligibility criteria for buses were to make sure funding was allocated fairly and efficiently, Meffan said.

“The ministry’s bus operators can choose whether to transport ineligible students on ministry-funded services, as long as the student has permission from the school/s they are bypassing and there are enough seats for all students.

“We understand that the bus operator has elected not to carry ineligible students at this time.”

Biggest frustration in 14 years as school head

Palmerston North Boys’ High School rector David Bovey said about 300 students at the school were affected by bus route changes.

The school was looking at options for students. At times, some weren’t able to get to school.

“We’re having some families that are are making significant sacrifices to get their boys to school and it doesn’t always work.

“We had one situation where you could tell by the tone of the e-mail the mum was really, really frustrated, and had a bit of a crack at us because the car wouldn’t start and she couldn’t get her boy to school from Shannon.

“I feel for her because I’m right behind her. It’s it’s bloody tough.”

Bovey said the changes were a disaster.

“This has been the single most frustrating thing I’ve had to deal with in terms of our boys since I’ve been the rector, and that’s in 14 years.

“I know that they’re saying ‘it’s the policy’. So why now? The policy has been ignored for about 100 years,” he said.

“The government’s spending money on charter schools that we don’t need, and we’ve got kids who can’t get to the school they want to go to because of the bus situation.”

Backdown after Gisborne review

Rural students near Gisborne from term two faced the same challenges in getting to school after the ministry reviewed routes there.

Gisborne Boys’ High School headmaster Tom Cairns said the school had about 75 students who were no longer eligible for a funded bus, and other schools were affected too. Many came from isolated, rural communities, where families would struggle to travel into town.

But now RNZ understands the ministry has reversed course and services will stay as they are, a decision Cairns welcomed.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome. To reverse that shows that somebody is listening and has seen some sense.

“The really pleasing thing is they’ve recognised there’s an issue, and a significant one, and have acted on that.”

RNZ has approached the ministry on Tuesday for comment on the Gisborne situation.

Meffan had previously said: “Our recent review of routes in the Gisborne area showed that many students currently using our services are not eligible, either because public transport is available or because they are not attending their closest school.”

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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/mothers-fuel-bill-triples-after-child-no-longer-eligible-for-government-funded-school-bus/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Canterbury lines company MainPower is offering a $5000 reward for significant information relating to the tampering with or theft of copper earthing wires.

There have been more instances of copper theft in North Canterbury since January, compared to the whole of last year according to chief executive Sean Horgan.

“This year alone we’re up to well over 200. Over the last couple of days we’ve had another 11 that were stolen.”

Horgan said the copper that is stolen provides protection for MainPower’s equipment and for the public.

The stealing of the copper wiring impacts MainPower workers, because instead of their normal work they are also having to find and repair the power lines where the wire has been stolen, Horgan said.

And it is also costly to replace.

“We’re replacing these things. It’s about $1000 to $2000 a pop.”

The copper is on top of power poles, but not on every pole. Horgan said it is an integral part of the wider system, and it ensures the electricity runs safely to earth if there is a fault with the equipment.

Horgan said the copper runs down the length of the pole and is covered in a protective covering, and the thieves are cutting through it to take one-and-a-half to two metres of copper.

Horgan described it as an “agricultural operation”, and said thieves are using axes and wire cutters to get it out.

MainPower decided to offer a reward in the hope it would help the company find those responsible for stealing the copper, and have also enlisted the help of a private investigator.

“If you see something suspicious, our staff, the MainPower staff, are easily identifiable, they’ve got the full gear on, they look professional. If it’s somebody out the back of a car or truck with an axe, then chances are they’re up to no good, so please let us know.”

The number to report any information is 0800 WIRETHEFT (0800 947 384).

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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/lines-company-offers-reward-to-help-reduce-copper-theft/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A man who claims he was sexually assaulted as a teen by an older man decades ago has been accused of making up the allegation to get a prison sentence reduced.

The accused, who has name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection between 1994 and 1995.

A retrial of the alleged assailant started in the Christchurch District Court yesterday.

Yesterday, Crown prosecutor Penny Brown said the complainant, who was 18 or 19 years old at the time of the alleged offending, claims the pair drank and smoked cannabis at a bach in Lake Coleridge bach, before the complainant became so intoxicated he thought he might have been drugged.

The complainant said he was put to bed by the accused, and woke to find he was being sexually assaulted.

Brown said the complainant didn’t report it to the police until 2020, by which time she said his life had derailed and he was due to be sentenced for serious offending.

The complainant had earlier mentioned the alleged abuse to the writer of a pre-sentence report.

The accused’s defence lawyer, David Stevens, today asked the complainant about the timing of the complaint.

Stevens put to the complainant he told the pre-sentence report writer he had been abused in an attempt to reduce his sentence, and told his family about the allegation to try and explain his offending.

“No, I didn’t use anything. I don’t advertise my past, I don’t pity myself for what has happened to me over my life time. I don’t … poor me.”

Brown asked the complainant what led to him making the complaint when he did.

He said while in prison he encountered people who had experienced a lot of abuse in their lives, but he saw some of them had spoken up about what had happened to them and it had helped them.

“When you are brought up kids are supposed to be seen but not heard, you’re not meant to bring things up. And you live that life but seeing some of these old boys, and some of them are tough buggers, but to hear them come out and say you need to get it off your chest, you need to speak to someone.”

Brown asked him his response to the allegation he made up the complaint.

“What am I doing here now then? Why am I going through this now?” said the man.

“I’ve been sentenced and I’m a free man. If someone was in jail? Sure. But I’m a free man and this could have been knocked on the head ages ago. I wouldn’t be putting myself through this.”

The trial is continuing.

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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/man-accused-of-making-up-sexual-assault-allegations-to-get-reduced-prison-sentence/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Millions in new government funding to meet winter demand is a drop in the bucket, healthcare unions say.

The $25 million funding will see 378 full-time staff and 71 beds added to hospitals ahead of the colder months, which the government says will increase patient flow and reduce wait times.

Health minister Simeon Brown said the goal was to keep people out of hospital by strengthening GP-level care, and improving patient flow by getting people out of those beds and into care in the community.

“Of course, this plan is not a silver bullet,” he said at the announcement at the Auckland Business Chamber on Tuesday morning.

“We know that demand will still be high and hospitals will face record levels of patients this winter,” he said.

“But by planning early, expanding capacity and supporting front-line teams we give our staff the tools, resources and flexibility they need to manage this pressure, and deliver the care when New Zealanders need it the most.”

The package included funding for 567 short-stay spots in aged care facilities, to free up space in hospitals.

Aged Care Association chief executive Tracey Martin said it was great to see the value of the aged care sector being recognised, but it was already at more than 90 percent capacity.

Finding beds to fund, and the staff to go with them, might be tricky, she said.

“So you might have money, but can you find a bed? And can you find a place that has the beds and the staffing that you need?” she said. “When you starve the sector for so long, you can’t just suddenly dial it up.”

It could be an option for aged care facilities – which were predominantly privately owned – to physically add more beds, but Martin said they might be reluctant to grow their footprint or hire staff on a short-term basis.

“I don’t think it’s going to be as easy to implement as they think it is,” she said. “There aren’t 567 short-term care beds just sitting empty right now, in New Zealand.”

Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said demand needed to be addressed in the community first.

“It’s a pretty standard winter plan, the sort that was rolled out under Labour governments,” she said.

“But the difference here is now we know 650,000 New Zealanders each year can’t afford to go to the general practitioner because of the cost. As long as that’s the case, demand will remain high in our hospitals, and they’ll continue to struggle.”

Labour has committed to three free GP visits for every New Zealander, if they are elected, to treat people before they need hospital level care.

Meanwhile, the nurses’ union said any increase in staff was welcome, but this announcement severely underplayed the shortage.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation chief executive Paul Goulter said it was not yet clear how much of the funding would go towards hiring nurses specifically, but the union’s own research estimated a business-as-usual shortage far beyond what could be met by this funding.

“We’ve got an ongoing shortage of nurses across the hospital system, and our research showed that our hospitals are short on average 587 nurses every shift, and then you’ve got the impact of winter coming.”

Sarah Dalton from the senior doctor’s union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, called it a drop in the bucket.

When that criticism was put to Brown, he stood by his announcement.

“We’re focused on putting more resource into the front line and actually making progress, and actually, this has been a plan put together by working with our local hospitals across the country, them highlighting what’s going to make the biggest difference.”

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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-health-funding-for-winter-a-drop-in-the-bucket-unions/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police have chased a stolen car across Auckland as it hit other vehicles following a home invasion in the east of the city.

The burglary in Howick was reported just after 3pm on Tuesday, with offenders reportedly armed with a machete. The offenders left the scene in a Ford Ranger taken from the property on Bleakhouse Rd, police said.

Police had seen the vehicle heading towards the East Tāmaki area.

“Eagle monitored the vehicle as it drove dangerously through Ōtara, Manukau and onto the Southern Motorway into the central city.” Superintendent Shanan Gray said

On multiple occasions it was seen driving on the wrong side of the road at high speeds.”

Gray said the Ford Ranger was the cause of several collisions with cars that belong to members of the public.

“Police vehicles were rammed on more than one occasion.”

One lane of Karangahape Rd was blocked by police.

An RNZ reporter at the seen said two damaged vehicles can be seen, a small Honda with extensive damage to the front and its bumper ripped off and lying on the road, and a Ford Ranger nearby.

Because of the risk, Gray said the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) was deployed and followed the car on Queen St.

“AOS has carried out a non-compliant vehicle stop on Karangahape Road, immediately taking all four occupants into custody,” he said

“Police deployed a range of tactics including a distraction device, a non-lethal sponge round and a police dog to effect the arrests.”

It was lucky no-one was seriously hurt, he added.

Police also want to hear from anyone who had their vehicle damaged by the incident.

They will be laying charges on Tuesday afternoon.

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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/home-invasion-in-howick-leads-to-police-chase-across-auckland/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Bay of Plenty health team has had a big boost in childhood vaccination rates, saying “pressure free kōrero” and giving people space are the keys to success.

Over about 18 months, the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (PHO) has lifted the vaccination rate for Māori under-twos in its care from 58 percent to 70 percent.

For all its under-twos, it has gone from 78 to 83 percent.

Childhood vaccination rates for diseases like whooping cough and measles took a hit in the Covid era and have been slow to recover in many parts of the country.

The Western Bay of Plenty team said a flexible and personalised approach was driving change.

It was holding night and mobile clinics, and had nurses who would visit people at home if they had not been able to contact them.

Donna Moon was one of the outreach vaccinators.

She got mixed reactions when she turned up at people’s homes but said face-to-face visits made a huge difference.

It was a privilege to be at someone’s home and she always tried to respect their boundaries, she said.

“I will always say ‘look there is no pressure in this conversation’ early in the conversation,” she said.

There were many reasons why people were behind on their vaccinations.

“It could simply be that they haven’t had time, they haven’t had petrol money, they’ve made appointments then the kids have been sick so there’s so many different reasons. Sometimes mum is needle-phobic and they just can’t face it,” she said.

Moon said she rarely vaccinated children at the first home visit, more often having a chat and listening to any concerns before leaving.

The nurses understood that patients had often been dealing with a lot of conflicting information on social media and it was hard for many to work out what was scientific and what was emotional, she said.

It was important to give people lots of space – many wanted to discuss it with their whānau, she said.

“We know that if we go at people with a whole lot of factual information, they’ll just close off. They need time to think about it, especially if they have been in that space of being reluctant,” she said.

The team never judged people on their decisions or the time they were taking, she said.

The Western Bay of Plenty PHO is a partnership between 23 GP practices and the Ngāi te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui iwis.

They also worked with the public health services and other iwi health organisations – it ran its overnight clinics alongside Ngati Kahu Health.

Tori Macartney oversees the outreach vaccination team and said, for the night clinics, the starting point was a “pressure free kōrero.”

Some people would choose to have their children immunised there, others would just glean information.

About 75 percent of the PHO’s vaccinations were done in standard clinics – but having options for the other quarter was crucial, she said.

“Is it easiest for us to come to the home? Would they prefer the immunisation done in their whare or in a van or in a night clinic?” she said.

The chief executive of the PHO, Sarah Stevenson, said the collaborative approach was key.

It was also working hard to take an equitable approach to its work and the team had been working on getting a better understanding of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.

Stevenson said one of the keys was to be very tailored to what the community needed and it was fantastic to see that working.

“It’s kind of delivering healthcare out there on the road in a way that is just more convenient,” she said.

“It’s an important service I think in any healthcare delivery that we look at what is the easiest and best way to deliver healthcare – and immunisation is no different.”

The organisation had about 148,000 patients enrolled across its clinics.

There were more than 800 under-twos covered by the statistics in the 18 month period, just over 120 of them Māori.

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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/western-bay-of-plenty-sees-boost-in-childhood-vaccination-rates/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is expected to respond to allegations made by his ex-wife at a media conference at 4.45pm today.

He arrived back in the country from Australia on Tuesday.

The claims – which do not relate to any unlawful activity – were posted on Jade Paul’s private Facebook page on Sunday evening but were since removed.

On Monday, Hipkins said “I reject the allegations entirely and don’t intend to make any further comment.”

In response to questions from RNZ, Paul said she stood by her comments.

Hipkins and Paul married at Premier House in early 2020 and separated in 2022. They have two children.

Hipkins publicly confirmed the split in January 2023, shortly after becoming prime minister, saying they had made the decision in the best interest of their family.

Later that year, Hipkins revealed during his election night concession speech that he had a new partner, Toni Grace.

Hipkins proposed to Grace in November.

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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/watch-labour-leader-chris-hipkins-holds-media-conference-over-ex-wifes-allegations/

Source: Radio New Zealand

TradeMe says rising petrol prices are prompting more people to consider electric vehicles.

The site said it experienced a 142 percent spike in searches for electric vehicles in March compared to February.

The average price of 91 is now over $3.05 a litre according to price monitoring app Gaspy.

TradeMe said there were 125,000 searches for electric vehicles in the first half of March, compared to 50,000 in the same period of February.

TradeMe head of motors Brendan Hall said the end of the government’s Clean Car Scheme in December 2023 created a huge spike in demand previously.

“We saw EV searches peak at 111,000 in October 2023 as buyers rushed to take advantage of the rebate before it disappeared. As expected, interest cooled considerably after it ended, with searches declining in the beginning of 2024.

“The latest interest marks a significant turnaround, showing that while the rebate was a strong motivator, the current pressure of fuel prices has Kiwi drivers seriously considering whether an electric model would suit their needs.”

The average price of an electric vehicle on Trade Me is $39,000.

The most commonly searched cars were a Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona.

Hall said a 2015 Tesla Model S was the most viewed and watchlisted EV.

“At the same time, there is currently a 2013 Nissan Leaf with an asking price of $2,500, so there really is something for everybody.”

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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/rising-petrol-prices-sees-spike-in-trade-me-searches-for-electric-vehicles/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A large number of police cars have been seen heading towards downtown Auckland and the police helicopter is circling.

A police spokesperson said the incident had resolved but would not provide further details.

More to come…

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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/several-police-cars-involved-in-auckland-pursuit/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Volcanic alert levels for Whakaari / White Island have been lowered.

There was a minor eruption last week, raising warning levels and leaving flights at Tauranga Airport cancelled.

Earth Sciences New Zealand says new satellite data shows ash emissions could have started as early as 8 March.

Observations have now confirmed the volcanic activity is over with no further ash detected.

They also show a new thin deposit of ash over the floor of the inner crater, and some of the island’s southern side.

The volcanic alert level has been lowered back to Level 2, and the Aviation Colour Code reduced to Yellow.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/17/whakaari-white-island-volcanic-alert-level-lowered/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is expected to respond to allegations made by his ex-wife at a media conference at 4.45pm today.

He arrrived back in the country from Australia on Tuesday.

The claims – which do not relate to any unlawful activity – were posted on Jade Paul’s private Facebook page on Sunday evening but were since removed.

On Monday, Hipkins said “I reject the allegations entirely and don’t intend to make any further comment.”

In response to questions from RNZ, Paul said she stood by her comments.

Hipkins and Paul married at Premier House in early 2020 and separated in 2022. They have two children.

Hipkins publicly confirmed the split in January 2023, shortly after becoming prime minister, saying they had made the decision in the best interest of their family.

Later that year, Hipkins revealed during his election night concession speech that he had a new partner, Toni Grace.

Hipkins proposed to Grace in November.

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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/labour-leader-chris-hipkins-holds-press-conference-over-ex-wifes-allegations/

Source: Radio New Zealand

An inquest into the death of a Christchurch woman – who was killed by a forensic mental health patient while walking home from work – will be held in August.

Laisa Waka Tunidau, a mother of four, was fatally stabbed in June 2022 by Zakariye Mohamed Hussein, a patient at secure mental health facility Hillmorton Hospital.

Hussein was on community leave at the time of the killing outside Tunidau’s home in Sockburn, which happened while her then 11-year-old son looked on.

He was jailed for life with a non-parole period of 13 years.

Hussein had previously served more than six years in prison for kidnapping, stabbing and intimidating multiple people across Christchurch in March 2012.

Earlier, Tunidau’s husband Nemani Tunidau told RNZ he wanted compensation for what he saw as carelessness by health agencies in the leadup to his wife’s death.

The killing prompted an inquiry into Canterbury’s Mental Health Service.

But last year Nemani Tunidau said his family had not heard from authorities for more than a year, and felt forgotten.

“It just makes me angry and feel that they don’t want to blame themselves for what has happened to my wife,” he said.

The inquest is scheduled to run for about five weeks from mid-August in the Coroner’s Court at Christchurch.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/17/coroner-to-hold-inquest-into-fatal-stabbing-on-christchurch-street/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Native bush falcons are breeding at Auckland’s Hūnua Ranges after years of uncertainty about the species’ future.

It is estimated that there are 5000-8000 native falcons (kārearea) in the country. They are classified as ‘Threatened – Nationally Increasing’.

But a 40-day observation of kārearea at Hūnua this summer – commissioned by Auckland Council – led to the discovery of a breeding pair raising two fledglings.

Auckland Council spokesperson Paul Duffy said it was a significant finding.

“This study gives us the first clear evidence that kārearea are successfully breeding in the Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui Hūnua Ranges.

“It also shows that intensive predator management and ground-based trapping are giving this threatened species the chance to make a comeback in the Auckland region.”

Not to be mistaken with the more common swamp harrier (kāhu), which glides slowly, the smaller kārearea is New Zealand’s fastest bird, capable of high-speed pursuit through the forest canopy.

Kārearea nest on or near the ground in a simple hollow known as a ‘scrape’, leaving eggs and chicks vulnerable to predators such as cats, mustelids, pigs, and possums.

Kārearea specialist Chifuyu Horikoshi, who led the field work, said the result was “incredibly encouraging”.

“Watching kārearea hunt through native forest is breathtaking; they are exceptionally fast, agile, and intelligent birds truly built for pursuit.

“Seeing them deliver prey and continue caring for their young shows this habitat is supporting their full breeding cycle.”

The survey was undertaken between December 2025 and February 2026, and was the first formal assessment of kārearea presence and breeding activity in the park.

Residents are encouraged to report sightings through citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist or eBird, and to include photographs if possible to help with identification.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/17/karearea-nz-falcon-breeding-in-aucklands-hunua-ranges/

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/