Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A whale has stranded on St Heliers Beach in Auckland.

Project Jonah, alongside the Department of Conservation, responded after a Shepherd’s beaked whale was spotted late this morning.

Spokesperson Louisa Hawkes said Shepherd’s beaked whales lived in the deep sea, and only came up to shore if something was wrong.

Massey University’s Cetacean Ecology Research Group had done an initial assessment of the whale, but needed to assess it further.

Hawkes said volunteers had put the whale on an inflatable set of pontoons in order to take it back out to deep water, rather than waiting for the tide to come in.

Stranded, injured or dead whales should be reported to the DOC emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

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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/2026/03/03/deep-sea-whale-strands-on-central-auckland-beach/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Part of State Highway 1 at Meremere, south of Auckland, is closed after a crash between a car and motorbike.

It happened at 1.45pm and police say there are early reports of serious injuries.

The road is closed for north-bound traffic from Hampton Downs Road.

Police are warning of delays and asking drivers to avoid the area.

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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/2026/03/03/car-and-motorbike-crash-closes-part-of-sh1-south-of-auckland/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A coronial inquiry into the death of 10-month-old Poseidyn Hemopo-Pickering has entered its second day.

Poseidyn was rushed to Middlemore Hospital and then taken to Starship Children’s Hospital on the evening of 5 September, 2020, after being found unresponsive at his Manurewa home.

He died in hospital the following morning.

Anthony Simon Pickering was acquitted of murdering his son in 2022 after a jury trial, and no one has been held responsible for the baby boy’s death.

The purpose of the coronial inquiry is to determine how Poseidyn died and the circumstances leading up to it, not criminal or civil liability.

At the Coroner’s Court in Auckland on Tuesday, Professor Colin Smith, a neuropathologist who examined a scan of Poseidyn’s brain, gave evidence as part of the inquiry. He appeared via audio-visual link from the UK.

Earlier in the inquiry Dr Fiona Miles – on duty at Starship Hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit when Poseidyn arrived – said the hospital was told he fell and hit his head on a windowsill. But the severity of his injuries raised concern that they were non-accidental.

Smith also said Poseidyn’s injuries being caused by an accidental fall from a short distance did not seem plausible.

“It’s not uncommon for the toddler age group to fall over and hit their heads against the edge of tables or chairs and get a nasty bump, and they may get a skull fracture associated with it, but they don’t have a fatal head injury from that.

“In my opinion, there is no evidence to suggest this is a reasonable explanation for the severity of the head injury in this case.”

He said Poseidyn’s injuries would have required a greater force to inflict – and appeared to have suffered a serious skull fracture, a laceration of the brain and a blood clot in the brain.

He said this would have caused “extreme distress”, and it would have been obvious to those around Poseidyn that something was seriously wrong.

He said he would expect loss of consciousness either immediately or within a few minutes.

The inquiry continues.

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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/2026/03/03/baby-poseidyns-injuries-unlikely-to-be-accidental-inquiry-hears/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Biosecurity staff are out in South Auckland after finding more Oriental fruit flies in Papatoetoe on Monday.

Biosecurity NZ widened its surveillance area after it found three more fruit flies on Monday, bringing the total to four.

All of the flies were male, reassuring staff they had not been breeding.

“We’re putting extra signage up, and obviously because we’ve extended the zone we’ve got staff on the ground issuing pamphlets telling them what the public needs to know, what they can and can’t do,” northern commissioner Mike Inglis told RNZ.

“As well as traps, we’re collecting fruit to cut up and examine and as at this point there’s no evidence of any breeding population.”

He said staff were also meeting with businesses that sold fruit and vegetables.

“We’ll be engaging with what we class as high-risk businesses, and that’s those businesses that deal in fresh produce. Over the course of the last few days those local businesses have been fantastic too.”

Inglis said he was confident his team could eliminate the flies, as they had done many times before.

“We’ll continue to manage this. We’ve got vast experience alongside the public and community of eradicating this over 15 times in the last few years, so we’ll continue to do what we’re doing.

“[We’re] very confident in terms of experience over the years. I’m very conscious though that we need the support of the community, and I know there’s an inconvenience, and we try and mitigate that as far as is practical.”

He warned residents of Papatoetoe may have to put up with the restrictions for several weeks.

“Generally it’s between four and six weeks that we’ll make that decision. We’ll continue to make sure we’re updating the public.”

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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/2026/03/03/biosecurity-nz-confident-fruit-fly-will-be-eradicated-again/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Healthcare staff in Wellington’s Emergency Department will have to wait until 2029 for a bigger space, with one nurse describing corridors crowded with patients waiting for beds.

Renovations to add much-needed space to the ED were underway, as Health New Zealand worked to increase the capacity of the already stretched department by 34 “points of care” – that is, a combination of bed spaces, resus rooms, consult rooms, and treatment spaces – taking it from 53 to 87.

One New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) delegate, who didn’t want to be named, said the main problem was space.

“It’s too small. We get to the point where we can’t move. Corridors are full. We’ve had up to 26 patients in the corridor – that’s a lot of patients. That’s more than the little areas we see people in.”

ED’s weren’t allowed to turn anyone away, they said, no matter how full the department got – but sometimes, although they were not supposed to, staff would give ambulances a heads up that it might be some time before they could offload patients, and if there was anywhere else they could take them, they should do so.

“Our Wellington [patients] wouldn’t like to go out [to the Hutt] because they might not have any way to get back,” they said.

“If it’s an ambulance that’s taken them out there, and they’ve got no family, that can be a bit hard.”

The delegate hoped the renovations would mean parts that were spread out would be brought closer together – observation and pediatrics beds, even perhaps a mental health area.

The new ED was part of a $1 billion hospital-wide upgrade announced in Budget 2025, with the ED expected to open in 2029.

Health NZ’s group director of operations for Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, Jamie Duncan, said the “front of whare” refurbishment was progressing well.

The ED was to be moved within the main hospital building, with renovations underway elsewhere in the hospital to make space.

A number of both clinical and non-clinical spaces were being relocated, Duncan said, but the work should improve other acute clinical spaces, too.

According to Health NZ, work underway at the moment included:

• Refurbishment of levels 6 and 7 of the Grace Neill Block in preparation for the relocation of the main Outpatients Department and other clinical services
• Construction of a new main reception area and a new Security Orderly Service base
• Creation of a new and improved Medical Assessment and Planning Unit (MAPU) to support patient flow throughout the wider hospital

Future work included the expansion of MAPU, along with the Surgical Assessment and Planning Unit (SAPU), and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to further increase inpatient capacity.

The case for more space

Documents from as far back as December 2021, when Health NZ was still operating as separate District Health Boards, detailed the need for a “front of whare” project to address the lack of capacity.

Between October and January this year, Wellington Hospital’s ED went into its most critical code red status on average nearly twice a day (code red means hospital occupancy is forecast to exceed 100 percent – it does not indicate services are closed).

The detailed business case for the hospital upgrades, dated October 2024, said “without progressing the project, the hospital’s ED is in an unsustainable situation and will continue to be unable to meet the health needs of the region”.

“The ED is clinically and culturally unsafe, spaces are cramped, inadequately designed, fragmented and inefficient. Around 1/3 of patients are receiving treatment in a corridor. It is difficult to maintain consultant supervision and oversight of patients in five different areas,” it reads.

One of the government’s health targets – 95 percent of patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred from an emergency department within 6 hours – would not be met without this work, it said.

One in ten people, facing long queues, did not wait to be seen by a clinician – making them more likely to come back later in a worse condition.

A lack of beds elsewhere in the hospital meant people were stuck in ED, taking up those beds.

Seismic assessments rated the current ED at 15 percent of the National Building Standard (NBS). Some strengthening work had increased that to 34 percent, but that was still below the recommended rating 67 percent.

Duncan said since the time of the report’s writing, HNZ remained focused on improving wait times.

“The significant work and investment made in this area has seen Wellington Regional Hospital’s performance against the Shorter Stays in ED (SSED) target improve by 11.6 percent points between January and December 2025 – a testament to the ongoing hard work and professionalism of our dedicated and fantastic staff,” he said.

But at the same time, there was growing demand for services and patients with more complex and acute needs.

“We acknowledge that there is still a long way to go and much work to do – however people can remain assured that ED is the safest place for them when experiencing a healthcare emergency, and that we remain committed to doing all we can to continue responding to the needs of our communities.”

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

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/03/work-under-way-to-move-cramped-wellington-ed/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tauranga City Council wants to make it easier to deal with complaints about bee poo.

It investigated 38 complaints about urban hives in the past two years – 34 of them about excrement.

The poo could create a waxy substance that was hard to get off outdoor furniture and decks.

The council’s animal service manager Oscar Glossop, told a local meeting, complaints could be difficult to investigate and act on.

“It’s very hard to prove the bees are a nuisance and are coming from a specific place once they get to a certain number. Most of these complaints come in around spring time when bees generally are at a high activity rate.”

The current rules meant staff had to decide whether to completely remove hives or leave them.

That could lead to lengthy appeals.

The proposed changes would allow for a more proportionate response, including education, that could avoid staff being pulled into drawn out disputes between neighbours.

“It would take away an expectation that we would be dealing with bee poo for 163 hours in the last two calendar years of staff time, and instead make it when it was an actual issue.” Glossop said.

A council paper on the problem said urban beekeeping had advantages, supporting food security and biodiversity.

The current rules allowed backyard hives as long as the bees are not a nuisance or causing safety problems.

The public would have the ability to have a say on the proposed changes in June.

They were part of wider changes to the Keeping of Animals Bylaw.

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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/2026/03/03/local-council-dealt-with-34-complaints-about-bee-poo-in-last-two-years/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Healthcare staff in Wellington’s Emergency Department will have to wait until 2029 for a bigger space, with one nurse describing corridors crowded with patients waiting for beds.

Renovations to add much-needed space to the ED were underway, as Health New Zealand worked to increase the capacity of the already stretched department by 34 “points of care” – that is, a combination of bed spaces, resus rooms, consult rooms, and treatment spaces – taking it from 53 to 87.

One New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) delegate, who didn’t want to be named, said the main problem was space.

“It’s too small. We get to the point where we can’t move. Corridors are full. We’ve had up to 26 patients in the corridor – that’s a lot of patients. That’s more than the little areas we see people in.”

ED’s weren’t allowed to turn anyone away, they said, no matter how full the department got – but sometimes, although they were not supposed to, staff would give ambulances a heads up that it might be some time before they could offload patients, and if there was anywhere else they could take them, they should do so.

“Our Wellington [patients] wouldn’t like to go out [to the Hutt] because they might not have any way to get back,” they said.

“If it’s an ambulance that’s taken them out there, and they’ve got no family, that can be a bit hard.”

The delegate hoped the renovations would mean parts that were spread out would be brought closer together – observation and pediatrics beds, even perhaps a mental health area.

The new ED was part of a $1 billion hospital-wide upgrade announced in Budget 2025, with the ED expected to open in 2029.

Health NZ’s group director of operations for Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, Jamie Duncan, said the “front of whare” refurbishment was progressing well.

The ED was to be moved within the main hospital building, with renovations underway elsewhere in the hospital to make space.

A number of both clinical and non-clinical spaces were being relocated, Duncan said, but the work should improve other acute clinical spaces, too.

According to Health NZ, work underway at the moment included:

• Refurbishment of levels 6 and 7 of the Grace Neill Block in preparation for the relocation of the main Outpatients Department and other clinical services
• Construction of a new main reception area and a new Security Orderly Service base
• Creation of a new and improved Medical Assessment and Planning Unit (MAPU) to support patient flow throughout the wider hospital

Future work included the expansion of MAPU, along with the Surgical Assessment and Planning Unit (SAPU), and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to further increase inpatient capacity.

The case for more space

Documents from as far back as December 2021, when Health NZ was still operating as separate District Health Boards, detailed the need for a “front of whare” project to address the lack of capacity.

Between October and January this year, Wellington Hospital’s ED went into its most critical code red status on average nearly twice a day (code red means hospital occupancy is forecast to exceed 100 percent – it does not indicate services are closed).

The detailed business case for the hospital upgrades, dated October 2024, said “without progressing the project, the hospital’s ED is in an unsustainable situation and will continue to be unable to meet the health needs of the region”.

“The ED is clinically and culturally unsafe, spaces are cramped, inadequately designed, fragmented and inefficient. Around 1/3 of patients are receiving treatment in a corridor. It is difficult to maintain consultant supervision and oversight of patients in five different areas,” it reads.

One of the government’s health targets – 95 percent of patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred from an emergency department within 6 hours – would not be met without this work, it said.

One in ten people, facing long queues, did not wait to be seen by a clinician – making them more likely to come back later in a worse condition.

A lack of beds elsewhere in the hospital meant people were stuck in ED, taking up those beds.

Seismic assessments rated the current ED at 15 percent of the National Building Standard (NBS). Some strengthening work had increased that to 34 percent, but that was still below the recommended rating 67 percent.

Duncan said since the time of the report’s writing, HNZ remained focused on improving wait times.

“The significant work and investment made in this area has seen Wellington Regional Hospital’s performance against the Shorter Stays in ED (SSED) target improve by 11.6 percent points between January and December 2025 – a testament to the ongoing hard work and professionalism of our dedicated and fantastic staff,” he said.

But at the same time, there was growing demand for services and patients with more complex and acute needs.

“We acknowledge that there is still a long way to go and much work to do – however people can remain assured that ED is the safest place for them when experiencing a healthcare emergency, and that we remain committed to doing all we can to continue responding to the needs of our communities.”

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

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/03/new-wellington-emergency-department-wont-open-until-2029/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cook Strait ferry sailings are delayed today as rough seas and strong southerlies continue in the Cook Strait.

MetService Meteorologist Lewis Ferris said cold conditions in the Wellington region are a clear signal of the seasonal shift into Meteorological Autumn.

Strong cold south easterly winds, rain and hail were making for a chilly start to the week for Wellington and parts of the lower North Island today.

Winter is on its way

Ferris said the weather is a clear indication winter was not too far away.

“The cold air that has been moving up from the south just a few days ago, was actually down around Antarctica. It’s sped up across the Southern Ocean, didn’t warm up too much and it has been zooming through Wellington through yesterday and today. So, we are getting that chilly, chilly southerly air hanging round, some heavy rain in the mix and even some hail overnight,” Ferris said.

He said the change coming at the turn of the season was well timed to hammer home the feeling of a cold conclusion to summer.

“If this weather had happened in a few months time, we would’ve seen some very, very cold overnight temperatures. In this case, we have just seen a few temperatures getting below zero degrees [and] seeing some frost around the South Island. but it could’ve been a lot colder had it happened a few months later,” Ferris said.

Ferris said the majority of the country would see below-average temperatures throughout the day and on Wednesday morning.

“Some places will actually be a bit warmer tomorrow morning. We are looking at parts of Central Otago and Southland beginning to warm up, which does spell out the trend for the rest of the working week. Heading to Thursday [and] Friday we’ll actually see temperatures rebound to above average.

“We are seeing those swinging temperatures. It is one of those shoulder seasons, so it is the kind of thing we will see for a few more weeks, if not months,” Ferris said.

He said this week’s cold temperatures would ease as the weekend approached.

“We are seeing those showers ease up a little bit – we shouldn’t be seeing too much in the way of risk of hail today. As we move into Wednesday, it is still easing, still southerly showers along those eastern coasts of the North Island, but we will be noticing a little bit more clearer skies moving into Thursday,” Ferris said.

Ferries delayed as large swells batter Cook Strait

Tuesday morning’s Interislander sailings aboard the Kaitaki, from Wellington, and Kairahi, from Picton, will now depart each port at about 11.30am.

Three metre swells and winds of up to 74 km/h were forecast for the Cook Strait today.

Bluebridge said the conditions were leading to longer crossing times. It said the morning and early afternoon sailings from both Picton and Wellington could be delayed by up to five hours on Tuesday.

Passengers are advised to check for updated departure times on the ferry provider’s sites.

Wellington Harbour’s East By West ferry – between Queens Wharf and Days Bay – was also running a restricted timetable due to the conditions.

Ferry sailings were also delayed or cancelled on Monday.

Jetstar flight diverted to Christchurch

In the air, a Jetstar flight from Auckland to Wellington this morning was diverted to Christchurch due to high winds.

One passenger told RNZ as they approached the Capital, the pilot announced it was a “pretty typical wet and windy Wellington day”.

“We were coming into land and then suddenly thrust of the engine as the plane went back up and we went around to try again. Second time [we] didn’t get that close due to wind sheer,” the passenger said.

They said the flight would refuel and re-attempt the trip if conditions allowed.

Ferris said cold and at times heavy rain was likely to be contributing to a few bumpy flights.

“It’s no surprise that planes have had a bit of a tricky time coming in this morning. With these heavy showers, you typically have strong updrafts and strong downdrafts. So, on approach from the north, they happened to be close to or passing through one of those showers, it would have been a bumpy time.

“An aborted landing isn’t too surprising in these situations,” Ferris said.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/03/flights-diverted-ferries-delayed-as-strong-winds-hit-lower-north-island/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Explainer – The world is an increasingly dangerous place. What do you do if you’re caught up in a conflict like the one raging in Iran and the Middle East?

The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leading to retaliatory strikes on multiple countries in the region.

Large sections of airspace over the Middle East have been closed, and while some flights have resumed, hundreds of thousands of travellers still face delays.

Meanwhile, New Zealand citizens caught in the conflict zone may be desperately trying to get out and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has warned them to shelter in place.

What if you’re travelling, about to travel or stuck in a country where conflict has broken out? Here’s what you need to know.

What can the government do?

MFAT works to assist New Zealanders overseas who might get into trouble, ranging from illness to evacuation from natural disasters to helping crime victims.

Its SafeTravel website allows the government to reach out directly to Kiwis they know are in danger zones.

“All New Zealanders living or travelling overseas should register with SafeTravel, whatever their destination, as that means we can send you updates about the places you’re in or communicate with you if an emergency happens,” an MFAT spokesperson said.

“You can register at any time, but it’s best to register before you travel.”

Why is registering with SafeTravel important?

It’s the government’s primary way to contact travellers in danger zones.

As of Monday, there were currently more than 1800 New Zealanders registered in the Middle East with SafeTravel, with the bulk of those – 1091 – being in the United Arab Emirates.

There are 26 registered in Iran, and 71 in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

However, there are likely to be many more who aren’t registered, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Monday.

“In reality, the number of New Zealanders in the region is likely to be much higher. We therefore urge people to register on SafeTravel as soon as possible so that we can communicate with them directly.”

MFAT told RNZ that as the weekend conflict erupted, SafeTravel messages were sent to New Zealanders in 10 Middle East countries – Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE.

It’s possible the government can arrange repatriation flights to get New Zealanders out of war-torn regions, as it did last year when the Defence Force sent a plane to assist those stranded in Iran and Israel during earlier conflicts.

Stephen Hoadley, a former Auckland University professor of political science, told RNZ in an interview last year that registering travel in advance can make it easier for families to know what’s happening with their loved ones.

“About half of New Zealanders never bother to register in a foreign country and of course they’re vulnerable, more at risk because MFAT cannot contact them, their families cannot contact them often and then the families will ring up the Minister of Foreign Affairs desperate to contact their son, daughter, brother, sister in a war zone and this puts a lot of pressure on the minister, the ministry, the bureaucrats and others.”

The Middle East is far from the only hot zone in an increased time of global conflicts. Just last week, MFAT issued a warning to “exercise increased caution” to New Zealanders in Mexico after the death of a local drug lord led to violence throughout the country.

What can I do if my flights are affected?

Doha and Dubai, which have been closed during the crisis, are some of New Zealand’s biggest transit destinations for travel to Europe and elsewhere. Dubai is the busiest airport in the world.

“I would say that there are thousands (of New Zealanders affected),” Travel Agents Association chief executive Julie White told Morning Report this week.

Auckland Airport told RNZ travellers should check with their airline.

“Airlines will be working to rebook affected travellers. We encourage anyone due to travel through the Middle East in the coming days to check directly with their airline or travel agent for the latest updates. Other international flights are operating as scheduled.”

“If your journey has been impacted, we recommend you reach out to the airline scheduled to operate your flight, who will be able to discuss your rebooking options,” Air New Zealand also said in a statement.

Air NZ said it is allowing people to make changes to dates of travel or reroute, and no penalty fee, service fees or fare difference will apply if changed by Sunday, 8 March.

White said the disruption from the airspace closures will have ripple effects.

“It doesn’t just impact the Middle East, it will have onward effects with other regions. Travellers should expect delays in other areas.”

What if you get caught up in a war zone right now?

Hundreds have been killed in Iran, Lebanon and elsewhere as the US/Israel-led military action continues.

“Our advice to them is to follow the advice of local authorities, including shelter in place recommendations,” Luxon said.

MFAT warns people in places of conflict to “do everything you can to stay safe”.

If you have to venture outside, stay alert, avoid large crowds or protests, and if you see large groups of police or armed forces, leave the area.

“Try not to stand out or draw attention to yourself” and avoid taking photos of local authorities or demonstrations, it warns.

Be ready to shelter in place and gather supplies, but also have a “go bag” ready in case you need to evacuate immediately.

Be aware of what’s going on in the countries you are visiting

SafeTravel’s website has a list of countries around the world and what their current advice level is.

Twenty-seven countries are currently on SafeTravel’s highest alert status of “Do not travel”, including much of the Middle East, but also countries such as Russia, Haiti, Venezuela, and several African nations.

Eight countries were added to that designation this week, Luxon said.

“New Zealanders in these areas should know that consular assistance may be limited or not available,” MFAT warns.

“That means the New Zealand government may not be able to help you if you are detained, injured, or otherwise prevented from leaving these areas.”

The government has long told New Zealanders in Iran to leave, a message Foreign Minister Winston Peters reiterated on Sunday.

“It will be very difficult in the risky cities. But if you’re out in the countryside and can get away, give it a go. Otherwise, try and stay safe, stay inside, and we’ll see how things develop. But it’s very, very difficult for us, this far away from personal circumstances, to tell people what to do,” he said.

“Mind you, we’ve been telling them for weeks to get ready, just in case this happened. Maybe next time, listen to the government of New Zealand, who does care what their future might be.”

A repatriation flight was possible, “if it comes to that,” but it was too risky at the moment.

Getting a New Zealander out of a war zone could cost as much as $1 million if they’re injured, the Detail reported last year.

Will travel insurance protect me?

Unfortunately, travel insurance policies typically do not cover travel affected by war.

“Travel insurance can help with many unforeseen situations, but it doesn’t respond to every type of global disruption,” a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of New Zealand told RNZ.

“Where travel disruption, such as airline cancellations, delays or rerouting, is linked directly or indirectly to war or armed conflict, policy exclusions are likely to apply. This can be the case even if travellers are not heading to the conflict zone itself but are affected while travelling through the region.

“Some insurers may also limit or decline cover for destinations affected by active conflict, reflecting the increased and unpredictable risks involved. Ultimately, decisions about cover depend on individual policy wordings.”

Every insurer and policy can be different, so travellers are urged to contact their insurer directly.

However, it’s still recommended to always get travel insurance, the ICNZ spokesperson said.

“We would encourage anyone travelling overseas to consider taking out travel insurance, as it can provide valuable cover for a range of unexpected events such as medical emergencies, lost luggage, or some types of cancellations and delays.”

“We strongly advise New Zealanders to get comprehensive travel insurance before heading away,” MFAT also said.

It said medical emergency costs can “range from NZ$3000 to $30,000 or higher depending on where you are and what you want to happen”.

What if I’ve got travel planned in the near future?

If you’ve got travel booked in the coming months that you’re concerned about, your first port of call is either with your travel agent or with the airlines and accommodations you may have booked yourself.

If you cancel your plans yourself, you may find you’ll have to pay cancellation fees or other fees, so it’s best to check the details with the airline.

“It’s a case of, I hate to say it, wait and see,” White said.

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

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/03/iran-conflict-what-to-do-if-youre-caught-up-in-an-international-crisis/