A temporary bridge is expected to be in place on State Highway 39 by mid‑March, reconnecting the community south of Pirongia after the Mangati Bridge was destroyed in heavy floods, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
“Since the floods on 13 February, NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) , its contractors and consultants have moved at pace to restore access for south of Pirongia.
“A plan is now in place to install a 40‑metre steel‑framed temporary bridge slightly upstream of the existing two‑lane bridge. The bridge will have a 50‑tonne weight limit, with traffic managed by temporary traffic lights.
“Crews have already cleared tonnes of debris from the site, allowing specialist teams to begin work on both the temporary bridge and the permanent replacement. Council partners and landowners have recognised the urgency of this work and supported it every step of the way.
“We expect the Acrow (Bailey‑style) temporary bridge to be operational by mid‑March, subject to fine weather. The approaches are currently under construction, and assembly of the bridge on site is expected to take around four days.
“Work is also underway on accelerated design and procurement so construction of the new permanent two‑lane bridge can begin later this year.
“Restoring access safely and as quickly as possible is the priority, and I want to thank everyone involved for the extraordinary effort to reconnect this community.”
Notes to editor:
Two pictures are attached of the Mangati Bridge damage.
Bamboo has a reputation problem. To some Aucklanders it’s a design darling – sleek, fast-growing and perfect for privacy. To others, it’s the plant that ate the fence, cracked the driveway and popped up next door without permission.
Originally from South America and Asia, bamboo is one of the most extraordinary plants on earth, with more than 1,400 species. None, however, are native to New Zealand.
Bamboo first arrived in the mid-1800s, reportedly with Governor Grey, who planted it for ornamental appeal. Those historic plantings still stand today at the Auckland Domain and Kawau Island’s Mansion House.
Over time, crown research institutes imported bamboo for agricultural trials, and by the 20th century it was being grown for food, construction and gardens. That’s when the love–hate relationship began.
Running bamboo – a pest plant in Auckland.
Auckland Council’s Senior Regional Advisor Pest Plants Holly Cox says bamboo quickly became a plant that inspires strong feelings.
“People admire its beauty and versatility, but those dealing with invasive plantings can find it incredibly frustrating.”
The key difference lies underground.
Clumping bamboo stays put and is widely used in Auckland’s courtyards and compact gardens that do not cause any problems. Running bamboo, however, is a pest plant that spreads through aggressive underground rhizomes and can take over large areas if left unchecked. Large running species push through fences, paths and even underground services.
Running bamboo pest plant that has spread from one property to another.
With Auckland’s diverse population, demand for bamboo has grown, particularly from communities wanting edible shoots or a reminder of home. But the nuisance and likely damage risks are real. Invasive running bamboo can outcompete regenerating native trees, forming dense stands that dominate the landscape, also making it a potential environmental risk.
For those wanting to plant bamboo, Auckland Council encourages gardeners to talk to suppliers and nurseries to establish which bamboo species with best for their space.
To limit the damage, Auckland Council has banned six high-risk species under the Regional Pest Management Plan. These bamboos can’t be sold, bred or planted, although existing plants can be moved within the same property boundary.
Bamboo doesn’t spread by birds or wind. Instead, it creeps quietly through rhizomes which is why neighbour disputes are common.
Senior Conservation Advisor Michelle Brinsden say she gets many requests for help with bamboo removal on private property.
“Council can’t enforce removal unless it breaches the pest plan. The responsible action is to remove your bamboo or at the very least control it, so it doesn’t spread beyond your boundary.
“If invasive running bamboo isn’t controlled early, it can quickly spread underground, cross property boundaries, and become extremely costly to remove.”
There is some unexpected, good news. Several invasive species, including black and golden bamboo, are currently flowering worldwide, a rare event that often leads to the plant’s death. In Auckland, many affected groves are already thinning and weakening, reducing their invasive impact.
Bamboo isn’t Auckland’s villain but planted carelessly, it can become one.
For more information on bamboo, visit the Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau website.
Auckland’s Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges are thriving, with new monitoring results confirming a dramatic reduction in possum and rat numbers while delivering ideal conditions for native wildlife to flourish.
Results from Auckland Council’s 2025 Hūnua aerial pest control operation, funded by the Natural Environment Targeted Rate, show possum numbers have dropped from a pre-control Residual Trap Catch (RTC) of 2.2 per cent to just 0.16 per cent post-control. Rat numbers saw an even more dramatic decline, falling from a pre-monitor Rodent Tracking Index (RTI) of 90–100 per cent to 1.34 per cent.
Auckland Council’s Project Manager Miranda Bennett says these results are outstanding and exceed the targets set in the 2025 operational plan.
“We aimed for under two per cent RTC for possums and under three per cent RTI for rats, and both were comfortably achieved. At these levels, the forest can recover, and native species can thrive.”
Council has identified sites of significant biodiversity value that require possum control at or below two–five per cent RTC, while national technical guidance, including from the Kōkako Recovery Group, supports rat control targets below three per cent RTI. The Hūnua results sit well within these benchmarks.
Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of Auckland Council’s Policy, Planning and Development Committee says the outcome clearly demonstrates the value of pest control and maximising the tools we currently have available.
“This work shows what is possible when science, experience and long-term commitment come together. The return of native birds nesting again in the Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges, is a powerful signal these forests are healthier and more resilient.”
Despite significant weather delays, the aerial operation was completed park-wide by the end of October, perfectly timed for the summer bird breeding season. Kōkako, kererū, kākā and other native species are now benefiting from a low-pest environment during their most critical breeding period.
The 2025 operation treated 19,885 hectares using aerially applied 1080, alongside 130 hectares of ground control. In total, 22 private land parcels were treated, and 855 kilometres of tracks and roads were cleared of bait by volunteers and council staff, ensuring public access could reopen quickly and safely.
This work is part of a long-term, integrated pest management programme, with aerial control carried out around every three years to maintain ecological gains. Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunu has now remained below five per cent possum levels for a decade, with clear biodiversity benefits to show for it.
“But we can’t rest on our laurels,” says Bennett.
“Rats in particular can reinvade within six months, so our rangers, volunteers and community partners are already back on the ground checking traps and protecting key kōkako breeding areas.”
Since 2019, Auckland Council has also funded possum control across the 14,000-hectare “Hunua Halo” on surrounding private land, working alongside landowners, mana whenua, DOC, Watercare and community groups to slow reinvasion and protect the park’s gains.
“This is collaboration and targeted investment delivering at its best,” says Cr Hills.
“Together, we’re giving nature the breathing space it needs and the results speak for themselves.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anais Möller, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology
When you look up at the night sky, it appears unchanging. But if you look deep enough you will find that the sky is in fact constantly shifting. Satellites, asteroids and interstellar objects pass by. Stars not only shine brightly, they can suddenly burst with energy or explode in bright supernovae.
There is a plethora of explosive and cataclysmic phenomena waiting to be witnessed. For physicists, this is an opportunity to study our universe and physics that we can’t reproduce on Earth.
A whole new era of discovery is opening with the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory. For the next ten years, Rubin will create a high-definition video of the southern sky, revealing our universe in an unprecedented way. Many of the objects it finds will have never before been seen by human eyes.
More than 20 years in the making
This moment has been more than 20 years in the making, from the concept to completion of the Rubin Observatory.
Located on a dark sky mountaintop in Chile, the observatory represents a generational leap in astronomy with its ultra-wide, deep and high-resolution imaging capabilities.
Rubin has the largest camera ever built, with 3,200 megapixels. Each image scans an area equivalent to 40 full moons. The resolution of the images is so high that if we pointed the camera toward a lime located 24 kilometres away, it would be able to resolve exactly what type of fruit it is.
Last year, Rubin amazed us with its first test images. These images revealed a swarm of new asteroids never before detected, stars varying in our Milky Way and beautiful deep images of galaxies. This is just a taster on what is to come.
The telescope will be uniquely used for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. This ten-year-long survey, which has just started, aims to solve the biggest mysteries of the universe – and the nature of the physics out there.
Spot the cosmic difference! A new science observation (left) is compared against a reference template built from archival data (centre). Subtracting the two leaves only what has changed, a new source visible in the difference image (right). This is a supernova candidate found with the Fink broker using Vera C. Rubin data.Rubin Observatory/Fink broker
20 billion galaxies
With its advanced imaging capabilities and its systematic scan of the sky, Rubin will image an incredible number of objects in our universe over the next decade.
Starting in our cosmic backyard, our Solar System, it will make 6 million detections of asteroids. Moving toward our galaxy, it will catalogue 17 billion stars. Farther away, it will gather colour images of 20 billion galaxies.
The same patch of the sky will be imaged up to 100 times each year. With an expected 10 terrabytes of image data per night, the amount of data Rubin will deliver in a single year will be greater than all optical observatories combined.
With this data, we aim to answer fundamental questions. These include the nature of the most mysterious components of our universe: dark matter and dark energy.
I am particularly interested in using the data to measure whether the universe expansion maintains a constant acceleration or changes with cosmic time. This accelerated cosmic expansion is attributed to dark energy, which comprises 70% of our universe. Yet we still don’t know what it is.
By itself, this measurement would be amazing, especially since recent observations have hinted the expansion rate may be changing. From the physics point of view, this will allow us to narrow down which potential theories can explain dark energy.
A firehose of cosmic treasures
To find changing sky objects, we compare a new image to an “old” or reference image. The difference between the two images can reveal a new object or a change of brightness.
So how do we find the most interesting exploding stars or asteroids within this mass of detections?
Rubin has selected seven “community brokers”. A broker is both the infrastructure and the team that receives this data firehose within minutes of detection, processes it to find the most exciting objects, and makes them publicly available.
One of these community brokers is Fink, which I have the privilege of co-leading.
Fink is made up of hundreds of scientists and engineers around the world working together to understand our universe. With the incredible Rubin data, comes a great opportunity but also a big challenge.
We need state-of-the-art technologies such as distributed computing (a network of computers, similar to commercial cloud services) and artificial intelligence tools to process the data very fast. We are talking about analysing thousands of detections from Rubin every minute or two, and up to 10 million every night for ten years.
Become a Rubin citizen scientist
You can also engage with Rubin right now.
Rubin’s first images are available online and you can use apps such as Orbitviewer to track asteroids, as well as look at deep images with SkyViewer.
You can also become a Rubin citizen scientist. For example, you can help to identify changing objects in our universe with Rubin Difference Detectives and find comets with Rubin Comet Catchers.
The data from community brokers is also publicly available. Through our Fink portal, you will be able to inspect the latest detections from Rubin just minutes after an image has been taken.
The data may not look like the stunning Rubin first light images. But they come directly from the telescope and are full of universe treasures.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.
The airline posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months ended December, compared to last year’s profit of $106m.
Revenue was up just over 1 percent to $3.44b, compared to $3.4b a year ago.
Seymour, also the leader of the ACT Party, criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.
“The taxpayer has to have a purpose for having all that capital tied up. My question is, what is that purpose if they’re not providing a service that is affordable and timely? Instead, they seem to have been distracted by a million other objectives.”
Seymour said Air NZ had been doing “politically motivated stuff” when it couldn’t take off and land on time for a decent price.
“Get woke, go broke. We hear about electric planes, glossy reports on climate change, paper cups in the Koru Lounge. What they can’t seem to do is take off and land on time,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that as an MP I don’t have to pay for work flights, but whenever I look at one privately, they’re looking at $600 to go from Wellington to Invercargill one way. That’s crazy.”
Seymour’s comments come as the airline continues to face severe disruption due to grounded aircraft.
Air NZ said the half-year loss was largely driven by global engine maintenance delays, slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand, increasing costs, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It said that while capacity would likely increase modestly in the second half with aircraft returning to service and new aircraft, the airline was cautious on whether it would translate to earnings uplift.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
One in seven children are living in hardship in the latest recorded year, according to new data from Stats New Zealand.
The national statistics agency released the data for the year between July 2024 and June 2025 on Wednesday morning.
Around 17,900 households were interviewed for the research.
The number of children that were recorded as living in material hardship was 14.3 percent – one in seven.
There was no significant change in that from the year recorded prior or since 2018.
In the latest statistics, a child recorded as facing material hardship was recorded as being in a household going without seven or more of 18 necessities.
Those included being unable to pay for utilities on time, having to put up with feeling cold and putting off doctors visits.
That was a change to the year prior where the threshold for material hardship was six or more.
14.9 percent of Māori children were recorded in material hardship which was not statistically different to the year prior.
For Pacific children, that figure was 18.7 percent five points higher than in 2024.
17.8 percent of children lived in households with less than half of the 2018 year’s median equivalised disposable household income after housing costs were deducted.
That was not different to the year prior.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
An alleged fraud offender’s numbers were up after he was caught up with by a late-night patrol.
The Auckland City Beat Team were assisting with mobile patrolling in the Mount Albert area this morning, when they came across a vehicle of interest.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews, of Auckland City CIB, says the vehicle was travelling on St Lukes Road just before 1am.
“The vehicle’s registered owner was sought in connection with a fraud case, and so the unit carried out a traffic stop.
“Beat staff confirmed the driver’s identity was the same as the man sought by Police.”
In March last year, an elderly victim in the Far North had allegedly fallen victim to a phone scam, with the caller pertaining to be from a bank’s fraud team.
Detective Senior Sergeant Matthews says all up $15,600 had been taken from her account.
Police were contacted after the bank’s real fraud team had alerted the victim.
Initial enquiries began by Mid/Far North CIB into the case, later identifying a person of interest.
Meanwhile, nearly a year later, the 23-year-old west Auckland man was arrested on the roadside early this morning.
Beat staff handed him over to Auckland City detectives and he was subsequently charged with money laundering and receiving property over $1000.
He will appear in the Auckland District Court on 4 March 2026.
“It’s a great catch by our Beat Team patrolling on night shift, and we acknowledge all the groundwork carried out by our colleagues in the Mid/Far North CIB,” Detective Senior Sergeant Matthews says.
A new report published today by Dental For All explores eight overseas approaches to oral healthcare and shows another way is possible for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Adult dental care currently sits outside of the public health system, leaving nearly half of the population unable to afford it.[1] The report, titled ‘There Are Alternatives: Analysis of Overseas Models of Expanding Access to Oral Healthcare within Public Health Systems’, is the third released by Dental for All, a group calling for free, universal, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent oral healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“This research draws together examples of how other countries provide oral healthcare and shows how we can transform our approach to ensure everyone has access to the care they need,” says Dental for All campaigner and report coordinator, Kayli Taylor.
The countries included in the report (Niue, Japan, Colombia, Canada, Cuba, Finland, the United Kingdom, and Brazil) all take a more comprehensive approach to oral healthcare and provide publicly-funded care to a wider population. The report explores the benefits of each example and lessons for Aotearoa New Zealand. Research work was done by a researcher and a dentist with the support of the Dental for All team. It included desk research and conversations with oral health professionals working in these countries, or familiar with their contexts.
“In Aotearoa, children can access funded oral healthcare until their 18th birthday, however adult oral healthcare is fully privatised, making it inaccessible to many. This report shows that there are alternatives; a better approach to oral healthcare is possible,” says oral health researcher and co-author Anne Campbell.
“Rather than being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, the approaches researched for this report show that investing in good, regular oral healthcare provides long-term benefits for individuals, communities and the country as a whole,” continues Campbell.
In 2024, Dental for All released a report by FrankAdvice which found that the social, economic and fiscal costs of people not being able to afford dental care exceed the cost of funding free dental care for everyone.[2] Following this, a 2025 report focused on lived experience and shared ten stories from people who have struggled to access necessary dental care – highlighting the stress, shame and stigma that results from our current approach to oral healthcare.
“There is a strong public mandate to change how we approach oral health in Aotearoa, and we have the economic case and human stories to back this up,” says Dental for All campaigner Hana Pilkinton-Ching.
“People often ask the question, ‘What do other countries do?’. This research provides an answer. We can learn from these overseas examples, as well as local case studies and Māori leadership in the oral health space, to move towards a system which provides everyone the care that they need and upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” says Pilkinton-Ching.
Dental for All will release a fourth report in the coming months which outlines a policy model for free, universal and Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent oral healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand, and aims to secure policy commitments from political parties ahead of the 2026 General Election.
[1] In the latest NZ Health Survey, 43% of adults reported unmet need for dental care due to cost, with higher rates of unmet need for Māori, Pacific and disabled communities.
[2] This research finds more than $6 billion in social costs, $5 billion in economic costs, and further fiscal costs (including impacts on the health system) as a result of unmet dental need in NZ adults. The cost of funding free, universal dental care is estimated to be less than $2 billion per year (based on costings published by ASMS, Stuff and the Green Party).
Police arrested two women and a man.RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Three people have been arrested after a shooting in Te Kauwhata, north of Huntly.
Police received a call shortly before 7am on Saturday that a man had arrived at Waikato Hospital with a gunshot wound.
Officers went to the address in Te Kauwhata where the man was injured and arrested two women and a man.
They also seized a firearm and ammunition.
Both women, aged 27 and 59, are due to appear in Huntly District Court on Friday. While a 56-year-old man is due to appear in Hamilton District Court on 20 March.
They are charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Late last year, the British government announced anyone classed as a British citizen would soon need a valid UK passport to enter the country, or have to get a $1300 certificate in their foreign passport.
The change has ensnared dual British citizens.
The British government said it warned people of the impending changes but The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, told Morning Report the communication had been woeful.
He said the impact had only just hit home in the past six weeks causing a lot of consternation, upset, and expense.
“I think it is absolutely the case that the British government did not come out … and say, ‘By the way when we make this finally compulsory, you do know that everything is going to change’.
“Because if they said it two years ago, people would be in a much, much better position than they are now.
“Yes, you can argue that you’re a dual citizen, you’re living abroad, you’ve got to keep your eye on stuff, but frankly it passed me by and I spend very little time doing anything other than looking a various new bits of bureaucracy.”
This week the British Home Office confirmed airlines could accept expired (post-1989) UK passports – should they wish to.
Calder said the take-up had been mixed, with British Airways, Easy Jet, and Virgin Atlantic confirming they would accept expired passports, but others such as Singapore Airlines had been a bit “enigmatic”.
He stressed, however, that it wasn’t as simple as showing up with a post-1989 passport and people needed to be careful not to get caught out.
“Things happen, people change their names, maybe they get married and that expired passport if it’s in a different name to your current New Zealand passport that is not going to work.”
Calder said the airport support hub should be able to help travellers.
“You can’t rely on that and look, it’s expensive, it’s stressful and you’ve taken annual leave so our suggestion is, you really should be travelling with the right documentation.
“We’re inundated with people contacting our travel agents around clarity because it really is confusing.”
She said airlines could only deal with the information they’d been provided and would face fines if they got it wrong.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.
The airline posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months ended December, compared to last year’s profit of $106m.
Revenue was up just over 1 percent to $3.44b, compared to $3.4b a year ago.
Seymour, also the leader of the ACT Party, criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.
“The taxpayer has to have a purpose for having all that capital tied up. My question is, what is that purpose if they’re not providing a service that is affordable and timely? Instead, they seem to have been distracted by a million other objectives.”
Seymour said Air NZ had been doing “politically motivated stuff” when it couldn’t take off and land on time for a decent price.
“Get woke, go broke. We hear about electric planes, glossy reports on climate change, paper cups in the Koru Lounge. What they can’t seem to do is take off and land on time,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that as an MP I don’t have to pay for work flights, but whenever I look at one privately, they’re looking at $600 to go from Wellington to Invercargill one way. That’s crazy.”
Seymour’s comments come as the airline continues to face severe disruption due to grounded aircraft.
Air NZ said the half-year loss was largely driven by global engine maintenance delays, slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand, increasing costs, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It said that while capacity would likely increase modestly in the second half with aircraft returning to service and new aircraft, the airline was cautious on whether it would translate to earnings uplift.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Increasing household income offset by higher housing costs in year to June 2025 – news story
26 February 2026
Household income increased at a slightly higher rate than housing costs in the year ended June 2025, according to data released by Stats NZ today.
Average weekly household disposable income increased from $1,977.70 to $2,077.70 in the 12 months to June 2025, up 5.1 percent from the previous year (not adjusting for inflation).
Housing costs also increased between June 2024 and June 2025, for households with housing expenditure, the average weekly cost for housing increasing from $457.90 in 2024 to $478.00 in 2025, up 4.4 percent.
“While household income increased in the year ended June 2025, increasing housing costs meant households were spending a similar proportion of their income on housing as the previous year,” household financial statistics spokesperson Victoria Treliving said.
Follow the links for full information release and to download CSV files:
The Government is investing $200,000 in the Waimate Trail as part of its ongoing commitment to grow local tourism, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston announced today.
“I’m thrilled to be partnering locally and investing in this trail that showcases the unique South Canterbury countryside. It will attract more visitors to the region, supporting local businesses, jobs and communities,” Louise Upston says.
This funding will complete stage one of the trail, a 13km stretch from Waimate to Waihao Forks and is part of the Government’s $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package.
The local community has already raised around 80 per cent of the funding needed to complete stage one of the 67km trail, which traverses limestone rock formations, native forest, and scenic valleys.
“This trail will be popular with both locals and tourists celebrating South Canterbury’s rich history and stunning landscapes.
“By backing local projects and encouraging tourism in the regions, we’re continuing to drive economic growth,” Louise Upston says.
Notes to Editors
Once complete the Waimate Trail – Te Ara Waimatemate will be a 67 km loop trail that links with existing track networks.
Work has started on the cycle trail and stage one between Waimate and Waihao Forks is expected to be completed in late April/May
The Crown and Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana have signed a Deed of Settlement at Tuai today, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“After six years of negotiations we have reached a long-awaited agreement that acknowledges the past and looks to a stronger future.
“It is a privilege to sign the Deed and deliver the Crown apology to Ngāti Ruapani in their rohe.
“A key feature of the settlement is the return of Crown-owned land into Te Urewera, reflecting a central aspiration of Ngāti Ruapani to restore their connection with Te Urewera.
“The settlement includes an agreed historical account and redress for historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi which caused significant harm to generations of Ngāti Ruapani.”
The redress package includes:
$24 million financial redress;
Undivided half share of Patunamu Forestry Ltd;
4 commercial redress and 2 cultural redress properties; and
Approximately 12,000 hectares of land added into Te Urewera.
“While no settlement can fully remedy the injustices of the past, this agreement represents an important step forward. I hope it will support Ngāti Ruapani to achieve their cultural and economic aspirations for future generations to come.”
Ngāti Ruapani are based in and around south Waikaremoana. The signing of this deed concludes settlement negotiations in Te Urewera.
Hard-working dog teams from across Police, New Zealand Customs Service and Department of Corrections have been battling for the title of top dog and handler as they competed at the 51st Patrol and Detector Dog Championships this week.
This years’ event wrapped up with a prizegiving held at the Dog Training Centre in Trentham this afternoon.
The overall winner of this years’ competition was Senior Constable Aaron Senior and his dog Cole from Tasman District.
Inspector Todd Southall says, Congratulations to Aaron and Cole for an almost clean sweep. It’s been an intense competition across three categories since Monday for all the operational dog teams.”
“We’ve had experienced handlers in both patrol and detector categories competing this week. Consistency and confidence between handler and dog have determined who gets the points and a title.
Taking part in the Police Patrol Dog competition were six operational teams from Northland, Tāmaki Makaurau, Waikato, Tasman and Canterbury Districts.
Six narcotic detector dog teams also competed – two from Police (Northland and Tāmaki Makaurau), and two each from Customs and Corrections.
The winning detector dog team is the formidable crew of Senior Constable Patrick Derbyshire and Ripper from Northland Police – a previous winner of the Narcotic Detector Dogs – Alan Symes Cup.
“Each of the teams start with a set of points and they’re put through a range of realistic but testing scenarios with points deducted for mistakes. The team that loses the least marks is the winner. The teams were marked on obedience, article retrieving, commands, tracking in grass, bush, operational scenarios, and criminal work, says Todd.
“All these dog teams do a fantastic job in helping keep our communities safe, says Todd. They provide a critical frontline response, detection and prevention capability whether it’s on the street, at our borders or inside our prisons.”
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
NOTE: A more detailed story and list of all winners will be shared on Ten One next week.
Police have arrested the owner of a van following a burglary in Christchurch that ended with a trailer detaching and the van crashing down a bank near Amberley.
Sergeant Nathan Wilson, of Canterbury Police, says the incident unfolded after a member of the public discovered a sign‑written trailer abandoned on the outskirts of Amberley.
“The caller phoned the number written on the trailer, and the owner then contacted Police,” Sergeant Wilson says.
The trailer had been stolen overnight from a Cole Porter Avenue address in Mairehau, Christchurch.
Police arrived at the scene finding the van’s owner back up with the trailer. A van was also found nearby, having crashed down a bank after the tow ball ripped free and remained lodged inside the trailer’s coupling.
“The driver was extremely lucky to walk away from this,” Sergeant Wilson says.
The van’s owner was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with burglary, two counts of theft relating to petrol drive-offs and possessing drug utensils. Further charges are likely pending testing of a substance found among his belongings.
Police are also investigating other offending committed in the Mairehau area overnight.
Police encourage anyone in Cole Porter Avenue, or the wider Mairehau area, who believes they may have information regarding offending, to contact us.
“This is also a great example of the public stepping up to help us,” Sergeant Wilson says. “A quick call from a member of the community helped us recover stolen property, identify the offender, and keep North Canterbury that little bit safer.”
If you have information please update us online now or call 105.
Please use reference number 260220/8839.
Alternatively information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Attribute to Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Kris Payne:
Hawke’s Bay Police investigating the homicide of Sharlene Smith are releasing further information and appealing for public assistance.
On Tuesday, 3 February 2026, Police were called to a worksite on Taihape Road, Omahu, after Sharlene’s body was located on the property.
Through ongoing enquiries, Police have identified a likely route taken by a vehicle of interest. We know this vehicle was used on the day Sharlene’s body was left at the worksite, and officers have carried out extensive work to locate and review CCTV footage from the relevant timeframe.
Police are appealing for sightings of a white 2005 Mazda 3 sports hatchback between 8am and approximately midday on Sunday 1 February 2026, travelling from the Awatoto area, through Taihape Road/Omahu Road and the Fernhill area, and into Marewa, Napier. [see pictured map]
We are asking anyone who saw this vehicle, or who has home, business, or dashcam CCTV footage from those areas during that time, to please contact Police if not already spoken to.
Police are also seeking two items, belonging to Sharlene, that are believed to have been discarded along the same route:
a handbag [pictured], and
a Samsung Galaxy A06 mobile phone.
Anyone with information is urged to get in touch through 105, either online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105, or by calling 105, and referencing file number 260203/9739.
You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please attribute the following to Detective Senior Sergeant Karen Simmons, Christchurch Metro Crime:
Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Nathan Boulter for the murder of Chantal McDonald in the High Court at Christchurch. The 37-year-old will now serve a minimum of 17 years in prison without parole.
Today’s sentence will never bring Chantal back, or end the devastating sense of loss inflicted on her loving family.
There is no prison term that will ever make up for what happened to Chantal or the profound sense of loss her loved ones have had to endure.
However, today brings a small comfort in knowing the community will be protected from a violent, controlling and pathetic gutless coward who so needlessly took Chantal’s life.
It is extremely disappointing that he made the decision to not physically appear in Court today and face Chantal’s family.
Chantal was a much-loved and devoted mother, daughter, sister and friend. She was regarded as a vibrant and special person to all who knew her, which makes her loss even harder to bear for those who were lucky enough to know her.
We are continuing to provide support for Chantal’s family as they navigate life without her.
Her family have been extremely dignified throughout this entire process and I commend them for that.
They are appreciative of the support they have received, but request privacy. They ask that media do not attempt to contact them.
I want to thank all of the Police investigators, staff, and the Crown prosecutor who dedicated themselves to getting justice for Chantal.
They have worked relentlessly to bring this case to court and hold Chantal’s killer accountable for his horrendous crime.
