Posts

Posted on

Satellite imaging is now vital for disaster management. But there are dangerous gaps in our systems

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Marie Brennan, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Waikato

The extreme weather events and resulting destruction that have hit New Zealand this summer are not only signs of a changing climate. They also highlight the now indispensable role of remote sensing satellite technology.

Broadly, remote sensing involves gathering information about Earth from a distance – most often from satellites equipped with sensors that measure different forms of electromagnetic energy.

Operating across multiple wavelengths, these instruments can function at night and capture conditions over large areas in a single pass. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites detect ground movement and flood extent even during heavy rain and thick cloud.

Optical sensors capture detailed imagery showing building damage, blocked roads, sediment plumes and coastal change. Thermal sensors identify heat patterns and temperature anomalies that signal hotspots or stressed environments.

Together, these systems provide a reliable, real-time picture of ground conditions, especially when severe weather renders traditional monitoring impossible.

But despite this technological progress, the framework that controls access to satellite data is alarmingly fragile, leaving a disaster-prone country like New Zealand vulnerable.

Better emergency response and risk mapping

For affected communities, satellite sensing technologies can be transformative. When rivers overflow, bridges collapse and extreme weather prevents response teams from entering affected areas, satellites continue operating uninterrupted.

Authorities can use the information to rapidly determine which communities are at risk, where landslides have destabilised slopes, and which roads or bridges have failed. It sharply reduces the time between impact and emergency response.

Instead of relying on scattered reports, responders can prioritise resources, guide evacuations, plan helicopter drops and coordinate rescue operations using a shared, high-resolution map of evolving hazards.

Remote sensing remains equally valuable long after the immediate crisis. Satellite data supports damage assessments for insurance and government relief, informs the reconstruction of roads, river systems and stormwater infrastructure, and helps refine hazard models for future storms and floods.

In remote areas such as the West Coast, East Coast and alpine South Island – where monitoring networks are sparse and terrain is difficult – satellite imagery is often the only wide-area information source.

Over months and years, repeated imagery helps scientists and planners understand how landscapes are changing: whether slopes are weakening, rivers are shifting course, or coastlines are retreating under rising seas and intensifying storms.

Stronger global agreements needed

Rapid access to satellite data is supported by the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, which coordinates satellites from different agencies and companies to provide free imagery and disaster maps when activated.

New Zealand is not a member but the National Emergency Management Agency secured “user status” in 2024.

Since participation is voluntary, some experts worry there is no guarantee satellites will be tasked appropriately, no assured access to archives, and no obligation for members to respond to every request.

The legal framework around remote sensing remains sparse. Outer space law states that space activities should benefit all countries but offers little detail.

The United Nations Remote Sensing Principles encourage cooperation and “reasonable” access, but lack enforcement and set no minimum standards for timely data sharing.

As well, many high-value satellites are privately owned. Outside voluntary emergency arrangements, access depends on commercial licences, pricing and national security restrictions. These constraints can delay critical information when it is needed most.

Commercial operators refusing to provide imagery can be a major challenge. With no binding international obligations on private companies, New Zealand cannot compel access during emergencies without pre-existing contracts.

Refusals can delay situational awareness, reduce mapping accuracy and leave dangerous gaps in response planning. So it is heartening that the New Zealand Space Agency is taking steps to address the gaps in international arrangements, and ensure more reliable access to commercial satellite data.

AI complicates the picture

The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in satellite-based disaster analysis adds capability but also complexity.

AI can rapidly detect floods, classify landslides, and evaluate building and road damage. But when errors occur, accountability becomes unclear. Does it lie with the data providers, the analytics companies that process the imagery, or the public agencies relying on the outputs?

Ensuring reliability requires transparent documentation of models, inputs, thresholds and uncertainties. Robust cybersecurity safeguards are also needed to prevent deliberate attempts to alter data streams or mislead machine‑learning models (which could distort analysis during a disaster).

But no binding rules require human oversight of AI-derived remote-sensing products, leaving governments to determine how much human review is necessary for safety-critical decisions.

To strengthen national resilience, New Zealand needs to advocate for clearer international data-sharing rules, and embed privacy, transparency and human oversight in public sector workflows.

It must also treat the satellite-to-ground data chain as critical infrastructure, with built in redundancy, security and rapid incident reporting. Remote sensing is now core national infrastructure.

The extreme weather of the past months emphasises why. When storms intensify too quickly for traditional systems to cope, satellites and AI-enabled analytics help provide a rapid, scalable view of unfolding risk.

Strong agreements, responsible AI governance and resilient data pipelines ensure New Zealand gets the right data – fast – when communities need it most.

– ref. Satellite imaging is now vital for disaster management. But there are dangerous gaps in our systems – https://theconversation.com/satellite-imaging-is-now-vital-for-disaster-management-but-there-are-dangerous-gaps-in-our-systems-276274

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/23/satellite-imaging-is-now-vital-for-disaster-management-but-there-are-dangerous-gaps-in-our-systems-276274/

Posted on

Luxon must act after Peters caught making false claims on employment bill

Source: Green Party

The Green Party is calling on Christopher Luxon to hold Winston Peters accountable for making false claims about union engagement on the Employment Relations Amendment Bill.

“Winston Peters’ behaviour following the passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is a disgrace,” says Green Party Workplace Relations spokesperson Teanau Tuiono.  

“He has falsely claimed that unions didn’t raise their concerns with NZ First early enough. That is simply not true.  

“We fully back unions’ calls for Luxon to step in and act.  

“Not only did Peters sell out workers when he voted for this bill, now he’s accusing their representatives of lying. The receipts lay it out clearly.  

“Every party, including NZ First, knew exactly what the unions’ concerns were as soon as the Bill was introduced.  

“Peters was caught out making up nonsense about the Green Party last year which he had to correct in Parliament, so it’s obvious he has prior form.  

“Luxon is setting a dangerous standard for his Cabinet by letting Ministers get away with blatantly lying.”  

“Peters sits around the Cabinet table which agreed to strip workers’ rights, gut pay equity for low-paid women, and allow below inflation minimum wage increases, yet claims to be on the side of the regular working New Zealander.  

“Unlike this government, the Greens back workers. And we are proud to let everyone know our position and stick to it,” says Teanau. 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/23/luxon-must-act-after-peters-caught-making-false-claims-on-employment-bill/

Posted on

‘Calling for change for almost a year’; Hopes government will act after dog killing

Source: Radio New Zealand

An animal control officer communicates with a roaming dog (file image). RNZ / Felix Walton

Auckland Council is hoping recent tragic dog attacks, including a fatal attack, will make the government step in and make changes.

On Tuesday, 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore was killed by dogs while visiting a home in the Northland town of Kaihu.

Then on Saturday, three people were injured after two dogs attacked people in the Christchurch suburb of Bryndwr.

The attacks have sparked calls for an overhaul of the Dog Control Act – with Te Rore being the fourth person killed by dogs in the past four years.

Speaking to Morning Report, Auckland Council general manager of licensing and compliance Robert Irvine said the council had been calling for change for almost a year.

The issue of roaming dogs – with a number of attacks on young kids – was “really, really bad and it just keeps on getting worse”, Irvine said.

In Auckland alone, Irvine said there were 17,000 reports of roaming dogs every year – putting the community at risk.

“We want people to be out and about, enjoying our parks, going for walks and having the fear of being attacked by a dog is not something that we want.”

Mihiata Te Rore, 62, was killed by three dogs after entering a property in the Northland town of Kaihu on 17 February 2026. Supplied

The Dog Control Act was nearly 30 years old and very outdated, Irvine said.

“We’ve been calling for change on this for almost a year and the key things we are looking at is changing it to be more proactive.

“We need greater powers for those that just aren’t actually listening to the current rules. So things like getting on top of the problem, more powers around desexing – we need more dogs desexed out there and we need the dog control act to give us that power to do that.”

Irvine said the council impounded about 10,000 dogs per annum – releasing most of them – and being able to desex them before release was a power the council wanted to help control the issue of breeding.

The council also wanted the power to cease dogs if necessary. He said in one case, more than 20 dogs were found on a residential property and it had no power to take them – having to go through a “lengthy” process before it could disqualify the owner for having too many.

“Up to now, we’ve been told the changes aren’t on the government’s agenda but we’re hoping after, sadly, these tragic events that the government will now actually step in and make some changes.”

Auckland Council had upped its dog control spend by about $10 million last year – needing extra animal management officers among other initiatives – meaning its spend was now about $25m per year.

But its initiatives were not enough – and changes were needed to the Act, Irvine said.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts previously said he was seeking advice on how central government could respond to the attacks and the Dog Control Act.

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/2026/02/23/calling-for-change-for-almost-a-year-hopes-government-will-act-after-dog-killing/

Posted on

‘It’s a little bit of wait and see’: Trade Minister Todd McClay on Donald Trump’s tariff hikes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trade Minister Todd McClay. (File photo) RNZ / Mark Papalii

As the world grapples with US President Donald Trump’s latest move raising global duty on imports into the United States to 15 percent, Trade Minister Todd McClay says how it will impact New Zealand businesses remains to be seen.

Over the weekend, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that after a thorough review of the Supreme Court’s ruling that emergency tariffs were illegal, the administration was hiking the import levies “to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15 percent level.”

But what will this mean for New Zealand businesses?

Trade Minister Todd McClay told Morning Report, exports to the US by value had increased recently, albeit not across the board.

He said now there would be a little bit of “wait and see” as to what would happen.

“Looking at other markets we’ve seen our exports to the EU going up.”

McClay said he was not presently speaking to the Trump administration about the tariff situation, but there had been ongoing conversations with them about the tariff rate.

“But ultimately, they haven’t come down below 15 percent for any country that has a surplus against them. There’s no evidence anywhere else in the world they’re dropping below that.”

So far for New Zealand exporters, the products that were sold to the US were still wanted and in demand despite tariffs, McClay said.

“What we’re doing is making sure they’ve got options elsewhere, which is part of why the India free trade agreement is so important for us.”

He said New Zealand also had agreements with other countries including the EU, Uk, China and Japan which were important.

“It’s not a plan B – you can sell to America and you can sell to the others if you want to.”

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/2026/02/23/its-a-little-bit-of-wait-and-see-trade-minister-todd-mcclay-on-donald-trumps-tariff-hikes/

Posted on

Gore’s iconic giant trout has finally caught a name

Source: Radio New Zealand

The newly named Trevor the trout. Tess Brunton/RNZ

Gore’s iconic statue is no longer with-trout a name

The brown trout statue has been proudly leaping in the Southland town since 1989 after being locally designed, built and fundraised.

Trevor was officially announced at the On The Fly Festival on the banks of the Mataura River on Sunday afternoon.

The Gore District Council teamed up with Hokonui FM to name the famous fish, asking for name suggestions before public voting this month – yes, Trouty McTroutface was floated.

The five finalists were Trixie, Scout, Trevor, Gordon or Finn.

But council senior events coordinator Florine Potts said Trevor was a clear winner after receiving more than a third of votes.

“People from far and wide come to Gore, come and take a photo with the trout. We see it happen every single day. Buses full of tourists stop here and they come and grab a photo and people love it and now we can all embrace Trevor the trout,” she said.

Gore District Council senior events coordinator Florine Potts said Trevor was an icon. Tess Brunton/RNZ

The Gore Lion’s Club gifted the statue to the town to celebrate its 25th anniversary with lots of fundraising to make it happen, she said.

“Like a celebrity cocktail party with some big names coming to Gore, a fishing race with little fish going down the Mataura River.”

Fly fishing guide Shelen Boyes was showing people how to fly fish at the festival.

Fly fishing guide Shelen Boyes was delighted to see more women and younger people getting involved in the sport. Tess Brunton/RNZ

There were a lot of moving parts to make the magic happen, she said.

“You’re having to not only cast a rod with a really light fly on the end of it, have accuracy, deal with the wind, deal with the elements, and then also have to pretty much hook it yourself and reel it in yourself without losing it,” she said.

“So yeah, it’s quite a lot.”

It was a great way to bring people together, was quite meditative and encouraged people to think about river health, she said.

Fly fishing in the Mataura River at the On The Fly Festival. Tess Brunton/RNZ

The Mataura River was a wonderful place to take people, Boyes said.

She described the Mataura as a “gold medal, blue ribbon fishery”.

“It’s got 700 fish per kilometre. You can easily spot fish all over the river system.”

Fly fishing has been Mike Weddell’s career and passion – he has been flying fishing for more than 60 years.

He was been showing people how it was done at the festival.

Mike Weddell said fly fishing has been both his career and passion. Tess Brunton/RNZ

“It’s a fantastic sport. What you used to see in the village back home, all the kids that fished all the time never got into trouble, except for coming home too late at night, he said.

Trevor will have an official naming ceremony later this year.

Rainbow trout on show at the On the Fly Festival. They are not the same as what are in the Mataura River. Tess Brunton/RNZ

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/2026/02/23/gores-iconic-giant-trout-has-finally-caught-a-name/

Posted on

‘Bullying’, ‘draconian’ homeless move-on orders questioned

Source: Radio New Zealand

File photo. RNZ / Luke McPake

An Auckland councillor is calling them draconian and heartless, the advocacy group for retailers doubts they will work long term, and a man on the streets says it’s bullying.

But the government says its move-on orders announced on Sunday are part of reclaiming main streets and town centres.

The orders target people as young as 14 and give Police powers to move on rough sleepers, disorderly people or beggars for up to 24 hours.

Breach an order, and it risks a fine of up to $2000 or three month jail term.

“We understand that in certain cities around New Zealand it is a significant problem,” Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said.

“There’s antisocial behaviour and a lot of drug taking and drinking, and it’s pretty unpleasant and it’s quite difficult for people to want to come into the city.”

She welcomes new tools for police, but doubts their long term usefulness.

“The problem we see with it is that if you move someone on, you’re moving them to just another area where they’ll be a problem for somebody else,” she said.

“The move-on orders are for 24 hours, they may just come back again the next day, the question is how many times will it take to move them on before we break the cycle and give relief to those businesses in that region and then it’ll be the same problem somewhere else.”

File photo. Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young. Supplied

Young said without wider social support, Retail NZ didn’t believe they would make a difference in the long run.

“And we know that the police do a really great job and they are already stretched, and so it’s hard to know how this is a solution,” she said.

“It’s probably a break in the circuit… it’s how often do you have to break the circuit before you’ll change behaviours.”

Some people on Auckland’s streets who spoke with RNZ after the announcement also had doubts.

“It’s a bully tactic,” Kenneth Dahl said.

He’s 50, and has been on and off the streets since he was 18.

“It’s pushing people into a corner… and as for them moving us into accommodation, they’re forcing us to live in places we do not want to live,” he said.

“It’s a bully tactic right there.”

Dahl currently has provided motel accommodation.

“But I choose not to be there because as soon as I look out the window all I see is grey and white, there’s no greenery whatsoever, nothing, no vegetation or anything around, it’s not a home, it’s a cell or a prison cell.”

The streets, he said, were where he felt most at home.

Benny Ngata was with him in the central city and expected the orders to lead to more crime.

“And they’re trying to move them out of the town to make themselves look better or something… but when it comes to it, how about help those people to advance themselves and give them a place, because the government’s housing is lacking, that’s why people are on the street,” he said.

“And not only that, people who live on the street, those who have mental illnesses or with addictions, so then how about help them… not by kicking them away.

“Because at the end of the day, that’s going to cause more trouble,” he said.

Ngata said it would just end up costing the government money to put people in jail.

“So at the end of the day, the government is going to lose,” he said.

“If you want to be a government, work with the people… how about get off your fat arse and help them.”

Ngata was asked if help was there at the moment.

“No, there’s nothing there, that’s why people are sleeping on the streets, that’s why people are homeless, because the government doesn’t care.”

Auckland councillor Richard Hills posted on Facebook it was earlier government changes that had dramatically increased homelessness.

File photo. Auckland councillor Richard Hills. Alexia Russell

“These heartless, draconian ‘move on orders will not deliver positive outcomes for people, but they will make the Govt look tough in an election year,” he wrote.

Community Housing Aotearoa said Police were not equipped to assess what health support rough sleepers need.

Chief executive Paul Gilberd said it shouldn’t be the job of officers.

“Often these people are very unwell both physically and in terms of mental health and sometimes substance abuse, so I feel for the police being put in a very awkward situation where they’re being required to make these judgements and I think there’s a strong argument for much better coordination between services,” he said.

Wellington’s City Missioner Murray Edridge said the government earlier signalled any laws to move on rough sleepers would come with support.

“And we heard the Prime Minister early in this conversation say we wouldn’t just move people on and not do anything to help them,” he said.

“Well, I’m still waiting to see what the help is going to look like.”

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith’s office said it’s been made very clear police are expected to connect people given move-on orders with the support they may need.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Back in Auckland, Queen’s Arcade property manager Ian Wright said the orders put the icing on the cake after more security, policing and social support.

“I don’t see it as displacement of the problem, that’s not a solution, it’s very much about holding people to account, drawing a line in the sand and saying we’ve actually got a right to be here too, the people, our visitors, and we want it to be safe and secure and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

But Aaron Hendry, who works with at-risk young people, is worried about the orders applying to people as young as 14.

“The support structures are not in place to adequately respond to these children’s needs and so, look, it’s concerning to us, we are concerned around what is looking like a really clear streets to prison pipeline with the lack of resources invested in to ensure that people are looked after,” he said.

The orders will be part of an amendment to the Summary Offences Act, meaning it still has to go through the legislative process.

Paul Goldsmith said there would be a chance for the orders to be scrutinised, but the government also wanted to get them in place as soon as possible.

The National Homelessness Data Project last showed homelessness had more than doubled in Auckland in the year to September.

What the orders do

  • The government will amend the Summary Offences Act to give police the power to issue move-on orders to people who are displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening, or intimidating behaviour.
  • They will also apply to people who are obstructing or impeding someone entering a business, breaching the peace, begging, rough sleeping, or displaying behaviour indicating an attempt to inhabit a public place.
  • The orders will require someone to leave for a specified time – up to 24 hours – and distance determined by the officer.
  • When the order is issued, the person will be warned it is an offence to breach it, unless they have a reasonable excuse for being there.
  • The penalty for a breach would be a maximum fine of $2,000 or up to three months imprisonment.

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/2026/02/23/bullying-draconian-homeless-move-on-orders-questioned/

Posted on

Hundreds of Wellington homes still without power a week after storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trees fell on power lines (file image). Supplied / Caleb Gordon

More than 300 homes in Wellington are still without power a week after being hit by a southerly storm.

Wellington Electricity said the extremely gusty nature of last week’s storm appeared to have made it extra damaging, and it was taking longer than expected to restore power.

The lines company apologised to the 260 customers across Wellington and Porirua, and 70 in the Hutt Valley, who have now gone without electricity for a week.

The number was down from the approximate 700 homes on Friday that still had no power, when Wellington Electricity said it would donate $10 to KidsCan Charitable Trust for every customer who wouldn’t be reconnected that day.

Have you been affected? Get in touch at: hamish.cardwell@rnz.co.nz

Wellington Electricity chief executive Greg Skelton said the sheer scale of the damage that fallen trees and windblown branches have caused meant they were behind schedule.

“From initial assessments we thought we were going to get power restored in the Hutt Valley on Saturday evening.

“However, in many jobs we discovered greater damage than we could initially see after trees were cleared and sites made safe to work at. It’s been very frustrating. As of this morning there are about 70 customers still without power in the Hutt Valley. We expect to get power restored to them today.”

He said power should be restored to the 260 homes across Wellington and Porirua by Tuesday night.

Some repairs would be temporary, requiring further work.

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/2026/02/23/hundreds-of-wellington-homes-still-without-power-a-week-after-storm/

Posted on

Barker’s of Geraldine in a jam over waste

Source: Radio New Zealand

An aerial view of the reserve, the water ponds, and the Barker’s blocks and factory. Supplied

The Barkers jam maker is already in trouble with its neighbours over stinky wastewater ponds, and now it wants to dump the waste onto DOC land.

With the backdrop of the Southern Alps and a pristine river running by the famous jam-maker, Barker’s factory tells the ideal story of a successful New Zealand business.

What’s not captured in that idyllic image is the stench of its wastewater ponds and the company’s solution, that involves spraying five olympic-sized pools of liquid onto nearby conservation land.

“This is a lovely New Zealand story,” says Newsroom’s David Williams of the food-making business, started by the Barker family in Geraldine in 1969.

“Everybody wants something to be started in a cowshed, don’t they? And to be innovative and to try something on the side. It’s this iconic story associated with this iconic brand.”

The business flourished, its jams, pickles and sauces are a Kiwi favourite. French food giant Andros bought a majority stake in 2015 and took complete ownership two years ago. Recently it opened a $60 million expanded factory on the outskirts of Geraldine, employing 300 locals.

But not a month goes by without a story about the South Canterbury factory’s wastewater woes.

A screenshot from Barker’s website shows the idyllic location of the factory, as well the company’s ethos about the land. Supplied

“There’s been a bit of a shift in recent years and people around the factory haven’t been entirely happy with the way that Barker’s is behaving,” says Williams, who’s been investigating the company and its clashes with the environment regulator ECan and the Department of Conservation.

In the latest development, Barker’s has applied to the Department of Conservation (DOC) to spray 12,000 cubic metres of wastewater from its two ponds onto the neighbouring Hae Hae Te Moana River Conservation Reserve. DOC will decide by 5 March.

Williams says the story is about more than one company trying to come up with a solution for its industrial waste.

“This is about how regulators act when they have information and what they do in the face of companies pushing back. You know, this is one case but you would argue, is this the case of regulators up and down the country?”

The Timaru Herald’s Federico Magrin has also been digging into Barker’s wastewater practises and found it has been in tense discussions with ECan and DOC over it for months.

He reported in December that hundreds of emails, released under the Official Information Act, reveal exchanges between ECan, DOC and Barker’s over 18 months, “in a battle of cease-and-desist orders, claims and counter-claims”.

Magrin has looked into Andros, also a family company, famous for its Bonne Maman preserve. He compared its wastewater practices in France with New Zealand and found stark differences.

At its industrial site in France, its waste goes into a bioenergy plant next door and the highly treated wastewater is discharged into the neighbouring river.

“That is industrial France, whereas New Zealand this company is using the land as a treatment station, kind of. There is a very striking difference between how they treat wastewater in France and New Zealand even though one is in an industrial area and one is sitting next to a reserve with people living around the factory,” Magrin says.

His investigations also found that the rules for Andros in France are “extremely different” to Environment Canterbury’s regulations for Barker’s here.

“For the French factory there’s a limit for the amount of organic pollution it can discharge that ends up going into the water and what Barker’s is allowed to do is 32 times more than their French counterpart,” he says.

Williams says it is not the first time that Barker’s has sprayed wastewater onto the DOC reserve. Previously, DOC did not renew its license after the spray damaged the land.

“I don’t know why they let them discharge onto the reserve in the first place but when they’re faced with an application from anyone they have to consider it and they have to make sure there’s enough information for them to make a decision. I guess the public may judge them by whatever they decide goes on here.”

Listen to The Detail to hear how Barker’s has responded to the stories, why neighbours are nervous about the factory’s discharge plans for the DOC reserve and future plans to spray the wastewater on a pine forest block the company bought recently.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/23/barkers-of-geraldine-in-a-jam-over-waste/

Posted on

Hundreds of Wellinton homes still without power a week after storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trees fell on power lines (file image). Supplied / Caleb Gordon

More than 300 homes in Wellington are still without power a week after being hit by a southerly storm.

Wellington Electricity said the extremely gusty nature of last week’s storm appeared to have made it extra damaging, and it was taking longer than expected to restore power.

The lines company apologised to the 260 customers across Wellington and Porirua, and 70 in the Hutt Valley, who have now gone without electricity for a week.

The number was down from the approximate 700 homes on Friday that still had no power, when Wellington Electricity said it would donate $10 to KidsCan Charitable Trust for every customer who wouldn’t be reconnected that day.

Have you been affected? Get in touch at: hamish.cardwell@rnz.co.nz

Wellington Electricity chief executive Greg Skelton said the sheer scale of the damage that fallen trees and windblown branches have caused meant they were behind schedule.

“From initial assessments we thought we were going to get power restored in the Hutt Valley on Saturday evening.

“However, in many jobs we discovered greater damage than we could initially see after trees were cleared and sites made safe to work at. It’s been very frustrating. As of this morning there are about 70 customers still without power in the Hutt Valley. We expect to get power restored to them today.”

He said power should be restored to the 260 homes across Wellington and Porirua by Tuesday night.

Some repairs would be temporary, requiring further work.

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/2026/02/23/hundreds-of-wellinton-homes-still-without-power-a-week-after-storm/

Posted on

Scheme paying for counselling within 24hrs making a difference

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington East Girls College associate principal Anna Wilson. John Gerritsen/RNZ

Schools say a Rotary Club-funded scheme that pays for counselling within 24 hours is making a huge difference for their students.

The programme called Lifting the Lid runs in several parts of the country and started in Wellington in 2022.

Schools say it helps them cope with a rising tide of mental health problems among young people.

David Shackleton, chair of the Wellington Lifting the Lid committee, said the programme originated in Australia and was introduced to the city by the Port Nicholson Rotary Club.

Since then Rotary clubs in areas including Hutt Valley and Kapiti had adopted the programme for their local schools, he said.

Shackleton said the Wellington scheme allocated funding to 14 participating schools – 10 secondary schools and four intermediate schools – to use as they wished.

He said the schools decided what was best for each child and sent a form to Lifting the Lid requesting approval, which was granted within 24 hours.

Shackleton said the Wellington programme had supported more than 1700 sessions for about 160 students since it began.

He said demand was growing at an alarming rate.

“We meet three times a year with the principals and the school counsellors and during that time we get their feedback on how the programme is going and what kind of demand they are seeing in their schools – consistently we hear that demand is increasing almost term by term,” he said.

Shackleton said it appeared social media including cyber-bullying was a major driver of mental health problems among young people.

He said the club and donors raised $100,000 for the Wellington programme for this year’s work – enough to put some aside for next year.

Rongotai College deputy principal Geoff Hall said the school was one of the first to join the scheme.

“It was a no-brainer for us. The well-being of kids is really, really important and one of the issues is just getting the funds to support those kids,” he said.

Rongotai College deputy principal Geoff Hall. John Gerritsen/RNZ

Hall said prior to joining the scheme the school used in-house expertise, sometimes including teachers who did not have counselling backgrounds, or waiting for appointments with external providers because the school did not have the money to pay for private sessions.

“This has allowed us to access external providers quickly and efficiently without that added burden of ‘where are we going to find the cash’. We can go to the ministry and in most cases the ministry actually do provide you with the money, but there’s a process and a long process to actually be able to access that,” he said.

Hall said the scheme helped the school be proactive and arrange sessions that equipped groups of boys with skills to improve their mental health.

“We’re giving the boys the tools to deal with their own wellbeing,” he said.

“Life as a teenager is a lot harder now than what it was when I first started teaching in 1990. These kids need a lot more explicit teaching of the skills to be able to deal with their own wellbeing.”

Hall said schools involved in the scheme met regularly to share their experiences and it was clear demand for counselling was increasing.

Wellington East Girls College associate principal Anna Wilson said Lifting the Lid ensured help for students was not delayed by lengthy waiting lists.

“Last year, we were able to have some students have educational psychologist assessments, which give us a really good understanding of why they’re not able to engage in their lessons and what’s going on for them,” she said.

“The families themselves couldn’t afford that and through the public system they would take a long time to get a referral from their GP to see a paediatrician or psychologist.”

Wilson said demand for mental services was high.

“This funding pool could be grown for us five to 10 times and we could still use it,” she said.

“The wait lists are extreme outside of school. We’ve got a team of two-and-a-half counsellors here at our school and we still have a wait list for the kids that want to see them.”

Wilson said it was clear from meetings with participating schools that anxiety and problems arising from social media were common.

She said Lifting the Lid relieved pressure on the school’s finances.

“A full educational psychological report for us would be around $1700, the equine therapy course was a similar cost… so that’s really awesome to have that funding to use,” she 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/2026/02/23/scheme-paying-for-counselling-within-24hrs-making-a-difference/

Posted on

Memorial unveiled for victims of Lake Alice child and adolescent unit

Source: Radio New Zealand

The memorial pays tribute to Lake Alice survivors, and those who have died. RNZ/Jimmy Ellinghm

In the 1970s the Lake Alice child and adolescent unit near Marton was a place of horror for the children tortured there.

But farmland has replaced the psychiatric hospital, whose buildings have gone, and all that remains from the time is a water tower.

On Saturday a memorial was unveiled at the site paying tribute to those who never left Lake Alice and those whose lives were scarred forever.

‘It’s about the children of Lake Alice’

Unit survivor Robyn Dandy came up with the idea for the memorial.

“It’s important to remember all those who have gone before us, way way too soon. They should have lived long and happy lives, and never did.

“It’s about the returned servicemen who were dumped in here. It’s about the children of Lake Alice who are still with us today.”

Lake Alice survivor Robyn Dandy organised the memorial and intended to pay for it herself. RNZ/Jimmy Ellinghm

She was going to fund the memorial herself until the local council took on that responsibility and with and iwi, Ngāti Apa, made sure it happened.

More than 400 children – including many with no psychiatric illnesses – went through the unit, where they were given electric shocks and paralysing drugs under the watch of Dr Selwyn Leeks, and raped.

“It’s not about anybody in particular,” Dandy said. “It’s about everybody that was involved in Lake Alice and sadly a lot, like my own brother, went very young in life.

“It’s about remembering them. They couldn’t be here for this, but I’m sure they’re watching down today.”

The current government has apologised to victims of state abuse and introduced a compensation scheme for Lake Alice survivors.

But for many, life remains tough.

The house Dandy was renting was badly damaged in last week’s storm and she urgently needs to find another home.

“The water’s only just come on today. The electricity is half on. I need somewhere safe for me and my animals now. I’m getting a bit long in the tooth for running around looking for properties.

“If anybody out there’s got a nice little country cottage around the Manawatū-Rangitīkei district, preferably – I’m a good tenant.”

Affinity with fellow survivors

Lake Alice unit survivor Sherab Palmo was among those who delivered moving speeches to the roadside gathering of about 40 people.

She said she was a clever child, who wanted to be a vet, only for Lake Alice to rip that away. Now though, aged 63, she’s qualified as a midwife.

“I really wanted to meet some people that I’ve been here with, more than anything. It’s like having this whānau that you didn’t see for a long time.

“I’ve connected with a few over the years. And then also just meeting the ones who I have met here today – it’s like having an affinity with someone that you know has survived something that you have.”

Before unveiling the memorial, Dandy paid tribute to Hake Halo, who died last year.

Halo raised the alarm about what was happening at Lake Alice by writing notes in Niuean to his family on drawings sent home. He made sure the figures in those drawings were smiling, so not to raise suspicion among Lake Alice staff.

Journalist Aaron Smale, who has for a decade exposed state malfeasance to do with the Lake Alice unit, also paid tribute to a recently deceased survivor – Rangi Wickliffe.

Decades of cover up

The minister in charge of the response to the Royal Commission into state abuse, Erica Stanford, spoke about the wrongs not only of the unit, but of the state covering up what happened for decades.

“I have been meeting with Lake Alice survivors since almost day one. Being here was extremely important to acknowledge what happened here,” she told RNZ.

“[I’m here] to say the words that I’ve said to them privately, that I’ve said in public – but to say them here at this place, in the shadow of the tower, to acknowledge that the state over 50 years has actively worked against them.”

Many of the horrors of the Lake Alice unit were exposed during royal commission hearings overseen by retired judge Dame Coral Shaw, who travelled from her Waikato home for the unveiling.

Dame Coral Shaw says it was important that she attend the memorial unveiling. RNZ/Jimmy Ellinghm

“I felt here’s an opportunity to remember and to mark, and to do something tangible for the memory of those who’ve passed and the survivors of Lake Alice, who continue to live with their trauma.

“For me it’s a very important part of this long journey.”

She heard weeks of harrowing evidence from survivors and the commission produced the Beautiful Children report into abuse at the Lake Alice unit.

“Before I came I sat down and just went through it again because I wanted to make sure that I had it alive in my mind, and it hurt.

“It hurt to read again and to relive that, but it’s important that we do, that we keep the memories alive, because it we don’t we can’t promise that it won’t happen again.”

Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson said he had no hesitation in deciding the council should pay for the memorial.

Rangitīkei mayor And Watson says Lake Alice is a stain on the community. RNZ/Jimmy Ellinghm

He described what happened at Lake Alice as a stain on the community.

When he was growing up, he remembers going there to play sport and having no idea what patients were going through.

“Lake Alice was groomed, it had many groundsmen, and we thought as kids that everything was okay. We didn’t know.

“Maybe that’s part of the tragedy. There should have been people who raised the flag earlier and said, ‘Things are not okay.’”

Survivor Karilyn Wildbore said she applauded Dandy for making the memorial happen.

“We all knew driving down this road when we were kids it was going to be horrific.

“Now, we can come back here and we can actually see that it’s not there any more.”

The Lake Alice unit closed in 1978 and the wider facility 20 years later.

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/2026/02/23/memorial-unveiled-for-victims-of-lake-alice-child-and-adolescent-unit/

Posted on

NZ Breakers bank prize money in disappointing season

Source: Radio New Zealand

Breakers coach Petteri Koponen. Blake Armstrong/Photosport

The New Zealand Breakers do not want to get left behind in the Australian NBL as other cashed up teams lock in tested talent and inject rising stars into squads to chase championships.

The dust had barely settled on Dillon Boucher’s first season back with the Breakers when the president of basketball operations turned his attention to where improvements needed to be made for next season.

Finishing seventh in the 10 team league in the 2025/26 season was not what Boucher and the new ownership had in mind when they linked up with the organisation in March last year.

Reaching the final of the Ignite Cup was a bright spark in the season and they secured the prize money by winning a close game, something that the team struggled to achieve during the regular season.

A “rebuild” and “trying to bring in a level of professionalism and standards that we want to live by” was what the club had set out to achieve, but for anything they had improved off the court, the club was ultimately judged by what happened on the court.

“I would be lying if I said we didn’t want to be in the playoffs this year and I believe we should have been and could have been. So from that perspective it’s disappointing,” Boucher said.

“We’re already starting to have one eye on next year and how we’re going to build for next year and where we fell short.

“We’ll do a lot of off-season strategy on working out where we failed this season and where we need to get stronger.”

Boucher said every area of the organisation – front office, support staff, coaching staff and players – would be under scrutiny.

The missing margins

Breakers coach Petteri Koponen in the huddle. www.photosport.nz

The Breakers won big and lost big in the 2025/26 season and had a habit of capitulating in the close ones.

Across the season the Breakers won three games by 29 points or more, including a 42 point victory over the Illawarra Hawks in October.

They lost three games by 30 points or more including a 41 point loss to Sydney in January.

In the close ones the Breakers lost six games by four points or less.

Second season head coach Petteri Koponen acknowledged consistency was problem.

“We showed some really good stretches throughout the year, we had some upset wins and some bad heartbreaking losses…we improved from the last year but at the same time I think the league got better also.”

Koponen said they needed to find the “margins” for improvement on and off the court if the Breakers were to contest the post-season next season.

It was a sentiment echoed by NBL Most Improved Player nominee Sam Mennenga.

Mennenga averaged a career-best 17.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds in a season when the Breakers relied heavily on the big man who spent a stint sidelined with a wrist injury.

“There’s always things you want to change,” Mennenga said.

“I think that there is a lot of improvement that can be made and there is lessons that can be learnt.

There is a lot that we can take away to progress and improve, even just the day to day principles and standards that you set to win.”

Boucher was also on the same page.

“We’ve shown week in, week out that although we haven’t been consistent, we’ve been able to challenge teams and push teams and certainly compete.”

Is NZ first the right path?

New Zealand players, captain Reuben Te Rangi and Tukaha Cooper. Blake Armstrong/Photosport

A focus on bringing New Zealand talent home was part of the ownership’s direction when they took over.

“We will always try and recruit New Zealand talent, but at the same time made it really clear that we are there to win and we need to win games,” Boucher said.

“So if there’s better talent that’s outside of New Zealand, then 100 percent we’ll be talking to talent outside of New Zealand.

“We always want to try and develop within, give opportunities to New Zealand players, but those players have to be able to fill the role better than someone else from, say, across the ditch or overseas somewhere else.”

Including development players the Breakers had 11 New Zealanders involved with the roster of varying experience levels in the NBL.

Starting from scratch

Breakers coach Petteri Koponen. Blake Armstrong / PHOTOSPORT

Koponen’s future after two seasons at the club is not yet decided. Neither are the contracts of the majority of the playing roster.

The 37-year-old coach was coy before the final regular season game about whether he would return for another stint in the NBL.

“Everything is always open in this job but we’ll see. After the season we sit down and see what is the plan moving forward and how we can progress as a club,” Koponen said.

Boucher said all coaching staff appointments would be reviewed in the off-season and whether they returned would depend if the coaches wanted to return and if the club “had the ability to bring them back”.

Only three players – including import Parker Jackson-Cartwright – were under contract for next season and between now and when free agency began in two months Boucher wanted to have a couple more players locked in.

“At the moment we don’t have a huge number back next season, but it’s almost purposely done to be able to start again from scratch.

“Some of the players are on existing contracts that were there before we started. Some are brand new contracts. So for us, it’ll be what are the key pieces we need to be stronger next season.

“Some guys really put their hand up towards the end of the season knowing that their contracts are going to be up for renewal. And some guys seal the fate for themselves with either performances or how they behave and things like that.”

The next Next Star

Next Star Karim Lopez set a high standard for the next player to join the Breakers. Brett Phibbs

Part of running a fine-tooth comb through the roster and deciding where improvements could be made was a decision about getting another Next Star.

Mexican teenager Karim Lopez spent two seasons with the Breakers under the NBL’s Next Stars programme and will be part of the NBA draft in May.

Lopez is a hot commodity, predicted to go high in the draft, but he also left a good impression on the club that helped him develop as a professional player.

The forward ended the 2025/26 season with an average of 11.9 points per game and 6.1 rebounds.

“Definitely wouldn’t say no to a Next Star and certainly looking at what’s out there at the moment.

“We’ve been able to get great service out of Kareem and I think if we could have someone of his ability, again, put in front of us, then I would certainly be open to looking at what that looks like.”

Having a Next Star on the roster allowed a club to have 12 contracted players rather than 11.

“So it is one extra player, and that’s great when you’ve got injuries to have 12 players, but also to be able to keep 12 players happy and being able to play them on a regular basis is really difficult for a coach to do.

“Some teams load up their starting five and their bench is not so strong and they can come undone when you have injuries. And then you sometimes have a really deep bench of seven guys that can really play ball and they’re all pretty even, but unfortunately in a game someone has to miss out on some minutes here and there.

“Those pieces are really hard to try and juggle and for us right now, what we can control is where we think we need to improve, and then it’ll be going to market and seeing like how we can improve, what players are available, who are free agents, those sorts of things are really important.”

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/2026/02/23/nz-breakers-bank-prize-money-in-disappointing-season/

Posted on

Dog attacks: ‘Backyard breeding’ a major concern – vet

Source: Radio New Zealand

The scene of Saturday’s dog attack in Christchurch. Sam Sherwood / RNZ

A veterinary specialist says it is shocking to see another serious dog attack, days after a woman was mauled to death in Northland.

Three people were injured after two dogs attacked people in the Christchurch suburb of Bryndwr on Saturday.

One person was critically injured, another seriously injured, and a third treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Association of Professional Dog Trainers president Dr Jess Beer, said the frequency of the attacks right now is “distressing”.

“It’s multi-factorial when it comes to aggression in dogs. It’s not a personality, it’s a combination of lots of different reasons, and every case is individual.

“But it is concerning to be seeing so many instances where aggression has been reached in that relationship between the human and their dog.”

On Tuesday 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore was killed by dogs while visiting a home in the Northland town of Kaihu.

The attacks have sparked calls for an overhaul of the Dog Control Act – with Te Rore being the fourth person killed by dogs in the past four years.

In Christchurch, the city council has said the two dogs have been impounded pending an ongoing police investigation.

Beer said she did not know what caused the Christchurch attack, but said “backyard breeding” was causing concern generally.

“An animal is under-sexed, a roaming dog, they get pregnant, large puppies produced and it’s just a question of finding a home for them.

“I know if you speak to any of the rescues around New Zealand they are absolutely flooded with a lot of abandoned dogs.”

Beer said there was not enough information about de-sexing rates around the country, the levels of breeding going on, or where dogs were coming from.

“We need better management of what dogs are pro-creating, so there is a genetic predisposition that certain individual [breeds] will pass on a genetic trait to be prone to aggressive behaviours.”

There also appeared to be fewer dog owners seeking dog training before a problem occurred, Beer said.

She urged people to reach out to a dog trainer if they saw their dog display worrying behaviour.

“It is much harder to resolve these problems and help these dogs when they are already displaying bite activity towards people or other species.”

Local Government minister Simon Watts has previously said he is seeking advice on how central government can respond to these attacks, and on the Dog Control Act.

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/2026/02/23/dog-attacks-backyard-breeding-a-major-concern-vet/

Posted on

Northcote College students learning from home after sports pavilion caught fire

Source: Radio New Zealand

A fire destroyed the sport’s pavilion at Northcote College. Victoria Young

Students from the Auckland school that had its century-old, heritage listed sports pavilion gutted by fire are learning from home for the week.

The building at Northcote College was razed on Friday.

In a letter to parents, the school said it had been told to close by the Ministry of Education and specialist contractors.

“We are moving to online learning for the week of Monday 23 February to Friday 27 February for all students,” the school said.

Students should not come to school, it added.

A fire broke out at the Northcote College sports pavilion on 20 February 2026. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

There would be limited supervision given for students who could not stay home, but they would not be taught any lessons.

It also cautioned against “unhelpful” speculation about the fire’s cause, saying it was still under investigation.

Online learning would allow for the the safe demolition of the pavilion, its removal and clearing of the site, the school said.

“Property records show that there is asbestos (Class B) in some of the cladding around the base of the damaged building which will require appropriate management as it is removed,” the school had written to parents.

The fire at Northcote College on Auckland’s North Shore on 20 February 2026. Finn Blackwell

It also was not able to run heating, ventilation and air conditioning in its new K Block where half of its timetabled classes were.

“We have also been advised to keep all people off the fields and away from the gym and pool during the demolition and removal process.

“With these restrictions, online learning for the week is the safe and sensible option.”

Northcote College said air tests taken over the weekend for reassurance had all come back clear.

“Monitoring will continue this week,” it 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/2026/02/23/northcote-college-students-learning-from-home-after-sports-pavilion-caught-fire/

Posted on

E-scooter injuries on the rise, young people most affected

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Irra Lee, Morning Report producer/reporter

File photo. Young people the most affected by rise in e-scooter injuries. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Newly-released ACC data shows claims for e-scooter injuries are on the rise, with children and young people among the most affected.

It’s prompted an ED doctor to call for helmets to be made compulsory while riding.

ACC figures provided to RNZ indicate that of all new claims involving an e-scooter from the start of 2026 to early February, about half are for people under the age of 25.

Between 2022 and 2024, about 40 percent of new e-scooter-related claims each year were for under 25s, rising to 47% in 2025.

Part of the rise is being driven by large increases in claims for 10- to 14-year-olds. The age group recorded 203 new e-scooter claims in 2022, tripling to 605 by 2025.

The figures show the number of new e-scooter injury claims for under 25s last year had risen 85 percent since 2022. For all age groups, new claims involving the scooters have climbed 55 percent in the same time period.

ACC said it relied on people’s own reports of their injuries for this data, and that it counted claims using the date it was registered rather than when the injury occurred. The data also didn’t describe the severity of injuries, how they occurred, and who was affected (for example, the e-scooter rider or a pedestrian).

RNZ has asked Health NZ for further details on the injuries.

Dr Stuart Dalziel, a paediatric emergency medicine specialist at Starship Hospital, told RNZ the numbers married up with what he’d been seeing.

When they turn up to ED, Dalziel said some people’s injuries could be “relatively easy to sort out”, though others could be debilitating if it affected the head or face.

“For a small number of people, these e-scooter injuries are life-threatening.”

ACC’s data shows soft tissue injuries to muscles, ligaments, or tendons – like sprains or bruises – are most common when it comes to e-scooter incidents. This is followed by lacerations and punctures, then fractures and dislocations.

Dalziel said New Zealand should consider making helmet use compulsory with e-scooters. Currently, they are only “strongly recommended”.

He also called for a public health campaign encouraging safe scooting – similar to messages for safe cycling – and separating scooters from other road users.

“Obviously, scooters can do damage to pedestrians when they’re going at 30 kilometres an hour, but also if you fall off your e-scooter into a car.”

National MP Catherine Wedd is leading a campaign to take e-scooters off footpaths and into dedicated bike lanes whenever possible, with changes expected by mid-2026.

Current NZ Transport Agency rules say they can be used on the footpath or the road, though not in designated cycle lanes that form part of the road.

The responsibility for safety was a balance between individuals’ responsibility and the rules the Government set, Dalziel said.

“If you think about cycling as an example, we actually have a lot more controls around cycling than we do around e-scootering. The controls that we actually have around cycling do not stop people enjoying their bikes and going out and riding their bikes on the road.

“So it makes common sense that we actually have those same compulsory safety messaging around e-scootering,” he said.

“With regards to the e-scootering companies, there are some companies that have helmets attached to the e-scooter. I think that really is a good example of what companies can do in order to improve the safety of these scooters, but not all companies do that.”

Dalziel said it was difficult to know why young people were increasingly over-represented in ACC’s e-scooter claim statistics.

“I think predominantly, the cause is probably that people are using them more – and this will be both people using the scooters you can rent, but also people buying these products,” he said.

“We saw a spike in injuries when e-scooters were introduced to the country in 2018. That settled quite dramatically with the lockdowns associated with Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, and it’s steadily increased since then.”

ACC paid out almost $16 million for scooter-related injuries in 2025, an increase of about 10% on the year prior. Just over $1.2 million had been paid out in January 2026.

The cost of all road injury claims – which include active, private, and public modes of transport – was $766 million last year.

ACC said e-scooter riders could consider these tips:

  • If you’re new to e-scooters practice in a quiet place away from traffic and other people until you get to grips with them
  • If you’re pretty experienced, give the scooter you’re using a little test before travelling on it – is it as responsive as it should be, does it slow down/brake well etc.
  • Start slow and ease into it – they can go pretty fast/gain speed quickly
  • One person at a time
  • Wear a helmet

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/2026/02/23/e-scooter-injuries-on-the-rise-young-people-most-affected/

Posted on

Being a student is pricier than ever – does it pay off?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Just under 35,000 students received some form of financial assistance under the student allowance scheme in the first quarter of last year. File photo. Tri Wiranto/Unsplash

International student Huda Jamali says studying in Palmerston North is a bit cheaper than in other parts of the country – but she was still surprised by how pricey it could be.

She says a non-catered spot in the university halls is about $230 a week. “I don’t recommend living in halls. I don’t think it’s worth the price for the halls I’ve seen here in Palmerston North.”

She is paying $270 for a room in a house while she finishes her animal science studies. “I think it’s worth it because it’s bigger and more comfortable.”

She said she had been particularly surprised by the cost of food. “Our groceries are very expensive as well. Fresh produce is crazy. It’s very expensive and it’s so hard to eat healthy just because of the expensive fresh produce.”

Darcy Nelson found studying in Dunedin very expensive, too. She said rent was “ridiculously expensive”, “especially considering what you’re getting for it. Rent in my second year was $205 and then rent in my third year was $220. It’s really crazy for what you’re paying for – it’s a room in a very, very cold mouldy house.”

She said she looked for work for a long time but was not able to get one. “It’s really difficult to get a job down there.”

She ended up borrowing more on her student loan to pay for living costs. “My parents were helping with rent in my second year because $300 [in student loan support] for rent, food, power… you can’t do that. One of my best friends who was in my house both years didn’t have any help from her parents, she got the full loan out and she was skimping by truly eating pasta just all the time. She couldn’t afford anything, it was crazy.

Nelson said she had a falling out with flatmates over the power bill because it was so hard to save money. “You just can’t because the house isn’t properly insulated, you’ve got broken windows, you’ve got a dryer going… I think the biggest power bill between seven girls got to $900.”

Rent went up every year, she said.

“Especially on Castle St in Dunedin. The rent goes up by $15 a year, or $20. I know the girls who moved into our house this year are paying $250 or $260 a week each compared to our $220.”

She has moved back to Auckland to be able to live with her parents and work while she studies.

“I did two years there and two years is enough. I’ve got a couple of papers to complete and I’ll do it from Auckland, save my cash, save my money.”

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said the cost of being a student had increased significantly.

“In 2005, the average student could just about make it work. A weekly student allowance of $160 against essential costs of $140 left a slim $20 buffer. Not comfortable, but survivable. Rent was $86, food $42, electricity $11. You could manage, especially if you had a part time job too.

“Fast forward to 2025 and that buffer has flipped into a deficit. Student support has risen 86 percent, but the cost of essentials has increased more – by 220 percent. Rent is now $193. Food $96. The $20 surplus is now an $8 weekly shortfall, before you’ve bought a textbook, caught a bus or bought a beer. You need over $300 a week just to live.”

Ministry of Social Development data shows that in the first quarter of last year, just under 35,000 students received some form of financial assistance under the student allowance scheme.

That was up 5.2 percent on the year before. On average, they received $1882 in payments in the quarter, which was down 3 percent.

The maximum after tax for a student under 24 living with parents was $277.72 a week. For those away from home it was $323.33.

How much people can get from the allowance depends on their own income and that of their partner, if they are over 24, and their parents’ income if they are under 24.

Someone under 24 whose parents’ joint earnings are more than $69,935.32 a year before tax will have the amount they can receive in the allowance reduced.

There is no student allowance available for them if their parents own over $127,701.81 and they live at home, or $137,187.86 if they do not.

Students who do not qualify for an allowance can borrow more money for living costs on top of their student loans but this has to be paid back.

They can borrow up to $323.43 a week, an amount that is adjusted with inflation each year.

Eaqub said Dunedin and Palmerston North rents were 60 percent of AUckland pries in 2015 but that had risen to now more than 80 percent.

University tuition fees were up 113 percent and polytech fees up 60 percent.

“To pay for tuition and living costs – I hope not for other things – the median student loan balance has increased from $10,000 in 2005 to $24,000 in 2023.”

He said it was also less clear that students were getting a payoff for their studies.

“Post GFC, between 2009-2014, graduate incomes held up even as more people entered tertiary education. Pre-Covid, income premiums started flattening, and post-pandemic, returns have become dispersed and uncertain, with 25-34 year olds facing declining returns and stiffer competition than the cohorts before them.

“A qualification still helps. But the field you study and the sector you enter now matter far more than whether you have a piece of paper at all.”

Earlier, RNZ reported data from Education Counts showed higher-level qualifications had traditionally brought earning benefits over a person’s working life.

It said wages would generally increase as people gained work experience, but higher levels of education seemed to mean that people’s income grew at a faster rate. Getting a degree gave more of a wage benefit to European workers than it did for other groups.

“For those with a Level 4-6 tertiary qualification, they’ve been around 10 percent more. Adults with no qualifications, on average, have received around 20 percent less in weekly income, and 12 percent less in hourly earnings, when compared to those with school qualifications only.”

For employed adults, the hourly earnings of those with a degree have been around 35 percent more than for those with school qualifications only.

But Eaqub said people were being asked to take on significant debt and live in weekly deficit with the increasing uncertain hope that their income would pay off on the other side.

“Some will make it work. Many will be squeezed in ways that shape their financial lives for decades. Delaying homeownership, limiting savings, starting careers already behind, or getting ahead because of parental support.”

Indexing student support to living costs would help, he said, as would redirecting KiwiSaver subsidies to young people at birth to help them build up an account to help with education costs.

The housing problem also needed to be addressed he said, and the student loan scheme reimagined.

“Income-contingent repayment already exists, which is good. But with balances now averaging $24,000 and incomes more volatile, could there be a case for repayment smoothing, such as repayment holidays, when income drops, or maybe bonded or time-limited debt forgiveness for fields with demonstrable public benefit – teaching, nursing, social work, – where forgiveness is earned only after verified service. “

He said young people now were being asked to take on debt, work a lot or rely on their parents. “We want our young people to have access to affordable and high quality education. They are the future of our country.”

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/23/being-a-student-is-pricier-than-ever-does-it-pay-off/

Posted on

‘Bullying’, ‘dracionian’ homeless move-on orders questioned

Source: Radio New Zealand

File photo. RNZ / Luke McPake

An Auckland councillor is calling them draconian and heartless, the advocacy group for retailers doubts they will work long term, and a man on the streets says it’s bullying.

But the government says its move-on orders announced on Sunday are part of reclaiming main streets and town centres.

The orders target people as young as 14 and give Police powers to move on rough sleepers, disorderly people or beggars for up to 24 hours.

Breach an order, and it risks a fine of up to $2000 or three month jail term.

“We understand that in certain cities around New Zealand it is a significant problem,” Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said.

“There’s antisocial behaviour and a lot of drug taking and drinking, and it’s pretty unpleasant and it’s quite difficult for people to want to come into the city.”

She welcomes new tools for police, but doubts their long term usefulness.

“The problem we see with it is that if you move someone on, you’re moving them to just another area where they’ll be a problem for somebody else,” she said.

“The move-on orders are for 24 hours, they may just come back again the next day, the question is how many times will it take to move them on before we break the cycle and give relief to those businesses in that region and then it’ll be the same problem somewhere else.”

File photo. Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young. Supplied

Young said without wider social support, Retail NZ didn’t believe they would make a difference in the long run.

“And we know that the police do a really great job and they are already stretched, and so it’s hard to know how this is a solution,” she said.

“It’s probably a break in the circuit… it’s how often do you have to break the circuit before you’ll change behaviours.”

Some people on Auckland’s streets who spoke with RNZ after the announcement also had doubts.

“It’s a bully tactic,” Kenneth Dahl said.

He’s 50, and has been on and off the streets since he was 18.

“It’s pushing people into a corner… and as for them moving us into accommodation, they’re forcing us to live in places we do not want to live,” he said.

“It’s a bully tactic right there.”

Dahl currently has provided motel accommodation.

“But I choose not to be there because as soon as I look out the window all I see is grey and white, there’s no greenery whatsoever, nothing, no vegetation or anything around, it’s not a home, it’s a cell or a prison cell.”

The streets, he said, were where he felt most at home.

Benny Ngata was with him in the central city and expected the orders to lead to more crime.

“And they’re trying to move them out of the town to make themselves look better or something… but when it comes to it, how about help those people to advance themselves and give them a place, because the government’s housing is lacking, that’s why people are on the street,” he said.

“And not only that, people who live on the street, those who have mental illnesses or with addictions, so then how about help them… not by kicking them away.

“Because at the end of the day, that’s going to cause more trouble,” he said.

Ngata said it would just end up costing the government money to put people in jail.

“So at the end of the day, the government is going to lose,” he said.

“If you want to be a government, work with the people… how about get off your fat arse and help them.”

Ngata was asked if help was there at the moment.

“No, there’s nothing there, that’s why people are sleeping on the streets, that’s why people are homeless, because the government doesn’t care.”

Auckland councillor Richard Hills posted on Facebook it was earlier government changes that had dramatically increased homelessness.

File photo. Auckland councillor Richard Hills. Alexia Russell

“These heartless, draconian ‘move on orders will not deliver positive outcomes for people, but they will make the Govt look tough in an election year,” he wrote.

Community Housing Aotearoa said Police were not equipped to assess what health support rough sleepers need.

Chief executive Paul Gilberd said it shouldn’t be the job of officers.

“Often these people are very unwell both physically and in terms of mental health and sometimes substance abuse, so I feel for the police being put in a very awkward situation where they’re being required to make these judgements and I think there’s a strong argument for much better coordination between services,” he said.

Wellington’s City Missioner Murray Edridge said the government earlier signalled any laws to move on rough sleepers would come with support.

“And we heard the Prime Minister early in this conversation say we wouldn’t just move people on and not do anything to help them,” he said.

“Well, I’m still waiting to see what the help is going to look like.”

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith’s office said it’s been made very clear police are expected to connect people given move-on orders with the support they may need.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Back in Auckland, Queen’s Arcade property manager Ian Wright said the orders put the icing on the cake after more security, policing and social support.

“I don’t see it as displacement of the problem, that’s not a solution, it’s very much about holding people to account, drawing a line in the sand and saying we’ve actually got a right to be here too, the people, our visitors, and we want it to be safe and secure and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

But Aaron Hendry, who works with at-risk young people, is worried about the orders applying to people as young as 14.

“The support structures are not in place to adequately respond to these children’s needs and so, look, it’s concerning to us, we are concerned around what is looking like a really clear streets to prison pipeline with the lack of resources invested in to ensure that people are looked after,” he said.

The orders will be part of an amendment to the Summary Offences Act, meaning it still has to go through the legislative process.

Paul Goldsmith said there would be a chance for the orders to be scrutinised, but the government also wanted to get them in place as soon as possible.

The National Homelessness Data Project last showed homelessness had more than doubled in Auckland in the year to September.

What the orders do

  • The government will amend the Summary Offences Act to give police the power to issue move-on orders to people who are displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening, or intimidating behaviour.
  • They will also apply to people who are obstructing or impeding someone entering a business, breaching the peace, begging, rough sleeping, or displaying behaviour indicating an attempt to inhabit a public place.
  • The orders will require someone to leave for a specified time – up to 24 hours – and distance determined by the officer.
  • When the order is issued, the person will be warned it is an offence to breach it, unless they have a reasonable excuse for being there.
  • The penalty for a breach would be a maximum fine of $2,000 or up to three months imprisonment.

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/2026/02/23/bullying-dracionian-homeless-move-on-orders-questioned/

Posted on

What is burnout? And do you have it?

Source: Radio New Zealand

You might not have performed at Auckland’s Spark Arena or have had a film made about your journey reclaiming te reo Māori, but you probably can relate to the idea of taking a break “for a wee while” or having “a cup of tea and a lie down”.

Those were the quaint plans suggested by award-winning singer-songwriter Marlon Williams this week when he announced a break from public life. The news follows a big year for Williams, who released what is arguably the most consequential album of his career in 2025, his first in te reo Māori. A documentary about the album’s creation was also released. 

In his statement announcing the unknown length of rest, Williams spoke of the toll his work took on him.

IAN_LAIDLAW

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/23/what-is-burnout-and-do-you-have-it/

Posted on

Government Cuts – Govt wastes $58m forcing out 2,800 health workers during funding crisis – PSA

Source: PSA

Taxpayers have shelled out $58 million in redundancy payments to let go 2,800 health workers after the Government forced Te Whatu Ora Health NZ to slash its workforce to save money.
In data just released to the PSA under the Official Information Act Health NZ has confirmed it paid out $57.91 million to cover voluntary redundancies and early exits for non-clinical staff between 1 November 2023 and 31 December 2025. This did not include payments made in January of this year (see attached response).
During that period the PSA estimates Health NZ let go nearly 2,800 workers through cuts and voluntary redundancies ( see detail in 5 January statement).
“This is a shameful indictment of the Government’s reckless approach to cost cutting coming at a time of a health funding crisis – all this has done is deepen the crisis,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The jobs axed were not just numbers, they included experienced administrators who kept hospitals running, public health analysts preparing us for the next pandemic and IT experts who kept vital clinical systems running 24/7. They all had more to give our public health system.”
The PSA represents some 17,000 health workers including clerical and administration staff and IT experts.
“At a time of rising health needs, the Government just turned a blind eye. It claims it’s pushing resources into hospitals – Kiwis don’t see that evidence, but they do see long wait times at EDs and see clinicians forced to use paper and whiteboards when ageing IT systems break down.
“There is a high price to pay for losing these public health workers and it will include more IT failures, longer wait times and clinicians doing more administrative tasks.
“Bottom line, the Government forced Health NZ to spend money it didn’t have to axe workers it needed to keep the system functioning well for all New Zealanders.”
The $58 million health bill comes on top of the $10.2 million Callaghan Innovation paid out in axing 189 workers over a similar period including 85 scientists and researchers.
“The pattern is clear across government; spending millions to lose the expertise we desperately need.
“The downsizing of the public sector has left the Government less capable of providing the services critical to the health and well-being of New Zealanders and less able to do the work on the challenges we face from adapting to climate change, an ageing population and a dangerous infrastructure deficit.
“Come the election in November the PSA will be urging voters to choose a government that supports a public service that makes safeguarding our future a priority.”
Previous statements
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/22/government-cuts-govt-wastes-58m-forcing-out-2800-health-workers-during-funding-crisis-psa/

Posted on

PSA Statement – Unions say Winston Peters has breached Cabinet rules in attacking them over his failure to block Fire at Will / Uber Bill

Source: PSA

PSA and Workers First Union write to PM urging him to investigate Winston Peters over false claims about unions
The PSA and Workers First Union have today written to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon alleging that New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters has made false claims in breach of the Cabinet Office Manual that the unions failed to consult with his party earlier enough in their efforts to get his party to vote against the Fire at Will / Uber Bill.
The unions have released their letter to the Prime Minister (attached) which sets out the facts of the lengthy attempts they made from 2024 to just days before the Bill was passed last week to persuade NZ First to vote against the most anti-worker Bill in decades.
Last week Winston Peters told RNZ NZ First could have stopped the Fire at Will / Uber Bill if unions had approached him earlier. The party failed to vote against the Employment Relations Amendment Bill or put forward any amendments to the Bill, which passed its Third Reading on Tuesday despite his party indicating ‘tweaks’ were coming during the Second Reading debate.
“Winston Peters and New Zealand First betrayed workers by voting for the most anti worker legislation in over 50 years and he had the gall to falsely blame unions for not engaging with him earlier. The facts are clear, as laid out in our letter to the Prime Minister – we had several constructive engagements with NZ First,” said PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
“We remain adamant that the facts were laid out to the party clearly, and early, but NZ First chose to side with ACT and National despite its claims to be a party that cares about workers,” said Fitzsimons.
“Uber drivers and our union had many constructive meetings with New Zealand First over the last 18 months, and we warned them repeatedly of the damage that Brooke van Velden’s law change would wreak on New Zealand. Winston Peters’ false claims to the contrary show that he is full of hot air and should apologise for his untrue statements or front up to Uber drivers and explain himself,” said Dennis Maga, General Secretary Workers First Union.
The unions say Mr Peters has clearly breached the Conduct of Ministers provisions in the Cabinet Manual, as set out in paragraph 2.56, which states that Ministers, at all times, including in their political capacity must uphold the ‘highest ethical and behavioural standards’.
“As we say in the letter to the Prime Minister, ‘we cannot accept that any reasonable interpretation of paragraph 2.56 would find that it is acceptable conduct for a Minister to wilfully misrepresent the facts in order to show others in an unfavourable light’. When Hon Judith Collins made inaccurate comments about teacher salaries, she appropriately corrected herself and apologised which is needed here too,” said Fitzsimons.
“Unions need to have constructive relationships with all parties, no matter their colours, and at times we will disagree as we do over the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. But we can’t abide a party leader, a senior Minister, and one as experienced as Mr Peters, deliberately misrepresenting the facts,” said Dennis Maga.
“NZ First put the business interests of their coalition partners over the interests of workers in voting for this draconian Bill, despite our best efforts over many months to persuade NZ First to back workers, not the ACT Party.
“NZ First were more than capable of drafting their own amendments to the Bill since its introduction, and they have a taxpayer-funded Parliamentary office and policy unt and under their coalition agreements they could have and should have simply voted this exploitative law down,” said Maga.
“We urge Christopher Luxon to take this matter seriously, meet with us and investigate Mr Peters over this clear breach of Cabinet rules. Truth must be the gold standard in modern politics,” said Fleur Fitzsimons.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/22/psa-statement-unions-say-winston-peters-has-breached-cabinet-rules-in-attacking-them-over-his-failure-to-block-fire-at-will-uber-bill/