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As it happened: Cyclone Vaianu leaves roads closed, evacuees still out of homes

Source: Radio New Zealand

The clean-up has begun after severe weather brought on by Cyclone Vaianu hammered much of the North Island at the weekend.

All weather warnings and watches have been lifted for the Bay of Plenty, while the state of local emergency for Tauranga has been lifted.

Vaianu has tracked away from the mainland, after causing power cuts, flooding and road closures across the east coast of the North Island.

The weather system brought 220mm of rain to Coromandel and wind gusts of 126 km/h were recorded at Māhia.

In the central North Island almost 3000 properties remained without power about noon on Monday.

A heavy rain watch is in place for Northern Taranaki, Waitomo, Taumarunui, and Taupō west of the lake.

Read the liveblog below to see how the day unfolded:

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/as-it-happened-cyclone-vaianu-leaves-roads-closed-evacuees-still-out-of-homes/

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New Zealand’s top exporters call on parliament to back free trade agreement with India

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 17 March 2025. Piyal Bhattacharya / The Times of India via AFP

Some of New Zealand’s top exporters and business associations have signed an open letter calling on all political parties to back New Zealand’s free trade agreement with India.

The letter described the FTA as a “strategic necessity” for New Zealand’s economic security, but New Zealand First has hit back at the signatories, saying their involvement is an “appalling commentary.”

The government confirmed negotiations had concluded with India in December, but New Zealand First withheld its support over immigration concerns.

It means the government needs Labour’s support to pass the deal through the House, but Labour is still to decide whether it will back the deal.

The open letter, organised by BusinessNZ, was signed by 28 exporters and industry associations, such as Federated Farmers, Zespri, Seafood New Zealand, and Beef and Lamb New Zealand.

The letter said trade was critical to New Zealand’s prosperity, and the FTA was the next significant step forward.

“In an increasingly uncertain global environment marked by rising protectionism, geopolitical tension, and supply chain disruption, New Zealand cannot afford to stand still. Securing better access to India will help build resilience, spread risk, and strengthen our economic position,” the letter said.

“An FTA with India is not a luxury; it is a strategic necessity for our economic security.”

BusinessNZ chief executive Katherine Rich said bipartisan support underpinned the strength of New Zealand’s trade.

“New Zealand relies on global markets to drive growth, support jobs and lift incomes,” she said.

“That only works when there is consistency and confidence in our trade settings. That’s why we’re making this call to all political parties today.”

BusinessNZ chief executive Katherine Rich. Supplied

The open letter refers to the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement to a number of sectors, including horticulture, sheep meat, seafood, wine, honey, wood products, seeds and natural fibres, machinery, digital technology and services.

ExportNZ, which sits within the BusinessNZ network, said the deal would be a “major win” for exporters and the wider economy.

Its executive director, Joshua Tan, told Midday Report the letter was aimed at all political parties, not just Labour or New Zealand First.

“We want to have trade seen as a bipartisan, non-political issue here. We think that all political parties need to sign this deal and agree to it,” he said.

“India is on track to become the world’s third largest economy by 2030. Securing fair access to a market the size of India’s backs our farmers, growers, manufacturers, innovators and service providers, as well as the communities that depend on them.”

Tan said the sooner the deal was in place, the better.

“If we are too slow, sectors can be left at a disadvantage to other deals that India… are completing. Namely, the EU deal, which offers better access to the wine exporters, for example,” he said.

“So if we do get this deal in force before that, then we also stand to benefit from the access that the EU has negotiated. That’s why speed is the key here.”

The Meat Industry Association was one of the signatories.

Its chair Nathan Guy told RNZ political parties had a long history of supporting free trade agreements together.

Guy said the deal would remove a 30 percent tariff for the sheep meat sector, and was also significant for wool, pharmaceuticals, and blood products.

“It’s a fantastic deal for our primary sector at a time where there’s geopolitical issues raging around the world, we need this deal more than ever,” he said.

“We’re calling on the government to sign the deal, and we’re calling on political parties to get behind and back it.”

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. RNZ / Mark Papalii

“Signing a contract blindfolded” – Winston Peters

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the letter was a “breathtaking” position for BusinessNZ to take.

“How they and the 28 other businesses and associations could have signed up to support the India FTA without knowing what is in it is an appalling commentary on them all,” Peters posted on social media.

“How on earth can there be any sort of proper analysis of the FTA if they haven’t even read the agreement?”

Peters said his office had asked that question to BusinessNZ, but had not received a response.

“This is tantamount to those businesses signing a contract blindfolded,” he said.

“If it is true that this support for the FTA is not based on the actual text but instead relies on media reports and conflicting perspectives from different parties, it is a terrible indictment on how they operate.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins RNZ / Mark Papalii

“Issues and inconsistencies” – Labour

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Labour had seen the open letter “from the businesses which would benefit from the trade agreement”, and it was important that any deal worked in the long-term interests of all New Zealanders.

Hipkins said Labour had been asking the government for a response to its concerns for almost two months, but the government was yet to provide the detail Labour had requested.

“There are issues and inconsistencies that still need to be clarified by the government to ensure any deal works in the long-term interest of New Zealanders,” Hipkins said.

“Once we’ve received the details and worked through all the advice, we will discuss as a caucus and make a decision about whether to support the legislation.”

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/2026/04/13/new-zealands-top-exporters-call-on-parliament-to-back-free-trade-agreement-with-india/

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Former boss of failed insurer CBL goes for settlement with financial markets regulator

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Financial Markets Authority’s headquarters in Auckland. Google Maps

The former head of failed insurer CBL has settled with the financial markets regulator over proceedings related to the company’s public share offer in 2015.

Under the settlement with the Financial Markets Authority, Peter Harris agreed to make admissions of liability relating to two breaches of the Financial Markets Conduct Act.

The settlement was announced one day before the public share float-related trial against CBL, and the executor of the estate of former director Alistair Hutchison, who died in 2021.

FMA head of enforcement Margot Gatland said the settlement was a significant milestone in the long-running proceedings that followed CBL’s collapse in 2018.

“The FMA has entered into a settlement with Mr Harris in respect of liability while allowing remaining issues relating to the appropriate penalty to be determined by the court,” Gatland said.

“While admissions have been made, the amount of any pecuniary penalty to be imposed and whether a banning order should be made against Mr Harris remain in dispute.”

Gatland said those issues would be determined by the High Court.

The penalty hearing against Harris was a separate matter to the trial starting Tuesday.

CBL was a share market high-flyer when it listed in 2015, rising to a value of around $750m before collapsing in 2018, triggering a string of investigations and legal cases by the FMA and Serious Fraud Office.

Last year, the former chief financial officer of CBL, Carden Mulholland, was ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in penalties and costs by the High Court, for being an accessory to the breaking of information disclosure rules.

In 2024, Harris and the FMA cut a deal to settle a civil case about market disclosures.

Under the deal, Harris was to admit breaches of rules for not disclosing to investors its insurance business needed to strengthen its reserves, unpaid premiums from its French business and official directions made to its Irish subsidiaries.

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/2026/04/13/former-boss-of-failed-insurer-cbl-goes-for-settlement-with-financial-markets-regulator/

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World Vision – A GENERATION LOST: SUDAN’S CHILDREN PAY THE PRICE OF THREE YEARS OF CONFLICT

Source: World Vision

  • The conflict in Sudan enters its fourth year with more than 17 million children in desperate need as famine-like conditions grip the nation
  • Malnutrition is rife and nearly one million  children are at risk of death
  • More than 10 million children have not set foot  in a classroom in three years
Sudan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises following three years of relentless violence in which children are paying the most devastating cost. 
World Vision New Zealand warns that without urgent international funding and immediate political action to end the conflict, an entire generation of children could be lost.
Famine-like conditions have been confirmed across multiple regions, driving more than four million children into acute malnutrition. Among them, more than 800,000 are so severely wasted that without specialised treatment, they may not survive.
World Vision New Zealand Country Programme Manager, Sarah Whittaker, says the world is failing Sudan’s children and must act now. 
“New Zealanders have a proud tradition of showing up for the world’s most vulnerable people, and Sudan’s children need that now more than ever.
“This crisis is not winding down, in fact it is accelerating. Every week that passes without adequate action means more children exposed to horrific violence, more children dying of preventable hunger, more girls exposed to violence, and another generation denied an education.”
New Zealand contributed $5 million NZD to Sudan’s humanitarian response in the last financial year.
“New Zealand must urgently increase its humanitarian funding to Sudan to match the scale of the crisis,” Whittaker says.
“So many children are turning up at displacement camps alone, without parents, without protection and without support. Children have nothing and no one to rely on. Humanitarian aid is their only lifeline. Without it, children will not survive.”
In a single displacement camp in Fina in Sudan, more than 200 unaccompanied children have been identified, a heart-breaking snapshot of a crisis in which children continue to suffer in silence. 
Today, two-thirds of Sudan’s population are in need of humanitarian support, including more than 17 million children. Children like 11-year-old Ibrahim who fled his hometown with his family after his home was shelled.
“The sky was black with smoke, and I saw people covered in blood,” Ibrahim recalls. “We ran until we could not breathe. I thought we would be safe here, but there is nothing but dust. I used to have books and a bed. Now we sleep on the ground in a makeshift shelter and I wait for food that never comes.”
World Vision teams are working round the clock in Sudan to deliver food, clean water, nutrition therapy, and child protection services, but the gap between need and available resources is growing at a catastrophic rate. 
World Vision Sudan National Director, Simon Mane, says time is running out for an entire generation of children.
“The children of Sudan have shown incredible resilience, but resilience has its limits. They need the world to care about their survival and to step up and do more. Every hour of delay increases the risk of death for more children.” 
World Vision is also calling on the New Zealand Government to urgently increase humanitarian funding and support international efforts toward a ceasefire.
New Zealanders can donate to World Vision’s Sudan Emergency Appeal at www.WVNZ.org.nz/CHR or by calling 0800 800 776.
Note:
World Vision in Sudan: World Vision has operated in Sudan for over 40 years and is currently delivering life-saving food, clean water, nutrition and child protection services to communities across the country. Sudan is now home to the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than 13 million people forced from their homes.
About World Vision New Zealand: World Vision New Zealand is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision operates in nearly 100 countries worldwide.

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/world-vision-a-generation-lost-sudans-children-pay-the-price-of-three-years-of-conflict/

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Sleep your way to smoother skin: MyWrinkles founder wins Soda’s Growth Lab

Source: Soda Inc.

A simple idea with big potential – smoothing wrinkles while you sleep – has won Soda’s Business Fundamentals Growth Lab and $2,000 to support its next stage of growth.
MyWrinkles founder, Lara Hofer, impressed judges with her science-backed skincare brand which uses reusable, medical-grade silicone patches to smooth fine lines and support healthier skin – offering a non-invasive, non-toxic alternative to Botox and other cosmetic treatments.
The idea grew out of Lara’s business, Myscar, which develops and sells silicone scar treatment products.
“While developing silicone products for scar care, I became increasingly interested in its potential for everyday skincare, particularly its ability to soften fine lines and wrinkles. After years of development and testing, MyWrinkles was created to bring that same trusted technology to facial skincare in a way that is effective, easy to use, and gentle on the skin,” says Lara.
“The Growth Lab has been incredibly valuable for me as a founder. It gave me clarity on how to structure and communicate my business and helped turn what felt like a lot of moving parts into a clear, focused growth plan. Winning gives me real confidence in the direction we are heading with MyWrinkles, and the impact we can have in the beauty industry here in New Zealand and globally.”
The win comes at the culmination of Soda’s Business Fundamentals Growth Lab, powered by Deloitte. Over the past two months, a cohort of Hamilton-based female founders have taken part in a structured programme designed to build strong business foundations and accelerate growth.
Developed and led by local entrepreneur, Dr Fern Kelly-Zander – co-founder and owner of Rudi’s Bakehouse and Innovation Specialist at Soda – the programme combines online learning with in-person, expert-led workshops and weekly guest speakers.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch participants grow in confidence and clarity week by week,” says Dr Fern Kelly-Zander, Soda Programme Manager and Innovation Specialist.
“By the time they step onto the pitch stage, they’re not just talking about an idea, they’re communicating a well-thought-out business with purpose and direction. That shift is exactly what the Growth Lab is designed to support,”
During the programme, participants learnt practical skills to run and grow successful businesses, covering everything from financial foundations and pricing through to marketing, strategy and long-term planning.
“We created the Growth Lab to equip founders with the tools, knowledge, confidence and connections needed to grow sustainable businesses. The impact the programme has had on participants has been genuinely transformational,” says Anna Devcich, Soda General Manager.
“We’re lucky to have Dr Fern Kelly-Zander who has poured an incredible amount of expertise, energy, time and care into the Growth Lab. As a founder herself, she understands exactly what early-stage businesses need, and that’s reflected in both this programme and Soda’s Business Fundamentals Online platform.”
Delivered in partnership with Deloitte New Zealand, the Business Fundamentals Growth Lab reflects a shared commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs and strengthening the regional business ecosystem.
“The programme struck a great balance between practical business fundamentals and the excitement of building something new. As head judge, it was rewarding to see founders sharpen their thinking, back themselves, and enjoy the process,” says Stefan Davies, Partner at Deloitte New Zealand.
“Deloitte was proud to support Soda’s first in-person Business Fundamentals Growth Lab, along with the founders who brought such momentum and commitment to the cohort.”
The Business Fundamentals Growth Lab is part of Soda’s wider offering for entrepreneurs and business owners, including access to government funding and support, business events and workshops, startup coaching, and strong community connections.
Business Fundamentals Growth Lab participants
Britt Te Patu – Eventi
Hayley Beaumont – HeyBeau
Kelly Watts – Kultivate Kids
Lara Hofer – MyWrinkles
Lisa Quarrie – Common Compost
Olya Meehan – Topsy Turvy NZ
Zoe Hoole – Makers Common
Soda Soda empowers businesses to grow with confidence and achieve success. We connect entrepreneurs, business owners and key decision makers with the people, tools and expertise they need to accelerate growth. Proudly based in Hamilton, Soda is the Waikato’s Regional Business Partner, guiding local businesses to government funding and support to help them thrive. We also deliver free one-to-one coaching for early-stage founders through Startup Aotearoa. Alongside our programmes, Soda hosts a range of inspiring events designed to motivate and upskill our business community. We’ve also developed Business Fundamentals Online – a digital learning platform offering short, practical courses tailored to support entrepreneurs and business owners across Aotearoa. www.sodainc.com Deloitte Deloitte New Zealand brings together more than 1,800 specialist professionals providing audit, tax, technology and systems, strategy and performance improvement, risk management, corporate finance, business recovery, forensic and accounting services. By fostering inclusive leadership and creating opportunities for women, Deloitte aims to shape a business landscape where women are driving transformation and redefining success.
Deloitte is proud to sponsor Soda’s Business Fundamentals Growth Lab for Women in Business. Deloitte was involved in the selection panel, group sessions, as well as judging on the pitch night, offering advice and feedback.

LiveNews: https://enz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/sleep-your-way-to-smoother-skin-mywrinkles-founder-wins-sodas-growth-lab/

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Serious crash, Wairere Drive, Hamilton

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are at the scene of a serious crash involving a car and truck, which has blocked Wairere Drive at Harrowfield, Hamilton.

The crash was reported about 2.30pm and happened between Pukete and River roads.

One person has critical injuries while several others are reportedly in serious condition.

The Serious Crash Unit is carrying out a scene examination and Pukete Bridge remains closed while emergency service work at the scene.

Members of the public are asked to avoid the area, and diversions are in place.

Further information will be issued when it becomes available.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/13/serious-crash-wairere-drive-hamilton/

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MEDIA ADVISORY: More police for New Zealand

Source: New Zealand Police

Media are invited to the Wing 394 Reverend Tieki Kaa recruit graduation.

What: Graduation of the New Zealand Police 394 Recruit Wing.
Who: For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested police officers.
Why: Completion and graduation from their initial training course.
Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua.
When: Thursday 16 April at 2pm – media will need to be in place by 1.45pm.
How: RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers will attend the ceremony with Wing Patron, Reverend Tieki Kaa.

Wing 394 Patron

Wing 394 has been supported by Wing Patron Reverend Tieki Kaa, a former police officer, affectionately nicknamed ‘Papa Jack’ by recruits. A kaumātua of Horouta Marae, Tieki himself graduated from Wing 37 in 1967.

A long-time supporter of the Royal New Zealand Police College, he has connected Police recruits to Māori culture, tikanga and the importance of the marae to the people of Porirua.

Wing 394 graduates

A dad following in his police officer son’s footsteps, a science lab technician, an award-winning press photographer, a fashion designer, an NZ judo representative, several tradies, and academic scholars are among the 394 class. Also in Wing 394 are five current Police staff members who have jumped from non-constabulary roles to the uniform branch including a Police College café barista who had a close-up view of recruit life having made coffee for hundreds of recruits prior to her own application.

Follow us:

Watch for updates from the graduation on our Instagram – follow us here.

More details about statistics, prize winners and other recruits will be shared after graduation on Thursday and a follow up Ten One story will be published later this month. 

ENDS 

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/media-advisory-more-police-for-new-zealand/

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New Zealand’s fuel stocks stable, latest update shows

Source: Radio New Zealand

Officials say fuel stocks remain stable. RNZ / Quin Tauetau

The country’s fuel levels have dipped slightly, but officials say stocks remain sufficient and there is still no sign of supply disruption.

The latest Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) update recorded 59.7 days cover of petrol, as of midnight Wednesday. That’s down from 62.6 days at the last update.

Diesel stocks would stretch 49.1 days (down from 51.7) while jet fuel was set to last 50.7 days (down from 53.5).

Less than half of the total fuel stocks, however, were actually “in-country” with the remainder still on ships.

On-land supplies amounted to about 26 days, 22 days and 25 days of petrol, diesel and jet fuel respectively.

Five ships were up to two days away, with another nine within three weeks of arrival.

MBIE officials said “no concerns” had been reported about future fuel shipments.

“There is currently no indication of fuel supply disruption, and fuel continues to flow normally into New Zealand.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/new-zealands-fuel-stocks-stable-latest-update-shows/

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Strong summer travel season in South Island with Christchurch Airport seeing ‘exceptional’ growth

Source: Radio New Zealand

despite the pressure on the world economy and the disruption to air travel, Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson remained optimistic. 123rf.com

The South Island benefited from a buoyant summer travel season with international visitor numbers soaring at Christchurch Airport.

The airport said international visitor numbers over the November to March period rose 22 percent on the year before.

It recorded 3.1 million passengers travelling through the airport, with 287,000 of them being overseas passengers.

Based on government data, the airport said the international travellers contributed $861 million to the South Island economy.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the growth levels were “exceptional”, and all of its key markets saw improvements.

“A 22 percent increase in international visitors is a fantastic result, and when you look at the $861 million they’ve contributed to the South Island, that’s real money going into our restaurants, hotels, tourism operators, and the wider economy,” he said.

“It shows just how important growing connectivity is. Our aeronautical development team, alongside our partners, has really delivered.”

Australia was the biggest source of overseas visitors, rising 17 percent, followed by China, up 103 percent.

However, just as the strong summer period ended, the global economy was plunged into uncertainty following the United States and Israel-led war against Iran.

The war has resulted in soaring jet fuel prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for the world’s oil and gas exports.

But despite the pressure on the world economy and the disruption to air travel, Watson remained optimistic.

“It’s certainly a headwind for the [tourism] recovery, but we haven’t seen it translate into significant reductions at this point,” he said.

Watson said airlines appeared to be trimming the schedules, rather than major cancellations, and while airfares had increased, they had not gone up markedly.

“That’s not to say over time if it continues we won’t see more reductions and further increased costs.”

He believed Christchurch was in relatively a strong position to withstand the pressure, and although fuel prices would be a barrier to recovery, he pointed to underlying demand in the city to help drive visitors.

“With the revitalisation of the city, a strong events programme, a really strong university and work choices in Christchurch, we’ve got a lot of tailwinds.”

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/2026/04/13/strong-summer-travel-season-in-south-island-with-christchurch-airport-seeing-exceptional-growth/

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Two in hospital after chemical reaction at Dunedin Airport’s sewage treatment plant

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fire and Emergency said it was called to the plant at about 11.50am on Monday. Pretoria Gordon / RNZ

Two people have been taken to hospital after a chemical reaction at Dunedin Airport’s sewage treatment plant.

Fire and Emergency said it was called to the plant at the rear of the airport about 11.50am on Monday.

Three fire trucks, three specialist appliances and one incident commander remained at the scene at 2.30pm.

A spokesperson said two litres of hyperstat chloride and three litres of sulphuric acid were mixed together in a container leading to the workers’ injuries.

Fire crews were using soda ash to neutralise the chemicals and the site would need to be decontaminated before workers could return.

St John said two people were taken to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate condition.

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/2026/04/13/two-in-hospital-after-chemical-reaction-at-dunedin-airports-sewage-treatment-plant/

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Road blocked, Wairere Drive, Hamilton

Source: New Zealand Police

Wairere Drive is blocked following a serious crash in Hamilton this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the two vehicle crash on Pukete Bridge at around 2.30pm.

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

Wairere Drive is blocked and diversions are in place.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

ENDS

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/road-blocked-wairere-drive-hamilton/

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Founder of charity Kaitāia Whānau in Need left with a destroyed home after March floods

Source: Radio New Zealand

The grandmother of five founded the charity Kaitāia Whānau in Need after she spotted a social media post from a young mum who’d just given birth to a premature baby.

The March 26-27 flood wrecked Deirdre Ahu’s belongings and left her home in need of serious repair. Supplied

During the past five years Deirdre Ahu has helped hundreds – probably thousands – of people in Kaitāia in desperate need of food, clothing and comfort.

But now she is the one in need of help, after the March flood swamped her home and destroyed almost everything she owned.

The grandmother of five founded the charity Kaitāia Whānau in Need after she spotted a social media post from a young mum who’d just given birth to a premature baby.

“This young mother had absolutely nothing, nothing prepared, no clothing, absolutely nothing. So when she put a post up asking for help, I thought I’d share it,” Ahu said.

“The support that came in was truly overwhelming. And I thought, my goodness, if we can help one mother, how many more can we help in our community? So it really started from there.”

Next she branched out into providing food parcels for vulnerable families, then clothing, then blankets and linen, and furniture.

She teamed up with Shoebox Christmas, a national organisation that makes sure children in struggling families don’t miss out on presents, and in 2024 started the highly successful “Adopt a Granny” in Kaitāia.

Under the programme, volunteers are paired up with an elderly person and visit them fortnightly to provide company, fresh groceries, and a welfare check.

One of Deirdre Ahu’s mokopuna helps deliver a food parcel to a family in need. Supplied

Ahu also organised care packs for solo dads – a group she said was often overlooked – and helped women fleeing violent relationships.

She had no idea of how many people she’d helped, though she’d provided food for at least 100 whānau a month and clothing or blankets to about 80 a week.

“But it was never about numbers. It was about not passing any judgement and respecting that our most vulnerable families needed help,” she said.

All that came to an end when the March 26-27 flood swept knee-deep through her home in Pāmapūria, south of Kaitāia.

The flood that hit Kaitāia last month also swept through Deirdre Ahu’s home at Pāmapūria. Supplied FNDC

All her belongings – furniture, bedding and appliances – were damaged and had to be thrown away, and the flooring and walls would have to be stripped out and replaced.

Ahu said the house was “no castle” but it had been passed down from her father and it was home.

It was uninsured.

She had been staying in Auckland for the past week where she had managed to find transitional housing and was now looking for work.

Her plan was to save up some money, buy building materials, and repair her home.

A few days after the flood she made the difficult decision to shut down Kaitāia Whānau in Need and pass the rākau (baton) on to others.

She had not yet been able to bring herself to shut down the group’s Facebook page, and was still scrolling the Kaitāia Notice Board checking for requests for food, clothing or furniture.

The 55-year-old said she was going through “trialling times”.

“I’ve lost everything. But at the end of the day, it’s all replaceable. So I thank God for that blessing.”

She refused to take credit for the work of Kaitāia Whānau in Need during the past five years.

All she did, she said, was act as coordinator between those able to donate and those in need.

“It’s a credit to our amazing community, including our amazing businesses and support groups who were happy to partner with me to provide for our whānau. Without the community it would be impossible. I take no credit whatsoever.”

Ahu said she was hugely grateful to the Civil Defence, the Far North District Council and the mayor for the support she had received since the flood.

That included emergency accommodation and a skip bin – “that was like gold!” – to dispose of her flood-wrecked belongings.

Even now council staff called her every two to three days to check if she was okay, she said.

She hoped to restart her work once she returned to Kaitāia and was back on her feet.

“This was God’s calling upon my life and my passion to be able to serve the needs of others.”

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/2026/04/13/founder-of-charity-kaitaia-whanau-in-need-left-with-a-destroyed-home-after-march-floods/

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Marlborough Sounds gets new address system

Source: Radio New Zealand

The new water addressing system uses a distance-based method to assign a number, measured along the shoreline. Marlborough District Council / supplied

About 1700 Marlborough Sounds properties are getting new addresses so they remain easily accessible to postal and emergency services.

Marlborough District Council had previously relied on jetty numbers, but that no longer met the standard required for property identification.

The council’s road name and addressing coordinator Belinda Darrell said the new water addresses would use a distance-based method similar to rural RAPID numbering, measured along the shoreline instead of a road.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) assessment earlier this year showed about 1700 properties in the Sounds were not numbered and many were only accessible by water.

“What’s unique about Marlborough Sounds is we’ve got dwellings that are behind other dwellings so it’s like an urban setting, which therefore makes the measuring quite unique and we’ve got to factor that in as well,” Darrell said.

The project is one of the largest to date in New Zealand, covering more than 1500 kilometres of coastline.

Darrell said a community in Pelorus Sound contacted the council about their addresses about 18 months ago and that led to the project with Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to create a new system aligned with New Zealand’s addressing standards.

“That’s when they realised that we had that urban, different, unique, complex type of scenario going on,” she said.

Water addresses will be allocated clockwise within bays and, once the first property is given an odd or even number, the entire bay will follow the same numbering pattern for consistency.

Each address will also include the locality name to help distinguish properties within the Sounds as many bays in Marlborough shared the same name.

Several councils across the country already use water addresses, including Tasman, Auckland, Christchurch and Porirua, but the Marlborough Sounds is the largest single catchment.

Darrell said the new system was a major step toward providing consistent, modern addressing across the region.

LINZ addressing lead James Virgo said it collaborated with the council team to develop and agree on a consistent approach to support the implementation of water addressing for boat access properties.

“This ensures properties have clear, consistent addresses and it’s positive to see this work now being made publicly available.”

The council will use the official bay names provided by LINZ when assigning new water addresses.

Property files will be updated in the council’s system to reflect the change with formal confirmation letters sent to homeowners.

For more information on water addressing, to check if your property is eligible and to apply including step-by-step support go to: www.marlborough.govt.nz/services/property-addressing or email DCAddressing@marlborough.govt.nz.

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/2026/04/13/marlborough-sounds-gets-new-address-system/

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ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 13, 2026

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 13, 2026.

Is it anxiety or OCD? 2 psychology experts explain the difference
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emily Upton, PhD Candidate in Psychology, UNSW Sydney; Black Dog Institute Anxiety itself is not a mental illness. It’s a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us respond to perceived threats. Anxiety is the automatic reaction that makes you jump back when you think you’ve seen a snake

A new ad campaign is pushing Australians to use less petrol. Has this happened before?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lee, Associate Professor of History, UNSW Sydney A new federal government advertising campaign is prompting Australians to reduce their fuel consumption during the current global oil crisis. It asks Australians to consider using their car less and offers tips to boost fuel efficiency, such as “driving

Ten dead in Bougainville amid Cyclone Maila aftermath
RNZ Pacific Cyclone Maila has been downgraded to a tropical low but has caused widespread damage in Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Ten people were reported dead in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville, including eight people killed in a landslide. The incident happened at Asiko Village in Kongara constituency in Central

Poetry for an anxious world: 5 experts share poems of grief, hope and restoration
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ley, Deputy Books + Ideas Editor, The Conversation Tumultuous times create heightened, often complex, emotions. It can be hard to voice or even identify our feelings when faced with war, illness, worry, or great changes of any kind. Poetry offers many gifts – among them, capturing,

Special agents: the rise of the neurodivergent hero in TV crime drama
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronald Kramer, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau There is a seemingly endless flow of crime dramas on streaming platforms these days. Many are fictional, some dramatise real historical crimes and criminal figures. But have you noticed how many characters – hero or

Why Vance couldn’t stop the Trump train wreck – an Iranian perspective
IRNA News Agency When news reports first indicated that US Vice-President JD Vance was going to lead the Americans in the negotiations with Iran, the country the US and Israel are waging a foolish war against, there was a sense that someone even as young him may have recognised the train wreck that Donald Trump

Children going through family courts face increased risk of self-harm, new research finds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Marchant, Research Assistant & PhD Candidate in Mental Health, Swansea University Family courts step in at some of the hardest moments in a child’s life, when parents separate or when there are concerns about their safety. We already know that children involved in care proceedings are

Embryo fossil found in South Africa is world’s oldest proof that mammal ancestors laid eggs
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Benoit, Associate professor in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand Between 280 and 200 million years ago, a group of animals evolved which would eventually give rise to mammals, including humans: the therapsids. They were first described more than 150 years ago, based on fossils from

How does spider venom damage human cells? Researchers uncover the killer mechanism of recluse spider toxin
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Cordes, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona Spiders are among Earth’s most resourceful predators, nabbing prey by any means necessary. Orb weavers spin webs for capture. Wolf spiders ambush on the ground at night. Almost all spiders use venom when they hunt. But

To stop Australian democracy going the way of the US, here’s what we need to do
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Democracy Deputy Program Director, Grattan Institute Around the world, democracy as a system of government is backsliding. After more than 50 years of liberal democracy in ascendancy, democratic progress plateaued around the turn of the century and is now going backwards. In 2025, there were

4 ways the war in Iran has weakened the United States in the great power game
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey Taliaferro, Professor of Political Science, Tufts University “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” Napoleon Bonaparte’s maxim may well have been in the minds of policymakers in Moscow and Beijing these past weeks, as the U.S. war in Iran dragged on. And now

From river stain to your cup of tea: the secret world of tannins
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne While stopped in heavy Melbourne traffic recently, I noticed that what looked like a shadow under a row of spotted gums (Corymbia maculata) along a major road was actually a stain

This Anzac Day falls on a Saturday – and these states will be getting an extra public holiday
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giuseppe Carabetta, Associate Professor of Workplace and Business Law, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney ANZAC Day is commemorated on 25 April each year as a tribute to more than 2 million Australians who’ve served in war and peacekeeping operations. That date is always the same.

Quantum computers are coming to break our codes faster than anyone expected
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Costello, Professor, School of Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology Online data is generally pretty secure. Assuming everyone is careful with passwords and other protections, you can think of it as being locked in a vault so strong that even all the world’s supercomputers, working together

Health-care workers risk their lives in warzones. Are we protecting them enough?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melanie O’Brien, Professor of International Law, The University of Western Australia Warzones are full of danger. But that’s never stopped humanitarian workers from living and working in such places, with the aim of keeping civilians safe. Humanitarian workers are deployed to locations ravaged by conflict or natural

Second fuel security trip to Asia for PM
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will leave on Tuesday for his second fuel security mission within a week. He will visit Brunei and Malaysia, after his trip to Singapore last week won assurances that the country would not be putting restrictions

Cyclone Vaianu: Damaging winds, heavy rain hit NZ’s North Island
RNZ News Weather warnings in New Zealand’s North Island are starting to lift, as Tropical Cyclone Vaianu tracks away from the country. Red and orange wind and rain warnings have been in place across much of the island since Friday. All red warnings and most orange warnings have now expired or been lifted. Orange wind

Protesters rally across Aotearoa in condemnation of Israel, US ‘warmongering’ and ‘shameful’ NZ
Asia Pacific Report Thousands of protesters took part in the “Stop Wars Aotearoa” rallies across New Zealand today, calling for an end to the illegal war on Iran and the brutal onslaught on Lebanon this week breaching a fragile two-week truce. While high-powered delegations from Iran and the United States were arriving in Islamabad for

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 12, 2026
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 12, 2026.

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/04/13/er-report-a-roundup-of-significant-articles-on-eveningreport-nz-for-april-13-2026/

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Is it anxiety or OCD? 2 psychology experts explain the difference

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emily Upton, PhD Candidate in Psychology, UNSW Sydney; Black Dog Institute

Anxiety itself is not a mental illness. It’s a normal, adaptive emotion that helps us respond to perceived threats.

Anxiety is the automatic reaction that makes you jump back when you think you’ve seen a snake while bushwalking – before realising it’s a stick.

It’s also (inconveniently) the sweaty palms and shaky voice you notice before a presentation or a first date, or the circling thoughts that keep you awake at 3am.

Most of us have ways to cope with anxious thoughts and feelings that can give us more of a sense of control. This could be checking and double-checking we’ve got the room right for our presentation, or seeking reassurance from someone we love.

But when might these behaviours fit a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder? And when could they actually be a sign of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?

As clinical psychologists, we find these questions come up a lot, perhaps spurred by a recent surge of interest in OCD on social media. So what’s the difference between anxiety and OCD? And how are they treated?

Social media is full of content ‘diagnosing’ OCD and explaining how it’s different to anxiety. TikTok

When is anxiety something more serious?

“Normal” anxiety can become an anxiety disorder when fears or worry are persistent, intense and start interfering with everyday life.

About one in three people will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.

Among the most common are social anxiety disorder (fear in social situations), panic disorder (frequent panic attacks, and fears you’ll have another) and generalised anxiety disorder (persistent and excessive worry).

These disorders have slightly different symptoms. But all share excessive and persistent fear or worry that causes distress or leads people to avoid important parts of life including work, study or social activities.

So, what about OCD?

Although OCD involves anxiety, it is actually considered a separate disorder in the diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals.

It is possible to have both – around half to three-quarters of individuals with OCD also meet criteria for one or more anxiety disorders as well.

OCD involves obsessions, compulsions, or both. These cause significant distress or interfere with daily functioning.

Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images or urges. This could mean an intense fear your food is contaminated, suddenly visualising hurting someone, or a feeling that keeps entering your mind that you’ve made a serious mistake.

Compulsions are the repetitive behaviours (or mental rituals) people feel driven to perform to ease that distress, such as checking, repeating phrases, excessive hand-washing or seeking reassurance.

Many of us will occasionally experience unwanted thoughts or go back to check the oven is actually off. Keeping things tidy or being particular about routines can simply be habits that don’t cause distress.

But what makes OCD different is its severity and impact.

If obsessions or compulsions take up large amounts of time, cause you significant distress, or interfere with daily life, it may be a sign of OCD.

You can’t “spot” OCD from behaviour alone. OCD can also be invisible because many compulsions happen mentally, such as repeating phrases or counting. People with OCD may also try to hide their symptoms out of shame.

Are OCD and anxiety treated differently?

While anxiety disorders and OCD share some similarities, including repetitive distressing thoughts, the patterns and beliefs driving them are different. This means the way they’re treated will also differ.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for both anxiety disorders and OCD.

For OCD, treatment often involves a specialised form of CBT called exposure and response prevention (ERP). It involves gradually facing situations that trigger distressing thoughts while resisting the urge to perform compulsions.

For example, someone with contamination fears might gradually reduce the number of times they wash their hands before eating. Over time, people learn the feared outcome does not occur, that they can tolerate their discomfort without the ritual, and that the anxiety passes on its own.

Treatment for anxiety disorders focuses on the specific fear. For generalised anxiety, for example, it involves understanding patterns of worry, challenging beliefs that keep worries going, and developing more helpful ways to respond to problems, such as brainstorming solutions and taking small actions.

Antidepressant medication (particularly selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRIs) can be an effective component of treatment for both anxiety disorders and OCD. A combined treatment approach of medication (SSRIs) and therapy (CBT) often leads to the best treatment outcomes, especially for severe OCD.

A final note

While it’s great mental health is being discussed more openly online and stigma is reducing, social media can also blur the line between personal experience and evidence-based information.

If something you’ve seen online has sparked curiosity about your mental health, the best next step is to talk with a qualified professional who can help you understand what you’re experiencing and what support might help.

For more information and resources about anxiety and OCD, visit the Black Dog Institute or Beyond Blue, and ReachOut or Headspace for young people.

There are lots of evidence-based online treatment programs for anxiety disorders and OCD you can access for free or low-cost, such as This Way Up, MyNewWay or Mindspot.

There are also online treatments for kids and teens with OCD and anxiety.

You can also ask your GP about a Mental Health Care Plan for Medicare-rebated psychology sessions.

– ref. Is it anxiety or OCD? 2 psychology experts explain the difference – https://theconversation.com/is-it-anxiety-or-ocd-2-psychology-experts-explain-the-difference-277624

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/04/13/is-it-anxiety-or-ocd-2-psychology-experts-explain-the-difference-277624/

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Rural communities to access planned care closer to home

Source: New Zealand Government

New funding will help upskill the frontline rural health workforce, enabling rural general practitioners to deliver planned care and allowing more people to receive care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.

“New Zealanders living in rural communities deserve to get the care they need, when they need it, closer to home and that’s exactly what we are delivering,” Mr Doocey says.

“Rural communities shouldn’t have to travel unnecessarily for planned healthcare. That’s why we are investing $1 million to train rural GPs to deliver planned care services locally. This will increase access to support for people living in rural areas and reduce the need for hospital visits.

“Planned care is traditionally delivered in hospital settings and organised ahead of time. Too often currently, people in rural areas are having to travel long distances or wait longer than necessary for this type of care. This will help reduce the need for travel.

“Training will focus on practical skills such as assessing and treating heavy or unusual bleeding and removing and examining skin lesions, along with other planned care priorities.

“More than 100 rural communities rely on rural general practitioners as the backbone of their local healthcare. Strengthening rural GPs’ planned care skills will help people receive treatment sooner and closer to home, prevent conditions from worsening, and reduce unnecessary travel and wait times.”

The funding will cover agreed training costs and cover for GPs while they train, enabling rural practitioners to take part without patients being disrupted. Training funding will be implemented through Health New Zealand, using local knowledge to ensure the funding is targeted where it will have the greatest impact for rural communities.

“We are backing our rural health workforce who are doing fantastic work, often under challenging circumstances.

“Our rural and remote communities are spread across long coastlines, mountain ranges, and islands. For some New Zealanders, the nearest hospital is hours away and specialist care is not always nearby. Now more patients will be able to access planned care locally, without having to travel long distances or wait longer than necessary.

“By investing in our rural frontline workforce rural communities can have confidence that care will be there when they need it.”

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/13/rural-communities-to-access-planned-care-closer-to-home/

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Health NZ scrubs internet of old websites

Source: Radio New Zealand

The clutter persisted for two years under the new centralised agency, which began consolidating them in July 2024. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

Health New Zealand (HNZ) is getting rid of hundreds of old websites and says it is saving millions by doing so.

It inherited 344 websites about specific conditions – one is called “death docs”, another Mpox toolkit – or places, such as the sites of the 20 district health boards that preceded HNZ, or actions such as appointment booking websites.

“Many legacy websites were poorly maintained, posed technical and security risks, were no longer fit for purpose” or did not meet government standards, HNZ told the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, which represents senior doctors.

The clutter persisted for two years under the new centralised agency, which began consolidating them in July 2024.

It was “making significant savings by bringing together hundreds of legacy and local websites into a smaller number of secure, accessible national channels”, acting chief IT officer Darren Douglass said in a statement.

By the end of March, HNZ estimated it had saved $21.4m in one-off savings from not having to upgrade platforms, and ongoing savings from lower hosting and support costs, reduced duplication and improved staff productivity.

“These benefits are expected to continue to accrue as remaining sites are consolidated.”

It had spent $150,000 on an external consultant for development services, but the other work was done in-house.

My Covid Record was on the list of old sites, as was Starship Children’s Hospital’s website, lots of public health campaign sites and workforce data portals.

Some were set up in partnerships with third parties, some were internal only and some had already been decommissioned.

“Decisions to consolidate or decommission sites were informed by user research and behavioural data, including direct user testing and insights from tools such as Google Analytics and HotJar,” Douglass said.

The umbrella site was now at www.healthnz.govt.nz. HNZ told the ASMS it did not think that would get confused with the policy-related Ministry of Health website, and that if it had called it tewhatuora.govt.nz when every other reference is “Health New Zealand” that could have caused public confusion.

It gave a month to six weeks’ warning of closing a site, said Douglass.

“This includes placing on-site notifications or banners on the affected website, directly informing relevant internal stakeholders, and implementing page level redirects to ensure continuity of access.”

That was to make sure bookmarks, QR codes, printed URLs and external links still worked.

ASMS said the new URL was very similar to the Ministry of Health’s website.

“The public deserves some clear communication on this,” it said on Monday. “There’s irony in the way Health NZ says it’s concerned about ‘public confusion’ over retaining the Te Whatu Ora web address, while all its email addresses remain @tewhatuora.govt.nz.

“It’s also a concern that Health NZ doesn’t seem to have any plan to tell it’s main stakeholders – patients – about these changes, when these websites are where people go to find information on care they need.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/health-nz-scrubs-internet-of-old-websites/

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Wrong diagnosis ends in elderly man’s death

Source: Radio New Zealand

An elderly man was sent home from Waikato Hospital’s ED after being misdiagnosed. RNZ / Simon Rogers

An 82-year-old man died the day after being sent home from the emergency department (ED), where a junior doctor had misdiagnosed his abdominal aneurysm as a hip sprain.

A report by Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell criticised Health NZ, and in particular Waikato Hospital’s ED, for inadequate oversight of a junior doctor and poor documentation practices leading up to his death.

The man, who the report calls A, had been diagnosed 10 years earlier with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) – a bulge in the wall of the body’s largest artery – which had been picked up during a CT scan for another condition.

In June 2020, an ambulance crew found A unable to get up after working on hands and knees under his kitchen bench. He was clammy, nauseated and pale, and had progressive hip pain.

He was taken to Waikato Hospital’s ED and assessed by an ED house officer, or junior doctor, who noted discomfort moving the left hip, and suspected A had suffered a musculoskeletal injury.

The commissioner found conflicting reports as to whether hospital staff knew about A’s history of aortic aneurysm. A’s wife said it had not been mentioned during his assessment, and another consultant involved in A’s care said he was not aware of it either.

But the junior doctor who assessed A said he was aware of it, although it was not documented at the time. He said he did not think A’s symptoms were in line with an aortic aneurysm rupture.

That afternoon, A was discharged with safety-netting advice to return to the ED if the pain worsened or did not improve. A’s wife said he continued to experience pain on discharge and had difficulty mobilising.

Around 12 hours later, A was back in ED due to a rupture of the AAA. He deteriorated and died, a day after he was initially discharged.

The deputy commissioner found Health NZ did not provide a reasonable standard of care to A.

“Given the lack of a musculoskeletal cause for A’s hip pain, alternative differential diagnoses should have been considered.

“I consider this to be a systemic failure due to the lack of recognition of AAA symptoms and history taking by multiple ED staff, the inadequate oversight of a junior doctor, the poor documentation practices as evidenced by the lack of records relating to important discussions held with the ED consultant and the ED registrar prior to discharge, and the poor communication among Health NZ providers as evidenced by the conflicting accounts of the discussions that took place regarding A’s care.”

Health NZ said at the time of the report’s writing that it had reviewed the decision, recommendations, and follow-up actions.

The agency has been approached for further comment.

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/2026/04/13/wrong-diagnosis-ends-in-elderly-mans-death/

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Manawatū Police urge community to take precautions when heading into water after incident

Source: New Zealand Police

Manawatū Police Search and Rescue, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, and Coastguard New Zealand are urging people to remain vigilant and to be prepared when heading out on the water.

Sergeant Marcus Fellerhoff says over the summer there were eight incidents in the Kapiti, Horowhenua, and Manawatū coastlines that required emergency assistance.

“Early last week, Police Search and Rescue were alerted to a person in difficulty off Otaki Beach after falling from their kayak.

“They were not wearing a lifejacket and had no form of communication to call for help. The kayak was also not suitable for ocean conditions and eventually sunk.”

A joint response was launched after a person on the beach saw them get into difficulty and called emergency services.

“We worked alongside Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Coastguard Tautiaki Moana and Coastguard Manawatū, Wellington Rescue Helicopter, and a private helicopter in the area at the time.

“The person was located some time later cold, tired, and very lucky,” says Sergeant Fellerhoff.

Manawatū Police Search and Rescue would like to thank all those involved in locating the person and getting them to safety.

Police urges members of the community to ensure they are properly prepared with the right skills and equipment before going into the water.

“Wearing a lifejacket, carrying a reliable form of waterproof communication, and making sure you have equipment suitable for your activity can be the difference between coming home or devastating consequences.

“So far this year, our area has experienced a higher than usual number of easterly winds, and while the sea can appear calm, these winds can quickly push people offshore and into difficulty.”

This incident is a reminder to members of the public to ensure they take the proper precautions before going into the water and take the following steps:

  • Always wear a properly fitted lifejacket, no matter the experience you may have.
  • Carry two reliable forms of waterproof communication, this can include a marine radio or a phone in a waterproof bag.
  • Use equipment or vessels that are appropriate for the environment, particularly in the ocean.
  • Check the weather and sea conditions before heading out, including wind strength and direction.
  • Tell someone your plans, including where you’re going and when you expect to return.
  • Stay within your capabilities, if you have any doubt – stay out.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/04/13/manawatu-police-urge-community-to-take-precautions-when-heading-into-water-after-incident/

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A new ad campaign is pushing Australians to use less petrol. Has this happened before?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lee, Associate Professor of History, UNSW Sydney

A new federal government advertising campaign is prompting Australians to reduce their fuel consumption during the current global oil crisis.

It asks Australians to consider using their car less and offers tips to boost fuel efficiency, such as “driving smoothly” and “unloading excess weight”.

It comes soon after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s whirlwind trip to Singapore, which makes up more than a quarter of Australia’s refined fuel imports, including more than half of our petrol, 22% of jet fuel and 15% of diesel.

However, the launch of the campaign shows the government is concerned to some degree about fuel supplies in Australia.

[embedded content]
The federal government’s new campaign is titled ‘every little bit helps’.

So, why is this happening, are there historic precedents in Australia and what are other countries doing at the moment?

Why the concerns about fuel supply?

The campaign comes two weeks after national cabinet endorsed a four-stage National Fuel Security Plan – which mentions rationing as a final step – as global fuel supplies continue to fluctuate due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key factor – it was tentatively re-opened after the two-week ceasefire was agreed to last week. Since then, Iran has blocked ships from passing through the strait after Israel launched a wave of strikes in Lebanon. Then on Monday, US President Donald Trump threatened to block it via the US Navy.

Even before the ceasefire, the Australian government said it had secured supplies into May and that rationing would not be needed.

But it may be necessary if there’s no lasting peace in the Middle East.

How Asian countries are responding

Asian economies are particularly dependent on oil and gas supplies from the Middle East. According to the US Energy Information Administration, 84% of crude oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024 was bound for Asia.

Understandably, several countries have already introduced rationing or other measures:

Countries in Europe and Africa have also implemented rationing but Asian countries have been particularly affected.

Australia’s experience with fuel conservation

Australia has rationed petrol in earlier emergencies.

When the second world war broke out in September 1939, Australia only had enough petrol to last three months of normal consumption.

At first, the wartime government led by Robert Menzies encouraged Australians voluntarily to reduce their petrol consumption and promoted conversion to vehicles powered by gas from coal.

But as the fighting intensified, oil tankers which were on their way to Australia turned around because of the war, and supplies dwindled.

In June 1940, cabinet aimed to reduce consumption by 50%, a goal later reduced to 30%.

Under national security regulations, civilians were issued ration coupons limiting how much fuel a person could purchase. Non-essential driving was restricted. Public transport and essential industries were prioritised and diesel was tightly controlled for military and agricultural operations.

Even in wartime, rationing was unpopular. The issue contributed to Menzies’s near-defeat at the September 1940 election. His government was replaced the following year by a Labor government.

The end of the war did not automatically lead to the end of petrol rationing.

This was because Australia had to use US dollars to purchase most of its petrol, which were in short supply throughout the British Commonwealth. Consequently, the Chifley government continued with rationing to conserve dollars.

In June 1949, the High Court decided rationing was a matter for states – not the Commonwealth.

Australia’s next serious oil crisis came in the 1970s.

In 1973, the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) reduced oil production and suspended deliveries to some western countries.

Like many other countries, Australia experienced “stagflation” – higher unemployment and inflation – for about a decade.

But Australia was shielded from the full reverberations because it reached about 70% sufficiency in oil through the discovery of oil and natural gas in Bass Strait.

Only in 1979, after a second oil price spike and a strike at the Caltex Refinery in Kurnell, New South Wales, was petrol rationing introduced through an “odd-even” number plate method.

Further action on fuel supply

After the 1970s oil crisis, the Hawke government sponsored legislation to allow the Governor-General to declare a formal national liquid fuel emergency.

The Liquid Fuel Emergency Act may be invoked as a last resort when a fuel shortage has national implications.

Under the act, the minister for climate change and energy can direct refineries, importers and distributors to adjust production and manage stocks.

The legislation also allows the government to implement two levels of rationing: retail and bulk.

Retail rationing involves service stations limiting how much individual motorists can buy at a time while also exempting essential users.

Bulk rationing targets large-scale distributors and wholesale customers, such as mining companies and large transport fleets.

[embedded content]
Historic footage shows how Australians coped with fuel conservation in the past.

A reprieve, for now

Albanese’s National Fuel Security Plan mentions rationing as a final step.

Triggers include shortages threatening the operation of critical infrastructure, stockpiles being dangerously depleted and if the economy is at risk of stalling.

The wobbly ceasefire in the Middle East means Australians have been granted a reprieve. But rationing remains a possibility if hostilities resume.

– ref. A new ad campaign is pushing Australians to use less petrol. Has this happened before? – https://theconversation.com/a-new-ad-campaign-is-pushing-australians-to-use-less-petrol-has-this-happened-before-280038

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/04/13/a-new-ad-campaign-is-pushing-australians-to-use-less-petrol-has-this-happened-before-280038/