Source: New Zealand Police
Missing US aviation student, William Henry Johnson, has been located and Police have confirmed they have no concern for his welfare.
24-year-old Johnson was reported missing by his family on 9 June, after not contacting them for several days.
Enquiries by Police have enabled them to make contact and confirm he is now safe and with his family.
ENDS
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Police are calling for information after an indecent assault and burglary that occurred in Parap overnight.
Around 11:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that a female had been indecently assaulted while she slept in her residence. It is alleged that she woke to a naked male indecently assaulting her.
The victim was able to push the offender off her before he fled the scene, allegedly stealing a camera in the process.
Police attended and the victim described the offender as being approximately 20 years of age, slim build, with dark skin and approximately 180cm to 185cm tall.
The NT Police Force Sex Crimes Section have carriage of the incident and investigations are ongoing.
Detectives urge anyone with information about the incident to contact 131 444 and quote reference number P25156934. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.
Source: New Zealand Police
A person has died after their vehicle rolled on Bowicks Road, Cust this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the crash at about 1.25pm.
One person died at the scene.
The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination.
Police would like to thank the emergency response teams who assisted at the scene.
ENDS
Source: New South Wales Community and Justice
Search continues for Victorian man at Cradle Mountain
Wednesday, 11 June 2025 – 3:12 pm.
A search at Cradle Mountain today involving police officers, SES volunteers, a helicopter crew and drone operators has yet to locate Victorian man Christopher Inwood.
Mr Inwood, 52, is believed to have been in the Cradle Mountain area since Monday night and police have concerns for his welfare.
His white Toyota HiAce van was found in the car park of a ranger station on Cradle Mountain Road on Tuesday morning. A backpack which police believe may belong to Mr Inwood was found 500m away from the ranger station, in a direction heading to Dove Lake.
Search efforts today have involved four officers from Tasmania Police Search and Rescue, four State Emergency Service volunteers, a wilderness paramedic, two police drone operators and a helicopter team of two police officers and a paramedic.
The helicopter team has landed to check huts and emergency shelters along the Overland Track and also conducted wider aerial searches of the northern section of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
Foot patrols have focused on walking tracks and bushland spanning out from the ranger station where Mr Inwood’s vehicle was found parked. (pictures attached)
Weather conditions at Cradle Mountain today have been clear although cold, with the temperature at 3pm around 5C. Overnight temperatures have been below freezing.
Mr Inwood was last seen in Kindred on Monday about 8.30pm and police believe he drove to Cradle Mountain later that night.
Anyone who has information that could assist police locate Mr Inwood is urged to call 131 444.
Source: South Africa News Agency
Deadline for comments into CPA discussion papers looms
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD) is appealing to citizens to make their voices heard as the deadline for comments into the discussion papers for the review of the Criminal Procedure Act draws closer.
Last month, the Deputy Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster welcomed the publication of the discussion papers on the review of the Act which were released by the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC).
The review seeks to address systemic challenges in the Act, particularly in relation to provisions that deal with arrest, bail, alternative dispute resolution, and victim participation in the criminal justice process.
In an interview with SAnews, the Deputy Director-General for Court Administration at the DOJ&CD Lucky Mohalaba said the Act was outdated.
“It’s a pre-1994 piece of legislation and one of the key areas which the department and the [JCPS] cluster is faced with, is how do we ensure that important legislation like the Criminal Procedure Act [CPA] is reviewed to be in line with the Constitution? Our Constitution actually was signed into law after the Criminal Procedure Act,” he remarked of the 1977 legislation.
The act makes provision for procedures and related matters in criminal proceedings.
“This initiative from the department as led by Deputy Minister [Andries] Nel is really a milestone. Firstly to ensure that we comply and are in line with the constitutional imperatives including the issues that relate to equality [and] transparency.
“The work that the Law Reform Commission has undertaken is going to result in the reform of legislation, including the Criminal Procedure Act,” said Mohalaba.
The SALRC released the discussion papers covering the pre-trial stage on the Bail System Reform, Arrest Dispensation Reform, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Criminal Matters and the Non-Trial Resolutions (NTRs): Deferred Prosecution, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Non-Prosecution.
“In the main, there are components where the issue of the bail dispensation is going to be looked at. Secondly, the issues that relate to the arrest dispensation is going to be looked at. Part of the issues raised there is [that] should people be arrested for having committed certain crimes or should they be given dates to come to court and appear in court for those crimes?
“Are we not increasing the numbers in our correctional centres by arresting everyone? So those are the areas that the research papers are looking at,” the DDG said of the four papers that were first published on 20 February 2025.
This as the comment period into the documents will close on 31 March 2025.
Content of the documents
The Bail System Reform discussion document speaks to ensuring a balanced approach that upholds the rights of accused persons while addressing public safety concerns, reducing lengthy pre-trial detention, and easing overcrowding in correctional facilities.
Chapter 1 of the Review of South Africa’s Bail System document, states that the country’s bail law forms an “integral part of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 a law of apartheid extraction which has been in existence for almost five decades.”
It further states that it is “also probable that the relevant provisions have become obsolete and redundant.”
South Africa’s bail system is regulated under Chapter 9 of the CPA with the review aiming to align bail laws with constitutional principles while also tackling inefficiencies.
Challenges with bail for foreign nationals, limited police powers in the granting of bail, the strict verification of accused persons’ residential addresses as well as affordability issues that prevent accused individuals from securing bail are some of the deficiencies identified in the current bail system according to Chapter 2 of the document.
The proposals for reform include enhancing victim rights where courts should consider victim safety when granting bail as well as that victims should be informed of bail proceedings and allowed to express their concerns.
The proposals for reform in the document also talks to reducing delays and overcrowding where automatic bail reviews to avoid unnecessary detentions is introduced while revising bail conditions. The proposal is that alternative measures be found for those who can’t afford bail.
The document states that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Commission “lamented the failure of the law to cater specifically for victims of crime. It argued, at the time, that if the position of victims was not drastically reformed in the criminal justice system, it would lead to a legitimacy crisis.”
The Arrest Dispensation Reform speaks to promoting alternative measures, such as summons, to secure court attendance and reduce unlawful and unnecessary arrests.
Chapter 3 of this discussion paper states that the CPA outlines the methods for securing the court attendance of accused persons. This as Section 38 of the legislation “provides that the methods of securing the court appearance of accused persons are arrest, written notice, summons and indictment.”
However, the CPA doesn’t specify which of the measures should be used in “certain situations, nor does it mandate the utilisation of the least intrusive measure.”
The paper notes that arrest should only be used as a last resort when other methods (summons, written notices) are inadequate and that police discretion in arrest decisions is broad, often leading to unnecessary detentions and overcrowding in prisons.
The paper proposes the amendment of Section 39 of the CPA to define the purpose of arrest, preventing misuse as well as the amendment of Section 40 to restrict arrests without warrants, ensuring judicial oversight.
Section 39 of the Act states that an arrest can be effected with or without a warrant and, unless the person to be arrested submits to custody, by actually touching his body or, if the circumstances so require, by forcibly confining his body.
It also states that at the time of effecting the arrest or immediately after effecting the arrest, the person effecting it should inform the arrested person of the cause of the arrest. It adds that in an arrest effected by virtue of a warrant, upon demand of the person arrested, a copy of the warrant must be given.
Meanwhile, section 40 of the Act talks to the arrest by peace officers. This is whereby a peace officer may without a warrant arrest any person who commits or attempts to commit any offence in his presence or a person who has escaped or who attempts to escape from lawful custody, among others.
According to the CPA, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development has the power to declare by notice in the Government Gazette any category of persons, by virtue of their office, as peace officers for specific purposes.
This as peace officers are not police officials.
The proposal made in the document speaks to clarifying the powers of peace officers as well as creating an oversight mechanism. It also notes that electronic summons and written notice could replace many physical arrests among others.
The third document which is the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Criminal Matters, speaks to challenges in the criminal justice system such as the over-reliance on imprisonment leading to overcrowding and the high costs of traditional prosecution among others.
The document notes that the country’s “legal system does not make provision for the coherent and unified regulation of ADR in criminal matters, a concept which, in foreign jurisdictions may be referred to in a number of ways, including discretionary prosecution, waiver of prosecution and out of court settlements.”
The proposed reforms it makes include the expanded use of ADR for minor offenses. This includes conditional withdrawals of prosecution, greater victim participation in ADR processes as well as focussing on restorative justice that includes victim-offender mediation. This also includes community-based sentencing alternatives such as rehabilitation programmes and community service.
The fourth discussion document known as the Non-Trial Resolutions (NTRs): Deferred Prosecution, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Non-Prosecution explores NTRs as an alternative to traditional criminal prosecutions.
It focuses on Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and Non-Prosecution Agreements (NPAs), particularly in corruption and financial crime cases.
It states that traditional criminal trials for corporate and economic crimes are slow, costly, and complex adding that NTRs encourage self-reporting, corporate reform, and financial restitution without lengthy trials.
It states that the country lacks a structured legal framework for non-trial resolutions, unlike countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The document adds that the Zondo Commission recommends the proposed introduction of Deferred Prosecution Agreements for companies implicated in corruption. Appointed by the President, The Zondo Commission was a commission of inquiry that investigated state capture in South Africa.
The DPAs allow companies to admit wrongdoing, pay fines, and commit to reforms in exchange for prosecutorial leniency.
The benefits of NTRs are that they encourage companies to cooperate with law enforcement and also reduces court backlogs while prioritising serious cases for trial.
The recommendation is that NTRs should be legislated to provide clear guidelines for corporate settlements as well as ensure judicial oversight to prevent abuse among others.
In November 2023, former Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola appointed an Advisory Committee consisting of eight experts chaired by the former Judge President of Mpumalanga, Justice Francis Legodi to advise the Law Reform Commission on the review of the Criminal Justice System.
The Law Reform Commission is currently chaired by former Constitutional Court judge, Justice Chris Jafta.
Reforming SA’s laws
At the release of the discussion papers, Deputy Minister Nel spoke of the need to transform the justice system.
The DDG said discussion documents provide an opportunity for citizens to debate the proposals.
“I’m quite certain that given the launch of the discussion documents these then will present an opportunity for South Africans to debate the proposals made in the documents which will ultimately result in the Criminal Procedure Bill which will replace the current Criminal Procedure Act of 1977 so that we are more aligned to our constitutional values as a country.
“We really wish to welcome members of the public, NGOs [non-government organisations], community organisations to make sure that they make inputs into the discussion papers. This is quite an important area for us as a country going forward to reform and modernise the laws that are applicable currently,” he said.
The discussion papers which were released at a media briefing in Pretoria 20 February, can be accessed at https://www.justice.gov.za/salrc/dpapers.htm .
–SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):
Question:
In the 2017 Policy Address, the Government proposed the “Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities” to launch 26 projects to develop new and improve existing sports and recreation facilities. However, the Government indicated in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026 that four out of such 26 projects are still under planning. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in respect of the aforesaid four projects still under planning, of (i) the dates when they were proposed, and (ii) the time lag to date since their proposal (set out in a table);
(2) as the Government has advised that among the aforesaid four projects, the project of Sports Ground and Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 16, Tuen Mun (TMA16 Project) can only proceed after the depots of two franchised bus companies currently at the site concerned are relocated, and that the Government will actively co-ordinate in expediting the implementation of the depot relocation plans for the two franchised bus companies, of the latest progress of the relevant work, and how the Government will push forward the commencement of the TMA16 Project; and
(3) whether it will consider proceeding to tendering for the engagement of engineering consultants for the TMA16 Project as the first step, so as to kick-start the engineering design and submission of the planning applications as early as possible, thereby compressing the overall timeline of the project; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government announced in the 2017 Policy Address the “Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities” with a view to commencing 26 projects to increase and improve sports and recreation facilities. Among which, 13 projects have been opened or partially opened for public use while four projects are still under planning. Having consulted the relevant policy bureaux and departments, my reply to the questions raised by the Hon Holden Chow is set out below:
(1) In order to make optimal use of land resources, the Government announced in the 2018 Policy Address that the principle of “single site, multiple uses” would be adopted when implementing public works projects. In view of the public demand for parking spaces in the relevant districts, the Government has proposed to incorporate public vehicle parks into four sports and recreation facility projects under planning to meet the public needs for sports and recreation facilities and alleviate the demand for parking spaces in the districts concerned. The latest progress of the four projects is set out below:
| Project | Date of obtaining support from the District Council (DC) upon revision of the proposed project facilities | Number of years since the date of obtaining support from the DC and current progress (up to 2025) |
| Sports Ground and Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 16, Tuen Mun (TMA16 Project) | Support was obtained from Tuen Mun DC in February 2019 |
|
| Football-cum-Rugby Pitch with Public Vehicle Park in Area 33, Tai Po |
Support was obtained from Tai Po DC in November 2018. |
|
| Sports Facilities with Public Vehicle Park in Tung Tau Industrial Area, Yuen Long |
Support was obtained from Yuen Long DC in January 2019. |
|
| Open Space with Public Vehicle Park in Area 17, Tuen Mun |
Support was obtained from Tuen Mun DC in June 2019 |
|
The Government will continue to review the order of priority of works projects under planning and update their works schedules as appropriate for using public resources more effectively.
(2) Regarding the TMA16 Project, relevant government departments have been actively assisting franchised bus operators in identifying sites for relocating the bus depots so as to vacate the site early for taking forward the project. Both the KMB and Citybus have submitted STT applications to the Lands Department for the use of government sites at the southern and northern ends of Ho Wo Street respectively for relocating the bus depots currently located at Area 16, Tuen Mun. The site at the southern end of Ho Wo Street was handed over to the KMB in March 2025. The KMB will carry out site formation and associated works as soon as practicable to expedite the commencement of the new bus depot thereat.
As for the site at the northern end of Ho Wo Street which Citybus has applied for, its underground drainage facilities pose certain technical constraints on the use of the land, including the feasibility of setting up petrol stations and vehicle-washing machines at the site. In this regard, relevant government departments are actively liaising with Citybus and exploring possible solutions. Upon the granting of STT, Citybus will commence the preparatory work for relocating its bus depot.
Relevant bureaux and departments will continue to co-ordinate and assist the two bus companies in the relocation exercise to ensure that the bus depots can be moved out and the site can be cleared as soon as practicable. Meanwhile, other preparatory work will continue to be carried out so that the works can be commenced immediately after the tender exercise is completed and funding approval is obtained from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.
(3) To implement the TMA16 Project, the Government will adopt the D&B model under which bids for design works and building works will be invited under a single contract. The successful contractor is required to engage construction and design teams to carry out detailed design for the project simultaneously to shorten the overall construction period as well as make best use of its expertise and experience on building materials and construction techniques to enhance the design quality and cost-effectiveness of the project.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​Following is a question by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):
Question:
Many members of the public have relayed that under the circumstances of a lack of parking spaces, some businesses are occupying on-street parking spaces in various districts on a long-term basis or blocking them with objects in order to use such parking spaces for commercial activities. There are views that such practices defeat the original purpose of installing parking meters to prevent prolonged parking and occupation of road space by vehicles, violate the principle of fair use of public resources, and adversely affect motorists’ convenience when going out. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the measures taken by the Government in the past three years to combat the illegal long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces, and the relevant enforcement situation;
(2) as there are views pointing out that the long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces or their blockage with objects by businesses has existed in various districts for many years, what specific measures the Government has in place to step up efforts in combatting such practices; and
(3) as it is learnt that at present, some Mainland cities have implemented number plate recognition systems by installing sensors to identify vehicles in parking spaces to assist with enforcement, whether the authorities will consider introducing similar systems or other innovative technological devices at on-street parking spaces to assist law enforcement agencies in combatting the illegal occupation of on-street parking spaces, including long-term occupation, blockage with objects and holding of commercial activities?
Reply:
President,
It is the Government’s policy to centre on public transport, and the Government encourages the public to make good use of the public transport services as far as possible, so as to avoid aggravating the burden on road traffic resulting from excessive private cars (PCs). In response to the parking demand for both PCs and commercial vehicles, over the past years, the Government has been actively pursuing a host of short-term and medium-to-long-term measures, to increase the supply of parking spaces where circumstances permit. Over the past three years, the number of metered parking spaces (metered spaces) has increased by more than 2 300. Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee is as follows:
(1) and (2) The Government has all along been combatting the illegal occupation of metered spaces, deterring fare evasion and other forms of illegal use, to enhance turnover and ensure these spaces meet short-term parking needs. The HKPF conducts inspections and takes enforcement actions against unpaid parking, and maintains close co-ordination with relevant departments, such as the TD, at the district level for ongoing monitoring. Since 2021, the new-generation parking meter system, equipped with sensors, can detect real-time occupancy and enable the TD to identify unpaid metered spaces through its backend computer system. The TD shares this information with the HKPF via a dedicated application to facilitate enforcement. In terms of actual operation, the meter operator engaged by the TD provides information of unpaid but occupied metered spaces detected by the meters’ sensors to the HKPF for follow-up, and dispatches personnel to regularly patrol parking meters in various districts. If any unlawful occupation of metered spaces is observed, the contractor will report the situation to relevant departments (for example, the HKPF, the Lands Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department) for enforcement. Currently, the contractor conducts daily inspections, and refers an average of about 120 000 cases per year to the HKPF for non-payment of parking fees, and the number of referrals concerning parking spaces occupied by non-vehicle items to the HKPF and other relevant departments has risen over the past three years to over 200 cases. The TD also refers public complaints to the appropriate authorities for action. Additionally, the HKPF continues its public awareness and education efforts. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of metered spaces increased by over 10 per cent, while revenue from metered parking fees rose by more than 40 per cent, suggesting improved compliance with paid parking regulations.
Regarding enforcement against other forms of illegal occupation, section 4A of the Summary Offences Ordinance stipulates that anyone who leaves objects in a public place – such as pallets/shop goods to reserve spaces – without reasonable excuse, causing obstruction, inconvenience, or danger to others or vehicles, is liable to a Level 4 fine ($25,000) or three months’ imprisonment.
(3) As mentioned above, the new generation parking meter system is equipped with sensors to detect the usage status of parking spaces in real time. The purpose of collecting information is to provide motorists with locations of vacant on-street parking spaces in real time, and does not have the function of identifying number plate numbers.
Having said that, this information could assist the HKPF and the TD in identifying cases where metered spaces are occupied without payment, enabling targeted enforcement actions by the HKPF. The departments will continue to draw on experiences from other places and advancements in relevant technologies, actively exploring the adoption of new technologies to enhance the management and operational efficiency of metered spaces. The TD plans to conduct a two-month pilot scheme in the fourth quarter of 2025, adopting artificial intelligence sensors in targeted areas with greater demand for metered spaces and higher rates of illegal occupation of parking spaces. Depending on the success of the trial, we will expand the coverage of the scheme. Regarding number plate recognition systems, the TD remains open-minded and will assess their reliability alongside the cost-effectiveness of upgrading the meter system’s hardware and software holistically to determine their suitability for application in Hong Kong.
Thank you, President.
Source: President of South Africa –
Programme Directors,
The Farisani Family,
Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba,
Representatives of the African National Congress and the broader liberation movement,
Leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa,
Traditional and religious leaders present,
Leadership of the University of Venda,
Fellow Mourners,
Fellow South Africans, batho ba Limpopo, muta waDean Farisani,
We are to bid farewell to Dean Tshenuwani Farisani.
His life bears witness to the mission of Christ espoused in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed.”
We have lost an extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life.
He was born in 1948, a year that was a turning point in South Africa’s history.
This was the year the National Party swept to power and ushered in the reviled system of apartheid.
Dean Farisani was born into circumstances that mirrored the lives of millions of black South Africans at the time.
He was just a child, barely three years old, when his family was confronted with the ugly face of injustice.
Many years later, in 1996, he would testify at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on how his family were victims of forced removed from the Songozi Tsapila area near then Louis Trichardt, now Makhado.
The authorities arrived one day without warning, and his parents were ordered to vacate the area immediately.
He recounted how they had to carry their belongings on their backs and leave, on foot. That which could not be carried, including all the family’s livestock, was left behind.
They were relocated to another empty piece of land and told this was their new home. They were never compensated for the land that was stolen from them.
Eight years later, in 1959, the family were forcibly removed again.
Two years later, in 1961, again.
These experiences instilled in him a deep sense of justice.
They planted the seeds of his political consciousness when he was still in his teens.
He only entered formal schooling at the age of 12. Like most children in rural areas at the time, he was a child labourer on the white farms.
At school a missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran Church noticed his academic brilliance and he was prepared to enter theological training.
It was at Maphumulo Theological Seminary in KwaZulu-Natal that he first became acquainted with the Black Consciousness Movement.
Its teachings fired his growing political awareness.
For him, there was no contradiction between the teachings of his faith and the mission of national liberation.
He soon became attracted to liberation theology, and its message that true Christian faith demands active resistance to all forms of oppression and solidarity with the poor.
Apartheid was a great injustice, and he, heroic heart, was not content to choose a quiet life of pastoralism.
He was eventually expelled from the seminary after hebecame involved with underground political organisations like the South African Students Organisation, the Black People’s Convention and the Black Consciousness Movement.
By then he was at the Beuster Mission at Maungani outside Thohoyandou and a rising figure in the BCM, going on to be elected its president in 1973.
I first met Dean Farisani when he spoke at my high school, Mpaphuli.
We formed an immediate and lasting bond.
For many years we worked alongside each other in the Black Evangelical Youth Organisation.
There were many points in the life of the great man we lay to rest today where he found himself sorely tested.
During the late 1970s and 1980s was arrested on a number of occasions for his political activities. But it was his third detention, in 1981, that he found his courage truly tested. His faith tested. His principles tested.
He was detained by the Venda police on suspicion of being involved in the bombing of a police station in Sibasa.
He was held for more than eight months and severely tortured.
In his book, Diary from a South African Prison, he recounts the unimaginable ordeal of beatings, electricshocks, being forced to squat for days and being smothered.
In an interview given years later he recounts how his torturers tried everything to force a confession, even offering him the position of Bishop of Venda.
And yet he, strong in will, did not yield.
Fellow Mourners, Comrades,
Fellow South Africans,
Dean Farisani was a courageous revolutionary who inspired a generation to reclaim their pride and stand up for their rights. I was amongst them.
He was a beloved father and a grandfather who will be sorely missed by his wife, mufumakadzi Mudzunga, his daughters Nzumbululo and Ndamulelo, by his son Zwovhonala and by the entire extended family.
He was a renowned academic and prolific scholar whose writings gave voice to the voiceless.
He was a guide and mentor to many. He was a dear friend.
And yet it is Dean Farisani’s most salient quality that I will most remember him for: he was a man of unwavering principle.
Nothing could sway him from what was right, from his dedication to the cause of the South African people, and to their total emancipation.
In detention, he was offered positions and status. He refused them.
When he was released and went into exile in the United States, he could have easily put the entire experience behind him and led a quiet life.
Instead he campaigned vigorously against the regime from abroad.
When Venda was proclaimed as a so-called independent homeland by the apartheid regime he was outspoken in his opposition, even when this brought him into conflict with church leaders in his circuit.
His activism continued into the democratic South Africa.
He was determined to be part of the struggle to overcome the injustice and inequality bred of apartheid.
He was elected to the first democratic Parliament in 1994.
He would go on to serve further as an MEC here in Limpopo and as speaker of the Legislature.
These roles placed him in a position of power and influence. Yet they did not change him.
He did not succumb to the allure of high office. He was never arrogant.
He was a servant leader who came, served and left, and continued to contribute to the betterment of his beloved country.
He did not regard loyalty to a political cause or party as being above his own principles.
When he saw corruption being perpetrated by those entrusted with public funds, he was vocal and scathing in his criticism. He held power to account.
The Foundation that bears his name continues to be an influential voice in the public space in advancing social justice, including for apartheid’s many victims.
Fellow Mourners,
Neither beatings nor torture could make Dean Farisani surrender his principles. The trappings of power did not interest him. He was content to walk in the footsteps of his Lord with the downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalised.
He understood his life’s mission and it was not negotiable.
These are the greatest lessons we take from his life. These are the reflections we take today as we lay this great son of the soil to rest.
To the family, we share in your great sorrow. Yet even amidst our mourning we celebrate a man who has left such a deep and lasting impact on all of us. He was an inspiration.
In Dean Farisani’s book of poetry, titled Justice in my Tears, there is a moving poem.
It is called “The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23 in Pietermaritzburg and Howick.”
It was published in 1977, the period of his first imprisonment.
In it he writes:
“The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not buckle
He rests me in the land of freedom
I drink from the cup of liberty,
Even when I wander in the valley of torture.
I shall fear no human beasts,
He shall fight my fight.
His angels and his visions
Guide me through brutal interrogations
He gives me life in the hands of murderers
Giving me a crown for a victory his own”
Dean Farisani, yours was a life of service to others. As the South African people we crown you as you go to your eternal rest.
In the words of the Psalm 23 you so loved, surely goodness and mercy did follow you all the days of your life. May you dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Fare well brother, comrade, friend, patriot.
I thank you.
Source: President of South Africa –
President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted with sadness the passing of former Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Justice Clement Temba Sangoni.
Judge Sangoni retired in 2017 and passed away earlier today, Tuesday, 10 June 2025, after a short illness.
President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the extended family of the late Judge Sangoni Aah! Dilizintaba, who was a senior traditional leader of the Qokolweni-Zimbane Traditional Council at Mthatha.
President Ramaphosa said: “The passing of Justice Sangoni is a devastating loss to his family and immediate community and it is a profound loss to our judiciary and our legal heritage.
“Judge Sangoni lived for justice and the improvement of the material conditions of communities in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere through constitutionally sound, progressive jurisprudence.
“Under his leadership, the Judiciary in the Eastern Cape also applied its mind collectively and individually to matters pertaining to the development of this economically vital province.
“Judge Sangoni served the people of the Eastern Cape from the Bench and through his deep involvement in community life in his role as a traditional leader – a role which enriched his adjudication of a broad range of matters placed before the courts.
“We will continue to appreciate his contribution to the rule of law and the wisdom of law in our country and to the communities in which he lived and served with distinction.
“May his soul rest in peace.”
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
Source: President of South Africa –
My Fellow South Africans,
Today, I wish to address you about the National Dialogue, an initiative that has been in discussion by a number of leaders in our country and many other people for some time now.
This initiative has been gathering great support and enthusiasm since it was proposed last year. It has been endorsed by a wide range of formations across society.
Over the last few months, we have been engaged in discussions with various entities on the purpose and the form of the National Dialogue.
In the wake of these consultations, there is broad agreement that given the challenges our country is facing at the moment, we should convene the National Dialogue.
The idea of holding a dialogue is not a new concept in our country. In many ways having dialogues is part of our DNA as a nation.
At every important moment in the history of our country, we have come together as a nation to confront our challenges and forge a path into the future in dialogue with one another.
Through dialogue we were able to deal with the challenges that the apartheid system caused in our country and achieved peace and overcame violence.
We established a democracy and ended apartheid.
Following the negotiations process, we used dialogue to start building a united nation where once there had only been conflict and division.
We achieved all this because we came together in dialogue to discuss our difficulties, our concerns, our hopes and our aspirations as a people.
For more than 30 years, we have worked together to realise the promise of our democratic Constitution.
We have made great strides as a nation, expanding freedom, deepening democracy and building a better life for millions.
Yet we face persistent challenges.
Poverty, unemployment and inequality are deep wounds that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a nation and as a country.
Millions of people are under-employed and unemployed. Many of those who work earn wages that cannot sustain them or their families.
Crime, gender-based violence and corruption are prevalent across our society.
We are therefore called upon at this moment to direct all our efforts to build a thriving, inclusive economy that creates jobs and opportunities.
We are called upon to build safer communities and to create a better future for our children.
We are also called upon to give all sectors of our society – men and women, young and old, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI community, and urban and rural people – a voice to determine how we address the problems of today and build the South Africa we want for future generations.
That is why we have agreed to convene an inclusive National Dialogue.
The dialogue will be a people-led, society-wide process to reflect on the state of our country in order for us to reimagine our future.
The National Dialogue is a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy.
Through the National Dialogue, we seek a shared vision of what it means to be a South African and develop a new national ethos and common value system.
It is an opportunity to forge a new social compact for the development of our country, a compact that will unite all South Africans, with clear responsibilities for different stakeholders, government, business, labour, civil society, men and women, communities and citizens.
It is anticipated that the National Dialogue will drive progress towards our Vision 2030 and lay the foundation for the next phase of South Africa’s National Development Plan.
The National Dialogue itself is not an event.
Rather, it will be a participatory process that unfolds in phases, from local consultations and sectoral engagements to provincial and national gatherings.
In my capacity as the Head of State, I will be calling a National Convention on Friday, the 15th of August 2025.
This National Convention will represent the diversity of the South African nation. The first National Convention will set the agenda for the National Dialogue.
It will be a representative gathering, bringing together government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, religious leaders, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices, among others.
Through their various political, social and other formations, in their workplaces, in places of worship, communities, villages and sites of learning, South Africans will in the months following the National Convention be encouraged to be in dialogue to define our nation’s path into the future.
The views, concerns and proposals that will emerge from this conversation will be brought together at a second National Convention, that is planned to be held in the beginning of next year.
This second National Convention will reinforce our shared values and adopt a common vision and programme of action for our country into the future.
We expect that the National Convention will finalise a compact that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all South Africans.
To guide and champion the National Dialogue, I am appointing an Eminent Persons Group.
These are leading figures in our society, reflecting the great diversity of our nation, with a proven commitment to the advancement of social cohesion and nation-building.
The members of the Eminent Persons Group are:
• Dr Brigalia Bam, former Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson,
• Mr Robbie Brozin, entrepreneur and business person,
• Judge Edwin Cameron, former Constitutional Court judge,
• Mr Manne Dipico, former Northern Cape Premier,
• Dr Desiree Ellis, Banyana Banyana coach and football legend,
• Ms Ela Gandhi, peace activist and stalwart,
• Prof Nomboniso Gasa, researcher and rural activist,
• Mr Bobby Godsell, business leader,
• Dr John Kani, award-winning actor,
• Mr Siya Kolisi, Springbok captain and world champion,
• Ms Mia le Roux, Miss South Africa 2024,
• His Grace Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, leader of the Zion Christian Church,
• His Grace Bishop Engenas Lekganyane, leader of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church,
• The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town,
• Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Chairperson of the National Planning Commission,
• Dr Barbara Masekela, poet, educator and stalwart,
• Ms Lindiwe Mazibuko, former Member of Parliament,
• Mr Roelf Meyer, former Minister and constitutional negotiator,
• Ms Gcina Mhlope, storyteller, writer and actor,
• Ms Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, student activist and former Member of Parliament,
• Ms Kgothatso Montjane, Grand Slam tennis champion,
• Prof Harry Ranwedzi Nengwekhulu, former activist and educationist,
• Mr Bheki Ntshalintshali, unionist and former COSATU General Secretary,
• Hosi Phylia Nwamitwa, traditional leader,
• Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders,
• Dr Gloria Serobe, business leader,
• Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers,
• Prof Derrick Swartz, academic,
• Ms Lorato Trok, author and early literacy expert,
• Mr Sibusiso Vilane, mountaineer and adventurer,
• Mr Siyabulela Xuza, award-winning rocket scientist.
UBaba uShembe uNyazi LweZulu has also been invited to join the Eminent Persons Group, but, as he is travelling, has not yet been able to confirm his availability.
I am grateful to each of these South African patriots who have made themselves available to act as the guarantors of an inclusive, constructive and credible process.
An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been established under the chairpersonship of the Deputy President to coordinate government’s contribution to the National Dialogue.
We will be establishing a Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of various sectors of society, to set strategic priorities and coordinate implementation of the National Dialogue process.
The Secretariat, which is responsible for day-to-day management of National Dialogue activities, will be housed at NEDLAC, the National Economic Development and Labour Council.
As a nation, we are embarking on a new path of partnership and united action.
We are drawing on our traditions of dialogue and debate. We are determined to define a shared vision of a nation which belongs to all South Africans united in their diversity.
I thank you.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 11/06/2025 – Joint media release
The ACT Government is making a significant investment in the safety and wellbeing of victim survivors, with over $30 million committed in the 2025–26 Budget to strengthen and expand the Territory’s response to domestic, family and sexual violence.
This investment boosts the capacity of frontline services, enhances early intervention efforts for children and young people, and supports the provision of culturally safe support through Aboriginal Community Controlled and led Organisations.
Treasurer Chris Steel said the Budget reflects the Government’s deep commitment to addressing domestic, family and sexual violence and delivering trauma-informed, person-centred support for those affected by violence.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes, in their relationships, and in their community,” the Treasurer said.
“This significant investment in family, domestic and sexual violence responses builds on our record of funding vital frontline services and supports a safer, stronger Canberra.”
The Budget allocates $24 million over four years to strengthen and sustain essential domestic, family, and sexual violence services. Key funding measures include:
Following the receipt of The Long Yarn report, this Budget allocates $6 million over 3 years to Aboriginal and Community Controlled and led Organisations to provide culturally safe services. This funding will enable the following initiatives:
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, said the funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of frontline services to support victims of domestic, family and sexual violence.
“Ending violence against women is a national emergency and the ACT Government is strongly committed to addressing this violence. This funding is a strong investment in the services that support those experiencing violence in our community.”
“This package has a strong focus on supporting children and young people exposed to violence, as well as crisis support for victim survivors and supports the continuation of the high-risk family violence case coordination program,” Minister Paterson said.
“I am strongly committed to working with our local organisations and supporting ACCO’s to strengthen and sustain the essential work that they do”.
This comprehensive package forms part of the ACT Government’s long-term commitment to ending domestic, family and sexual violence in the ACT and ensuring a safer future for all Canberrans. It is supported by funding from the Safer Families Levy and the Commonwealth’s National Partnership Agreement, which together help strengthen responses to and the prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.
– Statement ends –
Chris Steel, MLA | Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin
We’ve updated our website and PCG 2018/9 Central management and control test of residency: identifying where a company’s central management and control is located to:
The updates reflect the amendments in the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fairer for Families and Farmers and Other Measures) Act 2024. These amendments ensure tax residency disclosures in the CEDS align with tax return disclosures, to improve multinational tax transparency.
ASIC’s information sheetExternal Link has also been updated.
We have tailored communication channels for medium, large and multinational businesses, to keep you up to date with updates and changes you need to know.
Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.
You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions in America’s second largest city, as California’s governor warned “democracy is under assault.”
Trump’s extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests, which broke out in response to his immigration raids, fueled demonstrations for a fifth day in Los Angeles, and sparked protests in several other cities.
As Trump and Newsom traded fulminations, the city’s mayor said the protests were limited to about five downtown streets, but declared a curfew for parts of the downtown area due to violence and looting.
Police arrested another 197 people on Tuesday – more than double the total number of arrests to date.
Democratic leaders have raised concerns over a national crisis in what has become the most intense flashpoint yet in the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally, and then crack down on opponents who take to the streets in protest.
“This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That’s when the downward spiral began,” Newsom said in an a video address.
“He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. … Democracy is under assault.”
Newsom, widely seen as preparing for a presidential run in 2028, has called the deployments an illegal waste of resources. He and the state sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops. Trump in turn has suggested Newsom should be arrested.
Trump, voted back into office last year largely for his promise to deport undocumented immigrants, used a speech honoring soldiers on Tuesday to defend his decision.
He told troops at the Army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina: “Generations of Army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness.”
“What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags,” Trump said, adding his administration would “liberate Los Angeles.”
Demonstrators have waved the flags of Mexico and other countries in solidarity for the migrants rounded in a series of intensifying raids.
Homeland Security said Monday its Immigration and Customs Enforcement division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden.
UNREST IN THE STREETS
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday announced a curfew for one square mile (2.5 square km) of downtown Los Angeles that will run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. locally (0300 to 1300 GMT) for several days.
With five minutes until the curfew took effect, hundreds of protesters faced police with their hands raised, chanting “”peaceful protest.”
Even so, state and local officials have called Trump’s response an extreme overreaction to mostly peaceful demonstrations.
Bass emphasized at a press conference the distinction between the majority of demonstrators protesting peacefully and a smaller number of agitators she blamed for violence and looting.
A curfew had been considered for several days but Bass said she decided to impose one after 23 business were looted on Monday night.
“When these peaceful rallies end, and the protesters head home, another element moves in: opportunists, who come in under the cover of a peaceful protest to ravage and destroy,” Council member Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, told reporters.
As the mayor and the council member spoke, police and protesters were engaged in skirmishes outside.
In what has become a daily ritual, police forced demonstrators away from the streets outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where many detained migrants are held. Multiple groups of protesters snaked through downtown Los Angeles, monitored or followed by police armed with less lethal munitions.
Protests also took place in other cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago, where demonstrators shouted at and scuffled with officers. Some protesters climbed onto the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, while others chanted that ICE should be abolished.
Christina Berger, 39, said it was heartbreaking to hear about children who are afraid of being separated from their families due to immigration raids, adding, “I just want to give some hope to my friends and neighbors.”
MARINES AT THE READY
About 700 Marines were in a staging area in the Seal Beach area about 30 miles (50 km) south of Los Angeles, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a U.S. official said.
A U.S. official said there were 2,100 National Guard troops in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, more than half the 4,000 to be activated. The Marines and National Guard troops lack the authority to makes arrests and will be charged only with protecting federal property and personnel.
Even so, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Reuters the state was concerned about allowing federal troops to protect personnel, saying there was a risk that could violate an 1878 law that generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement.
“Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods, and protecting functions could mean protecting the ICE function of enforcing the immigration law,” Bonta said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday posted photos on X of National Guard troops accompanying ICE officers on an immigration raid. Trump administration officials have vowed to redouble the immigration raids in response to the street protests.
(Reuters)
Source: New Zealand Police
Police are now in a position to release the name of the man who was found deceased after a house fire in Trentham, Upper Hutt on Tuesday [10 June] morning.
He was 69 year old, John Louis.
Police extends our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.
The cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
U.S. President Donald Trump warned people on Tuesday against protesting at the weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
“For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office.
Law enforcement agencies are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to attend Saturday’s parade, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool said on Monday.
McCool said thousands of agents, officers and specialists will be deployed from law enforcement agencies from across the country. The FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department have said there are no credible threats to the event.
At least nine permits have been issued for protests on that day, a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson said on Tuesday.
In unscheduled Oval Office remarks, Trump discussed his decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after protests erupted in response to federal immigration raids at workplaces there.
Trump defended his decision to take that rare step and said troops were necessary to contain the unrest, despite objections from local and state officials that they were needed.
Saturday’s event, which will coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday, includes an Army birthday festival on the National Mall and will culminate with a parade through the capital and an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony presided over by the president.
Nationwide protests on that day were being organized by a group called No Kings.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights and slashed our services,” the group says on its website. “The corruption has gone too far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
(Reuters)
Source: New South Wales – News
Police are continuing their search for missing man Kyle in the far north of South Australia.
Kyle was last seen about midday on Sunday 1 June at Arkaroola.
Kyle, 39, is about 180 cm tall, with a slim build and chin-length dreadlocks.
He is believed to be driving a white 2023 Toyota Hiace rental van with South Australian registration S129CWL.
The van was last seen in the area just after 6am on Monday 2 June.
Since he was reported missing, police and emergency services have been searching the area where he was last seen, including the area between Arkaroola and Yunta, where Kyle is believed to have driven the van between 30 May and 1 June 2025.
PolAir and extra patrols have been searching the area but have been unable to locate him.
Police have concerns for Kyle’s welfare and anyone who sees him or his van is asked to call police immediately on 131 444.
Please quote reference number 149686.
Source:
A train versus truck collision was simulated in Seymour on Friday 30 May with over 200 people participating in the event including first responders, injured passengers, and event observers.
From a hazmat incident to an amputation, the experience provided all involved with an opportunity to refine their first response skills working alongside other agencies.
Trawool Fire Brigade Captain and Exercise Director Sean Kerris was pleased with the outcomes of the exercise and thanked Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) for hosting the successful event.
“The exercise itself was designed to utilise a real-life scenario in a high-risk local area to guide the end product,” Sean said.
“We used lessons from recent Trawalla, Kerang and Lara train incidents and the Wallan derailment to formulate the exercise, alongside coroner reports, inquiry documents and firsthand recounts to further elevate it.
“The realistic response allowed crew members to challenge themselves through real-time concerns and foster innovation when working with multiple agencies.”
CFA Deputy Group Officer Mitchell Shire Laiton Telfer said brigade members predominantly supported fire suppression and the hazmat incident on the night.
“It was great to work with the other agencies to get to know them better, as we do see them out on ground at the local incidents we respond to,” Laiton said.
| Submitted by | CFA media |
|---|
Source: New South Wales Community and Justice
Motorists reminded of dangers of drink driving following crash in Kingborough area
Wednesday, 11 June 2025 – 1:17 pm.
Police are reminding motorists of the dangers of drink driving following a crash in the Kingborough area last week.
“On 5 June, police attended a single vehicle crash on Baretta Road at Baretta where a motorist had allegedly fallen asleep while driving after consuming alcohol,” said Constable Hollie Barwick.
“The driver had veered onto the left side of the road and collided with a cluster of trees which caused extensive damage to the vehicle and enabled the automatic crash detection to alert emergency personnel.”
“Police attended and the driver allegedly recorded a reading of 0.146 – more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in their system whilst driving a motor vehicle.”
Luckily the driver, a 51-year-old man from Cygnet, was not injured.
He was charged with drive a motor vehicle while exceeding prescribed alcohol limit and will appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court in September.
“This driver was extremely lucky that he didn’t kill or seriously injure himself or someone else on the roads,” said Constable Hollie Barwick.
“Drink driving is one of the ‘Fatal Five’ contributing factors to fatal and serious injury crashed on our roads and it’s lucky this crash didn’t have a devastating outcome.”
Police urge all drivers to remember the fatal five and follow them every time you travel on the roads:
Obey the speed limit – it’s there for a reason.
Never drive after drinking or taking drugs – you’ll be putting more than your life on the line.
Pay attention – one moment of distraction is all it takes to cause a crash.
Rest if you’re tired – arriving late is better than not arriving at all.
Buckle up every person in the vehicle – seatbelts save lives.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
NT Police Force have arrested a 32-year-old man after he allegedly crashed through a residential fence and attempted to evade arrest by diving into a lagoon yesterday afternoon.
Around 2:20pm, police received reports that a vehicle had collided with a fence at the corner of Daniel Circuit and Girraween Road. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle stationary and still running; however, the driver had fled the scene on foot.
A short time later, police located the driver who then entered a nearby lagoon and swam to the middle to avoid apprehension.
Additional resources were deployed, including the Search and Rescue Section, who provided a vessel to assist. During the arrest, it is alleged the man attempted to grab an officer’s firearm; however, the officer was able to block this attempt.
The 32-year-old was subsequently arrested without further incident and taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for assessment.
Investigations remain ongoing.
Police urge anyone with information to contact 131 444 and quote reference number NTP2500059377. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
**This release has been updated to include that the incident occurred yesterday afternoon being Tuesday 10 June 2025. **
Source: New Zealand Police
Attribute to Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge of Christchurch Police:
Today marks a week since Elisabeth “Lis” Nicholls was last seen, and we are making a further appeal to the people of Christchurch for help.
Lis is 79 and has dementia and the last confirmed sighting of her was at the Chateau on the Park in Riccarton, at 7.54pm on Wednesday 4 June.
Searchers and Police have gone door to door, reviewed CCTV footage and made extensive enquiries, but we have not been able to find Lis.
We do not know where she travelled to after the Chateau and have not been able to locate any items that would lead us closer to her.
Police have grave concerns for Lis’s welfare and need the help of the Christchurch community to bring her home.
At the time she disappeared, Lis was wearing a black and grey checked long-sleeved shirt, a maroon long-sleeved top underneath, navy blue jeans and black leather shoes.
She also has distinctive grey shoulder-length hair.
Police are asking members of the public to please search your backyards, sheds and sleepouts, and look under anything where a person could seek shelter.
For anyone with CCTV, Police would like you to review any footage you have from 6.40pm on Wednesday 4 June to 8am on Thursday 5 June. While Lis went missing in the Riccarton area, she is physically strong, and may have walked some distance.
Finally, this past week has been extremely difficult on Lis’s family.
While they have requested privacy, Gary Nicholls, Lis’s husband of nearly 60 years, has provided this statement on behalf of their family:
“Lis is an adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who has always put other people first.
“Her life has been about helping people, through nursing, Plunket and social work. She has been there for people when they needed help, and her influence has touched all our lives for the better.
“We are deeply concerned and have been living with painful uncertainty for a week, but we have been grateful for the love and support that has been shown for Lis.
“On behalf of Lis, our family and friends, I would like to sincerely thank the people of Christchurch for their help and concern, and for the information they have been providing.
“We are also grateful to Police, the Search and Rescue teams, Canterbury University students and the Victoria Neighbourhood Association, who have been dedicating so much time and resource to help us find Lis.
“You have been working in the cold, the rain, and the darkness to bring Lis home to us, and we are incredibly grateful.”
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) have joined colleagues in demanding the Federal Emergency Management Agency end Risk Rating 2.0, the Biden-era flood insurance policy that has caused premiums to skyrocket and thousands of homeowners to abandon their policies.
Wicker and Hyde-Smith signed a letter, led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), that calls for halting further Risk Rating 2.0 premium increases and demanding greater transparency from FEMA. The lawmakers have long questioned the pricing methodology used by FEMA in setting Risk Rating 2.0 premiums, which have increased for an estimated 84 percent of Mississippi flood insurance policyholders.
“Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state. By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system,” the Senators wrote.
“The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling. FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model. Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases. Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike,” the Senators continued.
“Time is of the essence. Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster. We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended,” the Senators concluded.
The letter sent to FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson was also signed by U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
Read the full letter here or below.
Dear Acting Administrator Richardson,
We write to draw your urgent attention to the increasingly untenable flood insurance premiums paid by American homeowners as a result of the Biden-era policy, Risk Rating 2.0, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We respectfully ask for your leadership to halt further premium increases under Risk Rating 2.0 and implement much needed transparency from FEMA.
On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 13990, directing every federal agency to target and modify Trump-era regulations under the auspice of combating climate change. A few months later, Biden signed EO 14030, requiring agencies to integrate up-to-date flood risk considerations into federal actions. Collectively, both of these EOs laid the groundwork for FEMA’s implementation of a new rating system known as Risk Rating 2.0, which was enacted on October 1, 2021.
Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state. By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system. According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, premiums on primary residences under Risk Rating 2.0 are subject to a maximum 18 percent increase each year until such premiums reflect “the full risk loss of the insured property,” as determined by FEMA.
Families in the following Republican states are especially hard-hit.
Louisiana:
West Virginia:
Texas:
Alabama:
Mississippi:
Rural and low-income homeowners, along with high-risk coastal areas, are being priced out at far higher rates than urban or wealthier communities. In ten states, full risk NFIP premiums today exceed 2 percent of median household income. This undermines home values, depresses property tax revenues, and ultimately inflates federal disaster assistance costs when uninsured homeowners cannot rebuild.
The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling. FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model. Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases. Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike.
The President has long championed policies that reduce federal overreach and protect everyday Americans from burdensome costs. To limit the damage caused by this harmful Biden era policy, we urge you to:
Time is of the essence. Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster. We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Source: New Zealand Government
Public consultation begins today aimed at improving the legal aid scheme for those who cannot afford advice and representation, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“We have a duty to ensure all New Zealanders have access to justice by means of a fair and open process.
“To do so, we need a scheme that is efficient and sustainable. However, we know it’s no longer fit for purpose.
“We’ve heard from the judiciary, lawyers, and others that changes are needed to address difficulties facing providers and those who need assistance.
“The scheme was last reviewed in 2018 and a lot has changed since then. This will provide an opportunity to ensure the scheme is efficient, is of good quality, and promotes access to justice in a way that is sustainable and cost-effective.
“I encourage everyone to make a submission and ensure their voice is heard. This feedback will help frame the advice on options for the future of the scheme.”
Submissions close with the Ministry on 23 July and can be made at: https://consultations.justice.govt.nz/policy/triennial-review-of-legal-aid
Further information about the review, including the discussion document, can be found here: Legal aid scheme review | New Zealand Ministry of Justice
Source: US State of California Governor
What you need to know: In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.
LOS ANGELES — In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.
“What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement — it’s authoritarianism,” Governor Newsom said to Californians. “What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.”
Governor Newsom recounted recent federal raids in Latino neighborhoods, the unlawful commandeering of 4,000 California National Guard members, and the deployment of over 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of an American city — all done without consultation with state or local officials. “Trump is pulling a military dragnet across Los Angeles,” Newsom said. “It’s weakness masquerading as strength.”
Calling this a moment of national reckoning, the Governor urged Americans to take peaceful action. “The most important office in a democracy is not President or Governor — it’s citizen.”
Watch and read the entire speech here:
I want to say a few words about the events of the last few days.
This past weekend, federal agents conducted large-scale workplace raids in and around Los Angeles.
Those raids continue as I speak.
California is no stranger to immigration enforcement.
But instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders – a strategy both parties have long supported – this administration is pushing mass deportations.
Indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families, regardless of their roots or risk.
What’s happening right now is very different than anything we’ve seen before.
On Saturday morning, when federal agents jumped out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot, they began grabbing people.
A deliberate targeting of a heavily Latino suburb.
A similar scene also played out when a clothing company was raided downtown.
In other actions: a US citizen, 9 months pregnant – arrested. A four-year-old girl – taken.
Families separated. Friends disappearing.
In response, everyday Angelinos came out to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech and assembly
To protest their government’s actions.
In turn, the State of California and the City and County of Los Angeles sent our police officers to help keep the peace, and with some exceptions, they were successful.
Like many states, California is no stranger to this sort of civil unrest. We manage it regularly … and with our own law enforcement.
But this, again, was different.
What then ensued was the use of tear gas. Flash-bang grenades. Rubber bullets.
Federal agents, detaining people and undermining their due process rights.
Donald Trump, without consulting with California’s law enforcement leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state’s National Guard members to deploy on our streets.
Illegally, and for no reason.
This brazen abuse of power by a sitting President inflamed a combustible situation … putting our people, our officers, and the National Guard at risk.
That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder.
And the President did it on purpose.
As the news spread throughout LA, anxiety for family and friends ramped up. Protests started again.
By night, several dozen lawbreakers became violent and destructive. They vandalized property. They tried to assault police officers.
Many of you have seen video clips of cars burning on cable news.
If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you are going to be held accountable.
That kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Full stop.
Already, more than 370 people have been arrested. And we’re reviewing tapes to build additional cases, and people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Again, thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown.
But that’s not what Donald Trump wanted.
He again chose escalation; he chose more force.
He chose theatrics over public safety – he federalized another 2,000 Guard members.
He deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines.
These are men and women trained in foreign combat, not domestic law enforcement.
We honor their service. We honor their bravery. But we do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces. Not in L.A. Not in California. Not anywhere.
We’re seeing unmarked cars in school parking lots. Kids, afraid to attend their own graduation.
Trump is pulling a military dragnet across LA, well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals.
His agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses – That’s just weakness. Weakness, masquerading as strength.
Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities – they are traumatizing our communities. And that seems to be the point.
California will keep fighting on behalf of our people – all of our people – including in the courts.
Yesterday, we filed a legal challenge to President Trump’s reckless deployment of American troops to a major American city.
Today, we sought an emergency court order to stop the use of the American military to engage in law enforcement activities across Los Angeles.
If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe.
Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.
Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control.
By the way, Trump – he’s not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM.
What more evidence do we need than January 6th?
I ask everyone to take the time to reflect on this perilous moment.
A president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution.
Perpetrating a unified assault on American traditions.
This is a President who, in just over 140 days, has fired government watchdogs that could hold him accountable for corruption and fraud.
He’s declared a war on culture, on history, on science – on knowledge itself. Databases, quite literally vanishing.
He’s delegitimizing news organizations and assaulting the First Amendment.
At the threat of defunding them, he’s dictating what universities can teach.
Targeting law firms and the judicial branch that are the foundation of an orderly, civil society.
Calling for a sitting Governor to be arrested for no other reason than – to use his words – “for getting elected.”
And we all know, this Saturday, he’s ordering our American heroes – the United States military – forcing them to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past.
Look, this isn’t just about protests in LA.
When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation.
This is about all of us. This is about you.
California may be first – but it clearly won’t end here. Other states are next.
Democracy is next.
Democracy is under assault right before our eyes – the moment we’ve feared has arrived.
He’s taking a wrecking ball to our founding fathers’ historic project.
Three independent, coequal branches of government.
There are no longer any checks and balances. Congress is nowhere to be found. Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility.
The rule of law has increasingly given way to the rule of Don.
The founding fathers did not live and die to see this moment.
It’s time for all of us to stand up.
Justice Brandeis said it best: in a democracy, the most important office is not president, it’s certainly not governor. The most important office is office of citizen.
At this moment, we must all stand up and be held to a higher level of accountability.
If you exercise your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully.
I know many of you are feeling deep anxiety, stress, and fear.
But I want you to know that YOU are the antidote to that fear and anxiety.
What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment.
Do NOT give in to him.
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk
One of seven people transferred to mainland France almost a year ago, following the May 2024 riots in New Caledonia, has been allowed to return home, a French court has ruled.
Frédérique Muliava, a former Congress staffer, was part of a group of six who were charged in relation to the riots.
Under her new judicial requirements, set out by the judge in charge of the case, Muliava, once she returns to New Caledonia, is allowed to return to work, but must not make any contact with other individuals related to her case and not take part in any public demonstration.
Four days after their arrest in Nouméa in June 2024, Muliava and six others were transferred to mainland France aboard a chartered plane.
They were charged with criminal-related offences (including being a party or being accomplice to murder attempts and thefts involving the use of weapons) and have since been remanded in several prisons across France pending their trial.
In January 2025, the whole case was removed from the jurisdiction of New Caledonia-based judges and has since been transferred back to investigating judges in mainland France.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
BUENOS AIRES, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL, the “Company”), one of Argentina’s largest financial services groups, announced today the pricing of the previously announced underwritten secondary offering (the “Offering”) by HSBC Bank plc (the “Selling Shareholder”) of 11,721,449 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) representing 117,214,490 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value Ps.1.00 per share (“Class B ordinary shares”) at a public offering price of $54.25 per ADS. The ADSs are not authorized for public offering in Argentina by the Argentine National Securities Exchange Commision (Comisión Nacional de Valores – “CNV”) and are not being offered or sold publicly under the Argentine Capital Markets Law No. 26,831, as amended and complemented. The documents related to the Offering have not been filed with, reviewed or authorized by the CNV, and therefore the CNV has not made any determination as to the truthfulness or completeness of those documents.
All of the ADSs were offered by the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder will receive all of the proceeds from the Offering. The Company is not selling any ADSs in the Offering and will not receive any proceeds from the Offering.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as the representatives of the underwriters of the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on June 12, 2025 subject to customary closing conditions.
The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (including a prospectus) filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the Offering will be filed with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, and from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or by email at prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com. These documents may also be obtained free of charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding the expected closing of the Offering. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of such words as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue” or other similar terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from current expectations and beliefs, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could impact the expected timing, completion or other terms of the Offering; the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally, as well as the other risk factors set forth under the caption Item 3.D. “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, and from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The information contained in this press release is as of the date indicated above. The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.:
Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL) is the main financial services holding company in Argentina, which seeks to create long-term value through its companies, providing savings, credit, investment, insurance, advice and digital solutions opportunities to people, companies and organizations, prioritizing customer experience and sustainable development.
With more than 110 years of experience, Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. is a group of financial services companies in Argentina, integrated by Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires S.A.U. (Banco Galicia), GGAL Holdings S.A. (Galicia Más Holdings), Tarjetas Regionales S.A. (Naranja X), Sudamericana Holdings S.A. (Galicia Seguros), Galicia Asset Management S.A.U. (Fondos Fima), IGAM LLC (Inviu), Galicia Securities S.A.U. (Galicia Securities), Agri Tech Investment LLC (Nera), Galicia Ventures LP and Galicia Investments LLC (collectively referred to as Galicia Ventures), and Galicia Warrants S.A. (Warrants).
Investor Contact:
Mr. Pablo Firvida
Investor Relations Officer
www.gfgsa.com
+5411 6329 4881
inversores@gfgsa.com
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERING WILL BE NOTIFIED IN ARGENTINA PURSUANT TO AN HECHO RELEVANTE, SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, BUT SUCH NOTICE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ARGENTINA.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Pedestrians walk past the site of the school shooting in Graz, Austria, June 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
At least 10 people were killed in a school shooting in Austria’s second-largest city of Graz, local media reported on Tuesday.
The incident also caused a double-digit number of serious injuries, including students and teachers, local media cited the police as saying.
According to Austria’s largest newspaper, the Kronen Zeitung, the shooting occurred at the school of BORG in Dreierschutzengasse in the Lend district shortly before 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Tuesday. Police confirmed the suspected perpetrator as a 22-year-old shooter, who used to be a student at BORG, but he is reported to have shot himself.
The school shooting on Tuesday is considered one of the most serious shootings in the history of Austria, the Kronen Zeitung added.
Police have been mobilized in the region, with a helicopter deployed. The school has been evacuated, and further danger is excluded, local police stated on the social media platform X.
As the capital city of the southern Austrian province of Styria, Graz is known as a college and university city, with four colleges and four universities.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Police officers try to disperse protesters in front of the Los Angeles Federal Detention Center in Los Angeles, California, the United States, June 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Top legal officials in the U.S. state of California moved to halt President Donald Trump’s deployment of military forces in their communities, filing an emergency court motion on Tuesday that challenged the federal government’s authority to use troops for local law enforcement.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom requested in the 28-page document that the federal court take immediate action to block Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense from using military personnel and federalized California National Guard units to patrol communities and conduct law enforcement activities.
The officials argued the military deployment violated federal law, threatened state sovereignty, and escalated rather than reduces civil tensions.
“The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him,” Bonta said in a statement released by the California Attorney General’s office. “It’s not just immoral – It’s illegal and dangerous.”
The emergency motion follows a lawsuit filed Monday by the same officials challenging Trump’s order to federalize the California National Guard for 60 days under federal statute 10 U.S.C. § 12406.
Early Sunday morning, the U.S. Department of Defense redirected hundreds of National Guard troops from San Diego to Los Angeles without gubernatorial authorization and against the wishes of local law enforcement, according to the Attorney General’s office.
As of Tuesday, the federal government has order to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops across California, plus an additional 700 Marines, to the second-largest city of the country.
“The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens,” Newsom said, according to the Attorney General’s statement. “Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy.”
The Californian officials contended that local law enforcement, not military forces, should handle civilian policing within state borders. They claimed the deployment deprives California of its own National Guard resources and creates “imminent harm” to state operations.
“Local law enforcement, not the military, enforce the law within our borders,” Bonta said. “The President continues to inflame tensions and antagonize communities.”
Source: New Zealand Police
Media are advised that Police will hold a stand-up this afternoon regarding the ongoing search for missing Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls.
Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge will speak to media at 2.30pm in central Christchurch.
We ask those media interested in attending to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz. Further details will be provided to registered media.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
The outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau in the Oranga Tamariki system report, found that tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau are still over-represented and drastically let down within the system.
The first report on the performance of the Oranga Tamariki system for Māori was published today by Aroturuki Tamariki the Independent Children’s Monitor. State Care survivor and advocate, Ihorangi Reweti Peters, who grew up in the Oranga Tamariki system, says this report shines a light on the performance of the Oranga Tamariki system and that Māori tamariki and rangatahi are still being failed by the very system that is supposed to be caring for them.
“The Independent Children’s Monitor found that Oranga Tamariki and NZ Police have strategies in place to address inequality and over-representation but there are barriers to making progress. It is crucial that both Oranga Tamariki and the New Zealand Police invest in adequate partnerships with Iwi, Māori and community initiatives that support tamariki and rangatahi Māori that are in care of Oranga Tamariki and with care experience,” Mr Reweti Peters says.
“These partnerships need to be increased so that our whānau, tamariki and rangatahi Māori have a safe and reliable organisation to raise concerns with. Oranga Tamariki is known to have multiple partnerships, sometimes these partnerships are not the best.
“The report also found that Oranga Tamariki is not always taking action to respond to reports of concern at the earliest opportunity. They found that almost half of the reports of concerns, resulted in a decision to take no further action. The reporting period 2023/24 showed that 52% of the reports of concerns received by Oranga Tamariki were for tamariki and rangatahi who identified as Māori.
“Early intervention is key to responding to reports of concern and supporting these whānau and making sure that our tamariki and rangatahi Māori remain out of Oranga Tamariki care. Ngā Maata Waka and Oranga Tamariki were working in partnership to provide community-led initiatives that responds to reports of concern. This successful initiative no longer operates due to a lack of funding and the roll-out of a new National Contact Centre localised response.
“This initiative was crucial for Māori whānau as it was a by Māori for Māori approach – where tamariki, rangatahi and whānau can engage in the ways that they want to respond to the report of concern. If this service is not reinstated our whānau will continue to fall through the cracks and not receive the right support that they are entitled too.“I welcome the report today by the Independent Children’s Monitor and I hope that Oranga Tamariki, in the interim, will improve the outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori. However, Oranga Tamariki is still in no place to care for some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most vulnerable children and young people. I echo the calls from survivors, academics and whānau, that Oranga Tamariki needs to be dismantled and Iwi, Hāpū and Whānau need to take over the provisions of caring for our tamariki and rangatahi,” says Mr Reweti Peters.