NewzIntel.com

Category: New Zealand

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Milestone for SH35 communities with Hikuwai Bridge No.1 replacement

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Work has started this week on enabling (early) works at the site of a permanent replacement for Hikuwai Bridge No.1, north of Tolaga Bay.

    A temporary Bailey bridge has been in place since 2023 after the bridge was damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle and the connection across Hikuwai River initially severed.

    Now, as part of the recovery, Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance and local contractors,  on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), will build the new bridge.

    The new bridge will feature a modern, two-lane structure, approximately 100 metres in length, and will follow the same alignment as the previous bridge.

    “This modern design provides better flood and earthquake resistance, boosts durability, and delivers environmental benefits. Once complete, it will provide a more efficient and permanent solution for SH35 road users for generations to come,” says TREC project lead Richard Bayley.

    “It is being designed to better withstand debris with a wider central span and rounded piers, reducing blockages and pressure from debris. Larger, deeper piles enhance resistance to flooding and scour effects, while the stronger steel columns will boost structural durability. Improved bearings will also prevent the bridge deck uplifting when inundated and during earthquakes.”

    Enabling works will take around four months to finish before the main construction of the new bridge can begin. The entire project is expected to take between 12 and 18 months, with completion expected by mid-2026.

    To mark the start of enabling works, a karakia was held by tangata whenua and landowners at Hikuwai, late last week. The karakia was led by Kaumatua, Chris Marsh – Board Co-Chair, Te Whare Hauora o Te Aitanga a Hauiti.

    The initial enabling works will involve three key milestones:

    • Site setup: establishment of a site office, along with three compound/laydown areas to store tools, material and equipment.
    • Construction of a temporary road (access road): realignment of the existing SH35 to enable construction of the southern bridge abutment and provide a safer and larger workspace for bridge construction. This road will connect with the Bailey bridge on the southern side and be in operation when the main works on the bridge begin. On project completion and removal of the Bailey bridge, it will operate as a maintenance road only, to service Hikuwai Bridge No. 1.
    • Old bridge demolition: removal of the existing, collapsed structure to make way for the new bridge.

    “It’s been a journey to reach this point, and we’re excited to move forward and create a lasting connection for SH35 communities. We’re also grateful for the community support over the past couple of years during the recovery phase including Kuru Contracting and their construction of local Pourau Road in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. We’ve worked closely with Iwi, local hapū, landowners including Pourau Station, and key stakeholders throughout the pre-construction and design phases and intend to continue this throughout construction, ” says Mr Bayley.

    “We really value the relationships we’ve been building since the cyclone and we want our relationships to last long after our work at Hikuwai is complete.”

    TREC is actively working with local contractors throughout the procurement process and has already appointed Parata Ltd Contractors for the site setup and access road construction.

    Traffic management

    During enabling works, some disruption to traffic is expected and we are working to ensure a smooth flow throughout the area. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we aim to keep any delays to a minimum.

    The new bridge will be constructed alongside the existing road, allowing traffic to continue flowing in both directions using the temporary Bailey bridge.

    The Bailey bridge will remain operational as it currently is, with general access and 50tn max load permitted. Overweight and over-dimensional vehicles will continue to require a permit, with a 10kmh speed limit and a one-vehicle-at-a-time policy in place.

    Construction work will take place Monday to Friday, from 6am to 6pm; some Saturday work may be necessary. During enabling works, traffic management will be in place including a temporary 30km/h speed restriction remaining in place on the southern side of the bridge where the temporary alignment is being built.

    Pedestrians and cyclists are advised to follow on-site signage and look out for trucks accessing the site.

    For regular updates, please subscribe to TREC’s fortnightly Tairāwhiti e-newsletter to stay informed on the progress of the project and wider recovery works on SH35 and SH2.

    Get the latest from Transport Rebuild East Coast(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police catch up with wanted man

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A wanted man with more than 20 warrants for his arrest has been taken into custody following a fleeing driver incident across Auckland this morning.

    Just before 8am, Auckland Airport Police spotted a vehicle of interest and approached it to speak with the occupants.

    Acting Waitematā East Area Prevention Manager, Acting Inspector Tim Williams, says the vehicle then fled at high speed.

    “Officers have elected not to pursue the vehicle and a short time later Eagle has observed it travelling at speed on State Highway 20.

    “The driver has continued on through Auckland and into the North Shore, where it exited and briefly went into a nearly underground carpark where it’s believed passengers were dropped off.”

    Acting Inspector Williams says the vehicle continued driving dangerously, overtaking traffic, running red lights and driving on the footpath.

    “At about 8.50am the vehicle was successfully spiked on Wairau Road, Totara Vale however, it has continued on driving in a dangerous manner and collided with another member of the public’s vehicle.

    “It’s incredibly lucky no one was injured and the damage was minor.

    “The tyres have then disintegrated and armed units, including Delta, have taken the man into custody.

    “ Other road users should not expect to have their safety put at risk like it was this morning during peak hour traffic, it’s completely unacceptable.

    “Great teamwork and a coordinated approach led to this man being apprehended and held to account for his behaviour.”

    A 38-year-old man will appear in North Shore District Court tomorrow facing a number of charges including aggravated failing to stop, dangerous driving, assault with a blunt instrument and possession of methamphetamine.

    Police will be opposing the man’s bail.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Back to basics for public service

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is overhauling the Public Service Act 2020 as part of its ongoing push to get back to basics and deliver value for money to taxpayers, Public Service Minister Judith Collins announced today.
    The New Zealand National Party-ACT New Zealand Coalition Agreement requires the Act be amended to “clarify the role of the public service, drive performance and ensure accountability to deliver on the agenda of the government of the day”.
    “The Public Service Act 2020, implemented by the previous government, added new responsibilities to the core role of chief executives which diminished their responsibility for implementing government policies and making efficient use of taxpayer money,” Ms Collins says.
    “We don’t need to tell the chief executives of the public service which laws to follow. They just need to follow the law – like all other employers.
    “The Act as it stands is impeding the public service from doing its best work, which in is in turn holding back the country from making progress on economic growth and other government priorities.”
    The Public Service Amendment Bill will:

    Clarify the role of the public service;
    streamline chief executive responsibilities;
    reinforce the principle of merit-based appointments;
    improve chief executive and agency performance management;
    utilise and improve tools to reduce silos; and
    better manage risk.

    “In the six years from 2017 to 2023, the number of people employed in the core Public Service grew 34% to 63,117 full-time equivalent employees,” Ms Collins says.
    “Despite this whopping increase, the actual outcomes for New Zealanders went backwards across key areas such as health, education and crime. This is unacceptable.
    “The efficiency, professionalism, and performance of the public service is a key resource for the Government and for New Zealanders, whose taxes pay for it.
    “The changes we are making will bring more discipline to government spending and enable New Zealand’s economy to grow, creating more jobs, higher incomes and money to invest in core services such as schools, hospitals and roads.”
    The Public Service Amendment Bill is expected to be introduced in July.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public Works Act overhaul complete to drive infrastructure growth

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act will introduce bigger and broader land payments, improved landowner engagement and new measures to support disaster recovery, Land Information Minister Chris Penk has announced. 
     
    “The Government has been working through an overhaul of the Public Works Act (PWA) to bring it into the 21st century after an independent review found it lacked clarity and commonsense. Today, I am proud to confirm that review is complete” Mr Penk says.  
     
    “If we want to grow the economy, boost productivity and make New Zealand a better place to live we must fix our pipes, increase the capacity of our schools and hospitals, and build more homes, roads and renewable energy sources. 
     
    “I want to thank the panel members for their expert advice in making the Act more efficient, effective, and transparent. This will help end decades of difficulties which have seen central and local governments struggle to secure land for development. 
     
    “Already announced changes include a dedicated carve-out in the law to provide incentive payments and a streamlined objections process for critical infrastructure. Now, this final set of reforms will modernise the wider system – protecting landowners’ rights while ensuring the Crown and local authorities can deliver for New Zealanders.”

    The final tranche will:  

    Introduce incentive payments: To encourage early agreements on land acquisition, landowners who voluntarily sell their property before a Notice of Intention is issued will now be eligible for an incentive payment of 10 percent of the land value, up to a maximum of $100,000. 

    Update home-loss and land-loss payments: To recognise the disruption caused by acquisition, additional payments will be made alongside the land value and any incentive payments: 

    o    The home-loss base payment will increase from $35,000 to $50,000.  
    o    The land-loss payment amount will increase from $250-$25,000 to $350-$35,000. 
    o    Home-loss payments will now extend to multiple homes on a property, such as farms held in trust with multiple owners residing on the land. 

    Land Acquisition Process Reforms: The process for acquiring land will be streamlined by replacing the initial statutory notice with a more structured engagement process. Before issuing a Notice of Intention for compulsory acquisition: 

    o    Landowners must receive comprehensive information on the acquisition, their rights, entitlements, and an invitation to sell. 
    o    The Minister or local authority must negotiate with landowners in good faith for at least three months (or six months for Māori freehold land). 

    Emergency Provisions: New measures will allow land acquisition following a declared state of emergency to support infrastructure restoration and community recovery, when activated by Order in Council.  

    “Cyclone Gabrielle showed in the starkest light the immense challenges communities face after a natural disaster. When roads, railway lines, water and power stations are wiped out and homes left uninhabitable, we must act swiftly and decisively. This new emergency provision empowers us to reconnect those in need,” Mr Penk says.  

    The Public Works Act Amendment Bill will be introduced to Parliament in mid-2025, with the public invited to provide feedback through the select committee process.

    Note to editors:      

    Information on previously announced Public Works Act changes can be found on the Beehive website: 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 100 million milestone leaves NZ increasingly isolated

    Source: ACT Party

    “Data collected by Bloomberg shows the milestone of 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine administered worldwide has been passed, leaving big questions for the Government about where New Zealand will stand relative to other countries as the worldwide programme continues,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

    “If the medical regulator gives the all-clear to New Zealand’s first vaccine today it won’t change anything, we still won’t have any vaccine for months.

    “A very effective spin campaign is being waged whereby commentators well-disposed to the Government tell us we should actually be thankful to be at the back of the queue for rolling out coronavirus vaccines.

    “We’re being told we’ve done so well we can afford to wait, but the opposite is true.

    “Despite well publicised issues with supply, there are almost as many people being vaccinated every day across the planet as there are people in New Zealand – 4.25 million in the latest count – and the figure is rising daily.

    “A week ago in was little more than 3 million.

    “Being at the back of the queue for vaccination means being at the back of the queue re-integrating with the countries we want to travel to, trade with and invest in.

    “It’s inevitable that by the middle of the year there will be essentially open borders between the countries that have moved fastest to vaccinate, and that network will grow exponentially.

    “A Covid-19 vaccination passport will become your ticket to freedom, yet New Zealanders are going to be forced to watch on, locked down in a largely Covid free country.

    “Just how is that a good outcome?

    “Shouldn’t our Government have done a better job of prioritising our recovery from the pandemic?”

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: $10m a month wasted on redundant contact tracing

    Source: ACT Party

    “ACT can reveal that taxpayers are footing the bill for pointless contact tracing that should have been scrapped when Omicron made it redundant,” says ACT’s Leader David Seymour.

    “Written parliamentary questions show the Government is still spending $10.2 million a month on contact tracing, despite contact tracers being unable to reach enough potential contacts or fast enough to ever be of any use in light of Omicron’s higher transmissibility.

    “The Government’s response to COVID has become increasingly costly and ineffective as the virus has evolved they’ve failed to change with it. Now we’re stuck with redundant policies that were designed for a different variant and exist only as a financial burden.

    “The reality is that most people don’t even report their positive results anyway.

    “$10 million would fund 33 cystic fibrosis patients with Trifakta for a year, 71,000 mental health counselling sessions, and is ten times more than what Hospice NZ needs – but this Government seems to think it is better off spent on empty call centres that are providing no benefit to New Zealanders.

    “ACT says that any COVID restrictions or services that aren’t protecting our health system in any tangible way should just go. They’re a needless expense at a time when reckless Government spending is fuelling out of control domestic inflation.

    “Getting rid of contact tracing would save taxpayers millions and is an important symbol that we’re moving on and getting our way of life back. It should be done immediately.”

    The Written Parliamentary Question can be found here.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 1500 empty rooms in MIQ shows Government’s poor planning

    Source: ACT Party

    “ACT welcomes the news that migrant families who have been cruelly separated for far too long will be reunited, but 1500 empty MIQ rooms shows there’s no reason both them and desperately needed workers can’t be here now,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

    “As of today in MIQ there are 1,500 empty rooms. The Government has been planning the Trans-Tasman bubble for months, it should have planned ahead so those spaces that have been freed up were filled immediately. It’s just poor planning to leave rooms empty while families are torn apart and businesses are crying out for workers.

    “If this really is the Government of “kindness” it would have ensured that families could have been together at the earliest possible opportunity. Stories of parents and children not seeing other for a year, or husbands and wives being separated were completely unnecessary.

    “If this really was the Government of “kindness” it wouldn’t leave business on the brink of collapse because they can’t get workers and it wouldn’t leave fruit rotting on the ground. There is nothing kind about leaving these rooms empty.

    “Just a bit of forward planning would have stopped this from happening. Unfortunately we have a Government that is entirely reactive and doesn’t seem to be able plan anything in advance.

    “This lack of clarity is having a huge mental and economic toll, not just here but in the Pacific Islands.

    “The Government needs to stop playing politics with people’s livelihoods and emotions. It’s time to do the right thing. We have an opportunity now to fill these rooms with people who will make a real contribution to New Zealand, let’s not let the opportunity pass us by.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 24 day isolation rule non-announcement unprofessional and unworkable

    Source: ACT Party

    “New COVID isolation rules for Omicron are unworkable, and the way they were dumped on the Ministry of Health website on a Friday afternoon is unprofessional,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

    “Late on Friday, rules appeared on the Ministry of Health website to the effect that a person who tests positive must isolate for 14 days, and household members must isolate for a further 10 days.

    “The way this has been announced, or rather not announced, echoes the cancellation of the 20 January MIQ lottery. That lottery was cancelled on the website of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, that was deleted and later confirmed in the form of a tweet. This is not leadership of communication in the middle of a pandemic.

    “A Government prepared for Omicron would make clear announcements, rather than slipping critical details about isolation onto websites on Friday afternoon. Instead they have buried the rules on the Ministry of Health website with no formal announcement.

    “The rules announced are unworkable, they will lead to a domino effect where a household can be down for a month. The Ministry of Health website says ‘The isolation period for COVID-19 cases in the community is at least 14 days, including 72 hours symptom-free,’ and ‘Your household members will need to remain in isolation for at least 10 days after you have been released as a case. This means they will need to be in isolation for longer than you as the case will [sic].’

    “The effect is that if you test positive, members of your household may have to isolate for 24 days. People who cannot afford that will have a strong incentive not to get tested, defeating the purpose of the policy. If the advice is taken seriously, it will cripple the health workforce and supply chains more generally.

    “New Zealand’s advantage with COVID is that we can learn from other countries, but we are doing the opposite here. Other countries are loosening their isolation requirements to keep hospitals opening and supermarkets shelves full, but we are tightening ours.

    “By contrast, isolation rules in the UK were changed on Monday so that all people in the household of a case can leave isolation after five days if they have negative tests on two consecutive days. They have done this because their previous isolation rules devastated supply chains.

    “In New South Wales, cases are required to isolate for 14 days but critical workers can leave earlier. Unlike New Zealand, New South Wales does not automatically deem household members as close contacts and require them to isolate. It allows people to use their judgement.

    “The Government badly needs to front on this issue. It needs to explain why these rules are put in place, and why it believes the benefits of an isolation regime stricter than any other country bar China is justified. It should release the modelling it has relied on in an open and transparent way, the way this Government once promised to act.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Statement – Freeing the great outdoors from health and safety scope creep – van Velden

    Source: Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is announcing further changes to health and safety, as part of the ACT-National Coalition commitment to reform health and safety law and regulations.  

    “This reform refocuses the work health and safety system by getting rid of over compliance, making sure there’s less paperwork and giving businesses, employers and workers clarity on their health and safety responsibilities. We want all New Zealanders to return home safely after every working day,” says Ms van Velden.  

    “For many Kiwis, outdoor recreational activities are a way of life that has been enjoyed for generations. Unfortunately, New Zealand’s work health and safety settings have reduced the appetite to allow these activities, inadvertently creating a culture of fear amongst landowners who are now worried about their legal liability if someone gets hurt,” says Ms van Velden.  

    “Many landowners, managers, councils, farmers and iwi allow access to their land for recreational use out of sheer goodwill. I do not think it is reasonable or proportionate for landowners, managers and iwi to be prosecuted by WorkSafe if someone was to be hurt or injured during the course of a recreational activity just because they are responsible for the land.

    “Today I am announcing a change to the Health and Safety at Work Act that clarifies the law for landowners and will free up private and public land for recreational use.  

    “Landowners will not be responsible if someone is injured on their land while doing recreational activities. Health and safety responsibilities will lie squarely on the organisation running the activities,” says Ms van Velden.

    “For example, a farmer might worry they are responsible for the risks of a horse trekking business on their land. I am making it clear in the law that in this case the health and safety duties sit with the horse trekking business. The farmer would only need to consider the risks from their work where that work is happening in the immediate vicinity of the horse trekking. They are not responsible for risks of the recreational activity itself.

    “We all know that recreational activities aren’t without some risk, and sometimes it’s the risk that makes it fun. I want Kiwis to be able to hunt, fish, hike, climb, mountain bike, kayak and so much more without being caught up in health and safety red tape,” says Ms van Velden.  

    The change will apply to both public and private land, from farms and forestry to school grounds, local council land and regional and national parks.

    This change will not impact private property rights, and it will still be up to the landowner to grant access to their land if they wish.

    Notes: 

    • Managers of land mostly refers to Department of Conservation who doesn’t own land but manages it.  Councils also manage land e.g. reserves 
    • The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety will announce further changes over the course of this week that were agreed as part of the first tranche of changes.  
    • These legislative changes are expected to be introduced before the end of the year and passed in early 2026.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Night closures next week for State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Night closures, 6-10 April: One week of night closures begin this Sunday on State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill.

    The route is set to be closed to traffic for the nights of Sunday 6 April to Thursday 10 April, from 9 pm to 4 am.

    Road crews will be clearing slip and rockfall debris, replacing signs, and completing paving work and safety barrier repairs.

    The work is part of regularly scheduled maintenance on the route and is designed to ensure the highway remains safe and reliable for drivers.

    Escorted crossings are available for people who need to travel over the Remutaka Hill at night. They can be made on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website.

    Remutaka Hill closure escort booking form(external link)

    Drivers are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and make a booking if they need to travel the route at night. The only available detour is a much longer trip via the Paihiatua Track or Saddle Road.

    These crossings are available for light vehicles only. The nature of the work and the limited space on the road mean heavy vehicles cannot be accommodated.

    Night works and full closures are safer for work crews, save on traffic management costs, and also allow the work to be completed faster.

    Traffic volumes on the route are significantly lower at night, meaning the work’s impact on drivers is minimised as much as possible.

    Upcoming closure schedule

    Dates have also been confirmed for planned closures for the second half of this year.

    There will be two single-night closures: one on Sunday 10 August, and the other on Sunday 7 September.

    There will also be two weeklong closures. The first will be the nights of 12 to 16 October. The second will be the nights of 16 to 20 November.

    These dates have been deliberately chosen to avoid clashing with major events in Wellington and the Wairarapa. Regular users of the route are urged to plan ahead for these closures.

    Important information for Remutaka Hill closures

    • Escorted crossings are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance. We always communicate well before planned closures and provide contact details so bookings can be made.
    • Bookings can be made online on the Waka Kotahi website.
    • Bookings are essential – drivers who turn up without one risk being turned away. If you have a genuine emergency on the night, the hill manager will decide how best to help you.
    • The escorted crossings are for light vehicles only. To keep our contractors safe, heavy vehicles cannot be accommodated.
    • Full access is always available for emergency services.

    More information about planned maintenance closures for Remutaka Hill can be found on our website:

    State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill planned night closures – January – December 2025

    Nights closed

    Start 9pm

    Finish 4am

    5

    6 April

    11 April

    1

    18 May

    19 May

    1

    15 June

    16 June

    1

    10 August

    11 August

    1

    7 September

    8 September

    5

    12 October

    17 October

    5

    16 November

    21 November

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Sheffield

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    One person has died after the earlier crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on SH73, Sheffield.

    Diversions remain in place while the Serious Crash Unit examines the scene.

    Motorists should please continue to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Freeing the great outdoors from health and safety scope creep

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is announcing further changes to health and safety, as part of the ACT-National Coalition commitment to reform health and safety law and regulations.  

    “This reform refocuses the work health and safety system by getting rid of over compliance, making sure there’s less paperwork and giving businesses, employers and workers clarity on their health and safety responsibilities. We want all New Zealanders to return home safely after every working day,” says Ms van Velden.  

    “For many Kiwis, outdoor recreational activities are a way of life that has been enjoyed for generations. Unfortunately, New Zealand’s work health and safety settings have reduced the appetite to allow these activities, inadvertently creating a culture of fear amongst landowners who are now worried about their legal liability if someone gets hurt,” says Ms van Velden.  

    “Many landowners, managers, councils, farmers and iwi allow access to their land for recreational use out of sheer goodwill. I do not think it is reasonable or proportionate for landowners, managers and iwi to be prosecuted by WorkSafe if someone was to be hurt or injured during the course of a recreational activity just because they are responsible for the land. 

    “Today I am announcing a change to the Health and Safety at Work Act that clarifies the law for landowners and will free up private and public land for recreational use.   

    “Landowners will not be responsible if someone is injured on their land while doing recreational activities. Health and safety responsibilities will lie squarely on the organisation running the activities,” says Ms van Velden. 

     “For example, a farmer might worry they are responsible for the risks of a horse trekking business on their land. I am making it clear in the law that in this case the health and safety duties sit with the horse trekking business. The farmer would only need to consider the risks from their work where that work is happening in the immediate vicinity of the horse trekking. They are not responsible for risks of the recreational activity itself. 

    “We all know that recreational activities aren’t without some risk, and sometimes it’s the risk that makes it fun. I want Kiwis to be able to hunt, fish, hike, climb, mountain bike, kayak and so much more without being caught up in health and safety red tape,” says Ms van Velden.  

    The change will apply to both public and private land, from farms and forestry to school grounds, local council land and regional and national parks. 

    This change will not impact private property rights, and it will still be up to the landowner to grant access to their land if they wish. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Hāpai Te Hauora Launches “That’s Us” Campaign for World Smokefree May

    Source: Hapai Te Hauora

    Today, Hāpai Te Hauora launched the “That’s Us” campaign, calling on all New Zealanders who smoke to sign up and take the first step toward quitting this World Smokefree May.
    The “That’s Us” campaign encourages whānau, hāpori, and individuals to unite and commit to a smokefree future. With a focus on persistence, the campaign invites those who smoke to seek support from their local Stop Smoking Service and sign up to quit, whether it’s for the first time or after previous attempts.
    Key Messages of the Campaign:
    • It’s always the right time to Start Again: It’s never too late to try quitting again. Research shows that people typically need an average of seven attempts before successfully quitting for good, and “That’s Us” reinforces that every attempt counts.
    • Stronger Together: The power of community support is central to success. By signing up together, we can help each other stay motivated and reach our Smokefree goals.
    • Our Choice, Our Future – Smokefree Aotearoa: The choices we make today will create a healthier, Smokefree future for our whānau, our hāpori, and Aotearoa.
    Jasmine Graham, National Tobacco Control Manager at Hāpai Te Hauora, says, “World Smokefree May is the perfect time to take action. If people stay smokefree for just four weeks, they are four times more likely to remain quit for good. Whānau making the decision to quit this May are best positioned for success when they connect with their local Stop Smoking Service (SSS). These services provide tailored support, resources, and guidance to help people stay on track with their quit journey.”
    Sign up now to quit this World Smokefree May and be part of something bigger. Together, we can achieve our Smokefree 2025 goal.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Energy – Rising power costs puts health at risk

    Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

    With a hike in power prices and cooler nights on the way, energy poverty is about to become more widespread in New Zealand.
    Energy poverty – where a household is not able to afford power to provide a healthy home – it can pose serious health risks, especially for those living with respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD.
    Asthma and Respiratory Foundation Chief Executive Letitia Harding says she is deeply saddened that so many New Zealanders are in this position.
    “Cold, damp homes significantly worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD, leading to more hospital visits and poorer health outcomes overall.
    “It’s heartbreaking that people have to choose between heating their home and protecting their health.”
    From today, April 1, the average household power bill will increase by about $10 per month.
    Many families are already facing desperate choices, with Consumer NZ estimating that last year, 140,000 households had to take out a loan to pay their electricity bills, and 38,000 households were disconnected because they couldn’t pay their electricity bill at least once.
    Energy poverty is not just a financial issue but a public health crisis, Ms Harding says.
    “The health system is spending over $38 million per year treating illnesses linked to cold, damp housing.
    “Poor indoor air quality and inadequate heating contribute to respiratory flare-ups, infections, and hospital admissions,” she says.
    “Māori and Pacific communities, who are overrepresented in low-income households, are disproportionately affected.”
    Phil Squire, Fair Energy Manager at Toast Electric (New Zealand’s only not-for-profit electricity supplier), says that while insulation and heat pump products can make housing in Aotearoa warmer and healthier, people need to feel confident about using heating without feeling worried about unforeseen power costs.
    “The reality is, without access to affordable power, Kiwis in low-income situations are reluctant to turn on any heating for fear of unexpectedly high energy bills.”
    The optimal healthy temperature for a home is 18-21 degrees, Mr Squire says.
    “So at Toast we do everything we can to help whānau feel educated on how to use their heating efficiently, feel confident to turn it on, and ensure their home has adequate insulation and other items like lined curtains and draught stopping to keep that heat in.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Bothamley Park wastewater pipes upgrade completed – Porirua City Council

    Source: Porirua City Council 

    More than 3km of ageing wastewater pipes in Bothamley Park have been replaced with larger, more resilient pipes in a project that started in December 2022. These pipes will help to prevent around 40,000 cubic metres of raw sewage – enough to fill 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools – from entering the Kenepuru Stream and Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour each year.
    The upgrade is part of the work Te Rā Nui – Eastern Porirua Development (a partnership between Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Porirua City Council and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira) is doing, and will benefit all of Porirua.
    Porirua City Mayor Anita Baker says getting the project across the line took a real partnership approach.
    “For Council, it’s part of the wider upgrade of our major strategic assets, along with the wastewater storage tank being built near the railway station and the new drinking water pipes being laid along Waitangirua Link Rd. All this work will help protect our harbour, improve our environment and increase our resilience during events like earthquakes,” says Mayor Baker.
    Te Rā Nui Project Director Will Pennington says the new pipes are longer lasting and double the size of the old pipes (almost a metre wide) and have been designed to support current and future generations.
    “The network upgrade created opportunities to enhance Bothamley Park and there are now fewer visible pipes. Around 1.8km of walking and cycling track has been resurfaced, more native plants added, and the Champion St carpark resealed,” says Mr Pennington.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: MYANMAR CHILD ACCOUNT: ‘It was terrifying’ – Children prepare to spend Myanmar New Year festival in shelters following earthquake – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    YANGON/BANGKOK, 31 March 2025 – On the morning that Myanmar’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck, 16-year-old student Yoon May- was having lunch at home in Mandalay and contemplating having a nap when she suddenly felt dizzy. 
    “I couldn’t process what was happening. I just ran. I barely escaped. The moment I stepped outside, bricks started falling from the ceiling. We all ran to the open field near our house. “This was the first earthquake I had ever experienced. It was terrifying.” 
    The earthquake on 28 March – the most powerful one in a century to hit Myanmar – caused extensive damage to infrastructure, as well as disrupting electricity and telecommunications services across the country. 
    More than 1,700 people have now been confirmed dead, and at least 3,400 people have been injured. Many others are still missing, and there is a high likelihood that the death toll could be significantly higher. [1] 
    The earthquake happened ahead of Myanmar’s New Year celebration, a traditional water festival known as ‘Thingyan’, which normally occurs in mid-April and is a time of festivity for four to five days, particularly for children. 
    This year, there will be no such celebrations for children and families affected by the earthquake. 
    “I had just finished my exams and was looking forward to celebrating Thingyan with my friends and visiting my aunt’s house. But now, all I want to do is cry. I’m so lucky I didn’t fall asleep-I’m not a light sleeper. If I had, I don’t know what would have happened.” 
    Yoon May’s family home was badly damaged, and her family have been left without water and electricity. They are now living in an open field, with only a mosquito net to protect them. 
    “I haven’t been able to sleep at all. Last night, we received an alert that another aftershock could hit between 1 am and 3 am. And it did.” 
    Hospitals, both public and private, are overwhelmed with people seeking medical care and many people have sought shelter in monasteries, football fields, and open spaces for fear of aftershocks. 
    Save the Children and our partners are providing lifesaving aid in earthquake affected areas in Myanmar with an immediate need for water, food and health care services for children and their families. We aim to provide cash to families so they can buy food, medicine and other essentials as well as access to clean water, essential hygiene and sanitation items and health services. 
    Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business groups call for publication of council voting records – BusinessNZ

    Source: BusinessNZ

    As councils consider their spending and rates decisions for the coming year, and as October’s local authority elections draw closer, business groups are calling for greater transparency on how councillors vote.
    “It is time for councils to make it easier to show how their elected members vote at each meeting so the public can make an informed choice at the elections on who should – or should not – get their vote,” said Matt Cowley, Chair of the Local Government Business Forum, a group of business organisations that have a vital interest in the activities of local government.
    “Over the past two years local government rates have been rising at an eye watering pace. Rates increased by 9.6% for the year to December 2023 and by 12.0% for the year to December 2024. These were the biggest increases in decades.
    “Councils across the country are now considering their spending and rates for the upcoming 2025/26 year. Some are consulting on their plans, but others will simply adopt their rates increase at a council meeting. More double-digit increases seem likely, despite overall inflation being only around 2%.
    “The transparency around council decisions is murky. Although council meetings are mostly open to the public and decisions are recorded, including votes, it is not easy to understand how individual councillors voted on the issues put to them. Media coverage of council business has become patchy as struggling news outlets scale back on their reporting. Councils like to play down division so they rarely if ever note dissenting votes in their media statements.
    “For the public it is mostly only by sifting through meeting reports and minutes that they can work things out. That takes understanding of council processes and considerable patience navigating council websites and finding the relevant parts of reports that are sometimes hundreds of pages long. You really have to know what to look for.
    “This makes it very hard for people to understand what positions councillors have been taking, which is bad for democracy. It is likely to contribute to low voter turnout at local elections and risks capture by council bureaucrats and by highly motivated interest groups.
    “It shouldn’t be this hard. In fact, there is a council that shows what is possible.
    “In February Wellington City Council launched new functionality to its website to make it easier to locate information around voting records and meeting data. In 2024 the project won an award for Web, Digital and Communications Project of the Year at the Association of Local Government information Management. Other councils should look at how they can take this approach.
    “That might take a while, so in the meantime when councils adopt their rates for the coming year, their media statements should clearly state who voted for and who voted against the projects that drove the rates increases.
    “We also hope councils will explore AI tools to evidence the truth of councillor statements against their voting actions.
    “These initiatives should help ensure the public is in the most informed position to decide who to vote for or not vote for,” Mr Cowley concluded.
    About the Local Government Business Forum
    The Local Government Business Forum comprises organisations that have a vital interest in the activities of local government. Its members include Business New Zealand, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, New Zealand Forest Owners Association, New Zealand Initiative, New Zealand Business Chamber, the Retirement Villages Association of New Zealand and Infrastructure New Zealand. It was established in 1994 to promote greater efficiency in local government and to contribute to debate on policy issues affecting it.
    The Forum’s members are each significant representatives of ratepayers in their own right but the Forum’s perspective is to advance community welfare through the advocacy of sound public policy. We believe that local government can best serve the interests of the community and ratepayers by focusing on the efficient provision of public goods at a local level.
    The Local Government Forum advocates policies that create a positive economic environment. Recognising the significant role of local government in private investment decisions, the Forum regularly produces publications addressing crucial issues relating to the performance of local government and legislative developments in that sector.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy efficiency will help homes, businesses temper electricity bill shocks starting today

    Source: Ecobulb

    Homes and businesses must relook at energy efficiency as a way to minimise electricity bill shocks from April 1, an energy efficiency expert says.

    “Power prices are headed in one direction – up – as Transpower and lines companies from today  start increasing their network charges to fund improved capacity and resilience of their networks,” said Chris Mardon, managing director of Ecobulb.
     
    Electricity retailers will be passing on larger lines’ charges along with other increases, such as the higher cost of generation.
     
    Dr Mardon said a typical power bill in Wellington will increase 12 percent or $24 a month tomorrow, from $2,296 a year to $2,580 a year[1].
     
    “This is considerably higher than the Commerce Commission estimate that Wellington bills would rise on average $6 a month[2] excluding GST.
     
    “While $6 might be the increase for the lines’ component of the bill, the total bill is what people care about, and the bottom-line is considerably higher.”
     
    “As the weather cools, and people start using more power at higher prices, they’ll be wondering what they can do about it. One option is to invest in more efficient appliances such as LEDs, efficient shower heads and heat pump water heaters, which benefit homes and businesses wanting to save money,” Dr Mardon said.
     
    Many New Zealand households could save over $1,000 a year by switching out key household appliances for more efficient options.
     
    One of the positive changes from April 1 is the possibility for lines companies to spend money on supporting energy efficiency, which is a regulatory objective under the Commerce Act.
     
    “We’ll be watching closely to see when, where and how much lines companies allocate their $91.9[3] million of funding to support energy efficiency.”
     
    Meanwhile customers should be looking at their own options to reduce their power consumption through energy efficiency.
     
    “Rolling out various low-cost energy saving measures to 1.5 million New Zealand homes could save kiwis $1 billion a year in power, with a four-month payback based on energy savings,” Dr Mardon said.

    [1] A customer using 7,200 kWh a year; lines charge increasing to $1.50/day from $1.20 a day, variable charge increasing to 23.57 c/kWh from 21.66 c/kWh.  GST then added.
    [2] Default-price-quality-paths-for-electricity-distribution-businesses-from-1-April-2025-Final-decision-Reasons-paper-20-November-2024.pdf page 109
    [3] EDB-DPP4-Final-decision-Reasons-paper-Attachment-D-Innovation-and-section-54Q-incentives-16-December-2024.pdf page 13

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Hāpai Te Hauora Launches “That’s Us” Campaign for World Smokefree May

    Source: Hapai Te Hauora

    Today, Hāpai Te Hauora launched the “That’s Us” campaign, calling on all New Zealanders who smoke to sign up and take the first step toward quitting this World Smokefree May.
    The “That’s Us” campaign encourages whānau, hāpori, and individuals to unite and commit to a smokefree future. With a focus on persistence, the campaign invites those who smoke to seek support from their local Stop Smoking Service and sign up to quit, whether it’s for the first time or after previous attempts.
    Key Messages of the Campaign:
    • It’s always the right time to Start Again: It’s never too late to try quitting again. Research shows that people typically need an average of seven attempts before successfully quitting for good, and “That’s Us” reinforces that every attempt counts.
    • Stronger Together: The power of community support is central to success. By signing up together, we can help each other stay motivated and reach our Smokefree goals.
    • Our Choice, Our Future – Smokefree Aotearoa: The choices we make today will create a healthier, Smokefree future for our whānau, our hāpori, and Aotearoa.
    Jasmine Graham, National Tobacco Control Manager at Hāpai Te Hauora, says, “World Smokefree May is the perfect time to take action. If people stay smokefree for just four weeks, they are four times more likely to remain quit for good. Whānau making the decision to quit this May are best positioned for success when they connect with their local Stop Smoking Service (SSS). These services provide tailored support, resources, and guidance to help people stay on track with their quit journey.”
    Sign up now to quit this World Smokefree May and be part of something bigger. Together, we can achieve our Smokefree 2025 goal.
    For more information and to sign up, visit worldsmokefreemay.nz 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Pātaka opens vibrant new season – Porirua

    Source: Porirua City Council

    The autumn season of exhibitions opened at Pātaka over the weekend with three new exhibitions that will run through to 6 July.
    Lovers & Castaways takes the 1980 book “Contemporary New Zealand Painters” by Jim and Mary Barr as its starting point and focuses on that decade as an important time for art in New Zealand. The exhibition brings together more than 50 works made in the 1980s – and drawn from the Arts House Trust Collection – and highlights what concerns were prominent for artists in that decade. This exhibition features works from well-known artists, including Gretchen Albrecht, Nigel Brown, Tony Fomison, Dick Frizzell and Ralph Hotere.
    Hemi Macgregor’s solo exhibition, Waiora, draws on geometric structures, patterns and processes in the natural world to explore our relationship with sky, water, earth and seasons. Working across painting, sculpture and installation, Macgregor’s work looks at the spiritual elements that connect humans to the external worlds of te taiao, te taimoana, te taiwhenua and into tātai tuarangi (the cosmos).
    In Toloa Tales, new video works by Tāmaki Makaurau-based artists Edith Amituanai (Aotearoa, Sāmoa) and Sione Tuívailala Monū (Aotearoa, Australia, Tonga) explore what it means to return to an ancestral homeland. In 2023, both artists returned to Samoa – Monū to celebrate a friend participating in the Miss Sāmoa Fa‘afafine Pageant and Amituanai to visit family.
    In Toloa Tales, the artists share their own kind of “return” – through personal stories, exchanges and tender moments of everyday life – and examine some of the ways the Pacific diaspora maintain their identity and culture after migration to countries like Aotearoa, Australia and the United States.
    Later in the season, Arca Arcade “Round One” opens on 12 April and runs until 22 June.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police investigating Roseneath deaths

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Haley Ryan:

    Police are making enquiries after two people were located deceased in a residential address in Roseneath overnight.

    About 10pm last night, Police received a request for a welfare check for a concerned family member who had not heard from their loved ones.

    On arriving at the property, Police located two people deceased.

    A scene examination is underway at the property today and enquiries into the circumstances of their deaths are ongoing.

    I want to provide assurance that there is no ongoing risk to the Roseneath community. 

    The Roseneath community can expect to see a high presence of Police while our enquiries are carried out. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Māori economic growth plan aimed at boosting jobs and incomes

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Tōia mai te waka, ki te urunga te waka, ki te moenga te waka, ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka! 

    Creating jobs and boosting incomes is at the heart of a renewed Government Māori economic growth plan, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. 

    “Today, the Government is releasing the ambitious Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori framework to boost Māori economic development.

    “The framework has three main prongs: increasing infrastructure investment, accelerating exports and unlocking the potential of whenua Māori. This may expand or change in the future.

    “The Māori contribution to the overall economy is growing fast, from $17 billion GDP in 2018 to $32 billion in 2023, and almost doubling in valued asset base. However, it continues to suffer from infrastructure deficits, barriers to accessing finance, and unproductive land laws.

    “To address this, we will work together across Government and connect to the Government’s broader Going for Growth agenda. That’s why the Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori framework has an initial focus on three key areas:
     

    • Increasing targeted infrastructure investment to drive employment and sustainable growth.
      For example, investment in Parininihi ki Waitōtara incorporation to accelerate work exploring the potential of a large-scale solar farm, capable of supplying over 8,500 homes. And the recent mahi tahi between the Government and Māori leaders at the Investment Infrastructure Summit.
    • Accelerating Māori business exports.
      For example, establishing a means to recognise traditional knowledge in the IP system that protects Māori point of difference and property rights.
    • Unlocking the growth potential of whenua Māori.
      For example, making targeted improvements to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 to simplify planning and related processes, encourage greater development opportunities and reduce red tape.

    “To progress this mahi, Te Puni Kōkiri has released a public discussion document to encourage ideas and feedback on improving Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.

    “Māori land is often under-utilised, so we intend to make the Act more efficient, streamlined, and easier to navigate, with the aim of removing legislative barriers to economic development. 

    “It’s important that we hear from Māori landowners, whānau, hapū and iwi about these changes and I really encourage people to provide their feedback.”

    Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori has been released alongside a discussion document for public consultation on proposed changes to Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993.

    The discussion document is available on the Te Puni Kōkiri website. Consultation closes on May 23 2025.

    Ko te whāinga a te mahere whakatupu ōhanga Māori he whakarea i ngā tūranga mahi me ngā whiwhinga utu

    Tōia mai te waka, ki te urunga te waka, ki te moenga te waka, ki te takotoranga i takoto ai te waka! 

    Kei te ngako o te mahere whakatupu ōhanga Māori a te Kāwanatanga hou ko te waihanga tūranga mahi hou me te whakapiki ake i ngā whiwhinga utu, te kī a te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Tama Potaka. 

    “Nō te rangi nei, e whakarewa ana te Kāwanatanga i te anga pae tawhiti Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori hei hiki ake i te whanaketanga ōhanga Māori.

    “E toru ngā marau matua o te anga: ko te whakapiki i te whakapaunga ki te hanganga, ko te whakahohoro ake i ngā hokotai, me te huaki i te pitomata o te whenua Māori. Ka whānui ake, ka rerekē rānei tēnei ā ngā tau e tū ake nei.

    “Kua tere te piki haere o te takoha a te iwi Māori ki te ōhanga katoa o te motu, mai i te $17 piriona GDP i te tau 2018 ki te $32 piriona i te tau 2023, ka mutu, i tata tonu te whakatōpūtanga o te uara o te puna rawa. Heoi anō, nā te korenga o ētahi o ngā āhuatanga hanganga e tika ana, mai i ngā tauārai aukati pūtea tatū atu ki ngā ture whenua hua kore, kei te raru tonu, kei te raru tonu.

    “Hei whakatikatika i tēnei, ka mahi tahi mātou puta noa i te Kāwanatanga me te tūhonohono ki kaupapa whānui a te Kāwanatanga Going for Growth . Koia te take e aro tuatahitia ana te anga Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori ki ngā wāhi matua e toru:

     

    • Te whakapiki ake i te whakapaunga pūtea ki te hanganga hei kōkiri i te whakapikinga o ngā tūranga mahi me te whakapūmautanga o te whakatupuranga.
      Hei tauira, ko te whakapaunga pūtea ki te kaporeihana o Parininihi ki Waiotōtara ki te whakatere ake i ngā mahi tūhura i te pitomata o te pāmu kōmaru nui tonu, e āhei ana ki te whāngai hihiko ki ngā kāinga neke atu i te 8,500. Me te mahi tahi o nā noa nei i waenga i ngā manukura o te Kāwanatanga me te iwi Māori ki te Hui Taumata mō te Whakapaunga Pūtea Hanganga.
    • Te whakatere ake i ngā hokotai pakihi Māori.
      Hei tauira, ko te whakaritenga o te ara hei āhukahuka i te mātauranga o neherā ki te pūnaha IP hei whakamarumaru i ngā tūāhuatanga ahurei me ngā motika rawa o te Māori.
    • Te huaki i te pitomata tupuranga o te whenua Māori.
      Hei tauira, ko ngā whakatikatika i arotahitia ki Te Ture Whenua Māori 1993 ki te whakangāwari i ngā hātepe me ngā tukanga whai pānga, te whakatenatena i ngā arawātea whakawhanake, me te whakamarino i ngā wai karekare o te hunga kātipa.

    “Hei kauneke haere i tēnei mahi, kua whakaputaina e Te Puni Kōkiri te tuhinga matapakinga mā te iwi whānui hei whakatenatena i ngā ariā me ngā urupare e pā ana ki te whakapaitanga ake i Te Ture Whenua Māori 1993.

    “He nui ngā wā kāore i kaha te whakamahia o te whenua Māori, nō reira ko tō mātou koronga kia pai, kia kakama ake te whakahaere, kia ngāwari ake hoki te whakatere, me te whai kia whakakorea ngā tauārai ā-ture ki te whakawhanaketanga ā-ōhanga. 

    “He mea nui kia rongo mai mātou i ngā kaipupuri whenua Māori, ngā whānau, ngā hapū me ngā iwi i ngā kōrero mō ēnei huringa, ka mutu, kei te tino whakamanawa au i ngā tāngata ki te whakahoki mai i ā rātou kōrero urupare.

    Kua whakaputaina ko te Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori ki te taha o te tuhinga matapakinga mō te rūnanga tūmatanui e pā ana ki ngā huringa ki Te Ture Whenua Māori 1993 kua whakatakotoria.

    E wātea ana te tuhinga matapakinga ki te paetukutuku o Te Puni Kōkiri. Ka kati te matapakinga ā te 23 o Haratua, 2025.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Record whio duckling count on Taranaki Maunga

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  01 April 2025

    Recent monitoring of eight rivers on Taranaki Maunga saw 106 whio ducklings counted, up from 89 in the survey completed last year. Further fledglings were sighted on rivers outside the survey area.

    For the last nine years surveys have been conducted along eight rivers with specially trained conservation dogs. A dog and its handler seek whio along each river twice each breeding season, with each river taking an average of 6 hours to survey.

    DOC biodiversity ranger Joe Carson conducts the annual surveys with her conservation dog, Pip. Joe says she’s thrilled with the great result.

    “Ongoing trapping and last year’s application of aerial 1080 have helped protect female whio during their critical nesting period.

    “It’s been a huge collective effort from volunteers, Taranaki Mounga Project and DOC staff to reduce stoats and other predators across the maunga. The work of our partners across the wider maunga also supports whio. Together, we’re bringing nature back.”

    Settled weather last spring kept rivers stable and low, providing an extra boost to help the young birds survive to fledging.

    Whio are a unique duck species found nowhere else in the world and are known as an icon of New Zealand’s backcountry rivers.

    The whio population on Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki is thriving with regular sightings by trampers on many of the hikes.

    “It’s such a privilege to witness this ancient species in the wild,” says Joe.

    “So, look out for whio and be sure to give them space so they aren’t stressed, they’re part of what makes New Zealand special.”

    Background information

    • Whio/blue duck are a unique species found nowhere else in the world.
    • Whio are river specialists living on fast-flowing rivers.
    • Healthy whio populations indicate healthy rivers and streams. The more breeding pairs of whio, the healthier the river.
    • The survival of whio largely depends on the protection of secure source populations throughout mainland New Zealand.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Opera in the Strand returns to Strand Arcade

    Source: Auckland Council

    [embedded content]

    It’s New Zealand Music Month in May and people will flood into midtown’s streets, lanes and public spaces, further cementing our place in the world as a UNESCO City of Music.

    They will hear the diverse and unique sounds of Tāmaki Makaurau, as Auckland Council hosts a free public programme of music, supported by the city centre targeted rate.

    The season opens with Opera in the Strand on Thursday 1 May at 6pm. After a successful debut in 2024, Opera in the Strand returns in all its glorious colour, costumery and melody.

    Listen and watch highlights from the 2024 event on YouTube here.

    Totally free and with no tickets needed, people will simply walk up and hear New Zealand’s finest young opera singers in full voice. Curated by the New Zealand Opera School, the artists sing from the tiled arcade floor and high on the bridges above midtown’s historic Strand Arcade, built 125 years ago.

    Councillor Desley Simpson is thrilled to see Opera in the Strand back by popular demand.

    “As this exciting new neighbourhood takes shape around Te Waihorotiu Station, our teams are working hard to attract people back to midtown and support businesses impacted by construction, through events like this.

    “Music is always in the mix and there’s nothing like opera, brought to one of our historic city centre jewels, to lift spirits,” she says.

    NZ Opera School Trustee Jack Bourke, an Aotea Arts Quarter advocate and co-curator of Opera in the Strand, explains the significance of Opera in the Strand further: “The importance of music in building place is undeniable. The importance of music in building community, and the arts quarter at the heart of our regenerating midtown, is immeasurable.”

    Visit OurAuckland for 2025’s New Zealand Music Month menu for all tastes. It’s an experience not to be missed.

    Read about the opera stars and pianists you will hear sing and play in our historic Strand Arcade on 1 May:  

    Emma Jones – Soprano

    Emma Jones completed her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours as a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar at the University of Waikato. This year she is studying towards her Masters of Music under the tutelage of Emma Pearson. 

    Emma was recently awarded the Merle Higgie Opera Prize of Potential at the New Zealand Opera School and the prize for Most Potential at the Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition. In 2024 she debuted in the role of Iphis in Handel’s Jephtha and made her Auckland Town Hall debut as the Soprano 2 soloist in Bach Musica NZ’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.2 (Hymn of Praise).  Emma has also received Music Blues Awards for four consecutive years and the 2024 Creative and Performing Arts Person of the Year. NZOS Alumna 2024.

    Olivia Forbes – Soprano

    Olivia Forbes performing at Strand Arcade.

    Olivia Forbes is a 23-year-old soprano from Auckland. Having completed her undergraduate conjoint in Voice and Italian from Auckland University, she has recently completed her honours degree in Classical Voice with first class under the tutelage of Dr. Morag Atchison. In 2019, she played the role of Flora in New Zealand Opera’s production of The Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten and has been a student at the New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui where she was awarded the 2025 Dame Sister Mary Leo award for dedication to the craft of Opera.

    Recently, Olivia placed third in the Beacroft Aria Finals and was a finalist in the 2024 New Zealand Aria competition where she performed as a soloist with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra. At the 2025 Nicholas Tarling aria finals she was awarded the inaugural Sally Stone award for most outstanding talent. She is passionate about sharing the beauty of classical music with audiences and looks forward to expanding her horizons internationally later this year as she embarks to London to pursue a Master of Performance at the Royal College of Music. NZOS Alumna 2023/2024.

    Sarah Mileham – Soprano

    Sarah Mileham is a 22-year-old Soprano from Tauranga and now based in Hamilton. In 2023, she finished her Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance at the New Zealand School of Music, Victoria University of Wellington under the tuition of Jenny Wollerman. She has just completed her Bachelor of Music with Honours at Waikato University with Soprano Anna Leese. She is now an artist with Te Pae Kōkako The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS).

    In 2024, Sarah made her debut with NZ Opera singing ‘Maria Bertram’, a principal role, in Mansfield Park by Jonathan Dove and ‘Countess Ceprano’ in Verdi’s Rigoletto. She also sang the role of Adina in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love NZO Schools Tour, which travelled Aotearoa. She has been awarded first at the 2024 Nicholas Tarling Aria Competition, the DMMF Waikato Aria Competition, the Norah Howell Recital Class, and Te Awamutu Aria. She has also been a finalist in the Lockwood NZ Aria (2023), Runner up in Christchurch (2023,2024) and Wellington Aria Finals (2023), and received the Merle Higgie Opera Prize for Potential at her first New Zealand Opera School in 2023. Sarah is excited to grow her professional career and is looking forward to future further studies overseas. NZOS Alumna 2023/2024.

    Ridge Ponini – Tenor

    Ridge Ponini performing at Strand Arcade.

    Proud Cook Island tenor, Ridge Ponini completed his Honours degree in Music at the University of Otago, majoring in classical voice performance and is a 2024 Artist with Te Pae Kokako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS). In 2017 Ridge was named the Most Promising Singer and received the Judges Choice Award in the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria award, and in the same competition placed second in 2018. In 2021 Ridge was awarded the Enari Iosefa Opera Award from Creative New Zealand and in 2022 was a semi finalist for the Lexus Song Quest. Ridge was a studio artist with New Zealand Opera in 2023 and winner of the Dame Sister Mary Leo Award (runner up) at the 2024 NZ Opera School. NZOS Alumnus 2020/2021/2023/2024.

    Edward Laurenson – Baritone

    Former NZ Opera Emerging Artist and Circle 100 Scholar, Edward Laurenson was the winner of the Guildhall Prize at the 2013 IFAC Australian Singing Competition and graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Master of Performance in London and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying under Yvonne Kenny and Cesar Ulloa. Following his residency at Opera Colorado and the Merola Opera Programme, Edward has performed operatic roles worldwide. Supported by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation he returned to NZ in 2022 to perform the role of Anatoly in Chess the Musical in Auckland. NZOS Alumnus 2013/2014.

    Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono – Baritone

    Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono is a Samoan baritone from Flaxmere, Hastings. His interest in classical music flourished through his involvement with the youth initiative, ‘Project Prima Volta’ – a music programme based in Hawke’s Bay that empowers youth through classical music. He completed a Master in Advanced Opera Studies through The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS) at the University of Waikato under the tutelage of Kristin Darragh, and continued his development as a Freemasons New Zealand Opera Company Artist for 2024 under the tutelage of Nikki-Li Hartliep.  Alfred is a five time attendee of the NZ Opera School where he was awarded the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Award in 2024.

    Francis Cowan – Pianist

    Francis Cowan was appointed as full time Head of Collaborative Piano at the University of Waikato in 2015. He enjoys a busy schedule of coaching and accompaniment for voice and instrumental students and is a regular pianist and organist for the New Zealand Opera School.

    David Kelly, pianist

    David is based in Auckland and is a repetiteur and coach for New Zealand Opera, Te Pae K ō kako (University of Waikato) and the New Zealand Opera School. He collaborates frequently with the Auckland Philharmonia , Auckland Chamber Orchestra, Voices New Zealand, and the Universities of Auckland and Waikato. With flutist Luca Manghi he has recorded a critically applauded recital disc Quays (Atoll Records, ACD 882), and is a member of the Donizetti Trio, which undertook national tours in 2014 and 2019 for Chamber Music New Zealand. David studied at the University of Canterbury with Diedre Irons and Maurice Till and is a graduate of the Australian Opera Studio.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Home removal goes sky-high

    Source: Auckland Council

    Removing a couple of storm-damaged homes sounds like a bread and butter task for an experienced home relocation company, but two homes in Blockhouse Bay had more than their share of challenges.

    Firstly there were two sets of major transmission power lines overhead – one directly above the Margate Road houses and one between the houses and the road. So the operation had to be precisely timed in a window when one of the transmission lines was in a scheduled shutdown.

    Secondly the two houses being removed (located down a narrow driveway) had to be lifted over a home on the roadside that was remaining.

    [embedded content]

    A tricky operation

    The three-day operation undertaken by Auckland House Lifting and Clear Site Demolition involved lifting the homes one at a time onto a truck, moving them into a safe zone between the power lines, and then lifting them over the house at the front during the power shutdown window.

    And then late in the evening the homes were driven off down the road to a storage facility where they will be sold to a new family.

    Auckland House Lifting’s Reuben Turvey says this certainly isn’t a typical house relocation.

    “The challenge on this project is working under the live lines, which are the ones at the back of the property, and getting the buildings forward of that and staying in the safe zone between the two [power lines]. And then highloading (lifting using blocks) the building, and coming out over the top of the houses.

    “This isn’t a typical project, but we like a challenge. It’s not overly difficult but we just needed to spend the time planning to ensure everyone’s safety.”

    Hundreds of storm-affected homes being removed

    Nearly 180 Category 3 homes have been removed across the region since the 2023 storms, with approximately 30 per cent of the houses being relocated. The aim is to remove 350-400 dwellings each year, with the home removal programme expected to be completed in November 2027.

    Auckland Council Home Removals Programme Manager Kris Bird says the challenge of removing 1200 storm-affected houses is not to be underestimated.

    “We’re trying to do things differently by maximising the number of houses we can relocate, which sometimes means it takes us slightly longer but relocating houses is the most cost-effective and sustainable way.

    “It would have been easy to say relocating these two houses was too complicated but the team took the time to find a workable solution which gave these homes a second life for another family in need.”

    Check out the Blockhouse Bay home removals in the above short timelapse video.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Next steps to improve flood resilience for the Wairau community

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council is looking to progress a comprehensive flood resilience (blue-green) network to significantly reduce flood risks across the Wairau catchment in Auckland’s North Shore.

    A proposed business case for design, consenting and early enabling works for improved flood resilience in Wairau will be presented to the Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee on 3 April.

    The decision at the committee will enable design and consenting required for this work to begin – a further business case will be required before full delivery of the project can progress.

    Protecting against future flooding

    As part of this broader initiative, AF Thomas Park (home to Takapuna Golf Course and other recreational facilities) is being considered for redevelopment into a recreational flood storage wetland, detention basin and overland flow path. In this proposed option the park would remain a critical recreational asset whilst forming the cornerstone of a blue-green network.

    North Shore Ward Councillor Richard Hills acknowledges that potential changes to the park is a tough conversation for the current users of the park but says this is about protecting against future flooding and potential loss of life and property.

    “The Wairau Valley, Milford, Sunnynook and Tōtara Vale make up the worst affected area from the January 2023 floods,” says Cr Hills.

    “This area experienced tragic loss of life alongside tens of millions of dollars in property damage to homes, businesses, vehicles and community facilities – volunteers rescued 69 people in the Wairau Valley alone.

    “We asked council staff to investigate all possible options to help reduce the flooding impacts and staff strongly believe the options presented in the business case are the best opportunities to ensure long-term flood resilience against future events.

    “I understand potential changes to AF Thomas Park is upsetting to our golfing community and those further afield that regularly use this course. As part of the design process, the council and local boards will work with the community, to understand the future public use of the reserve, alongside providing much needed flood protection and safety for our community.

    “And I’d like to thank all those involved, including central government, the local boards, Mayor and councillors, who all back this option to go forward to business case and consultation stages.”

    What is being proposed?

    As part of the Making Space for Water programme, co-funded by local and central government, a comprehensive blue-green network for the Wairau Valley is proposed.

    This aims to integrate multiple flood management systems to restore natural processes, enhance drainage, and create recreational spaces that serve as flood storage areas during extreme weather events.

    The current business case covers two stages of works as part of a long-term holistic approach to reducing flooding risks across the Wairau catchment.

    Taking a phased approach ensures that the needs of the community are considered and that the project aligns with their vision for a safer and more resilient Wairau Valley.

    Stage 1 Initiatives

    The first stage of the Wairau catchment blue-green network focuses on the design and consenting of critical flood management infrastructure at AF Thomas Park.

    • This stage includes the development of a recreational flood storage wetland and detention basin.
    • This will act as a natural sponge to capture and hold excess water during heavy rain events.
    • By slowing the flow of water and releasing it gradually, this system reduces pressure on surrounding areas prone to flooding.

    Stage 2 Initiatives

    Stage 2 of the proposed blue-green network will focus on several key initiatives in and around land being acquired as part of the Category 3 buy-out programme in Milford and Tōtara Vale.

    • This will include improvements to informal overland flow paths, stream widening and daylighting to enhance natural flow.
    • In addition, some minor upgrades will be made to existing detention facilities.

    Upon completion of both stages, 261 dwellings and three large retirement villages will have flood risk reduced including 35 properties removed from high flood risk. Additionally, 3,900m² of commercial floor area will also see a reduced flood risk.

    This comprehensive network will also protect critical infrastructure such as key roads, power substations, and wastewater systems while providing vibrant recreational areas with walking paths and amenities, similar to Greenslade Reserve.

    “By enhancing flood resilience across the catchment, the project will support the safety, economic stability, and quality of life for the community,” says Cr Hills.

    How will this project reduce flooding?

    The Wairau Valley area suffered significant flooding during the severe weather events in early 2023 resulting in extensive flood damage to residential and commercial properties, including the Eventfinda Stadium. The Wairau Stream channel above and below AF Thomas Park could not convey the volume of water during the event, putting a high number of properties at risk.

    Tom Mansell, Auckland Council Head of Sustainable Partnerships (Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience) explains the reasons that this first stage is a critical step for the Wairau blue-green network.

    “The redevelopment of the park would provide the equivalent to 220 Olympic-sized swimming pools or 550 million litres of water storage in a flood event, which is a significant increase from the park’s current 60 million litre capacity,” says Mr Mansell.

    This would protect downstream residential properties as well as road flooding to Nile, Waterloo and Alma Roads in Milford – which are access points for North Shore Hospital and Westlake Boys and Girls High Schools.”

    Working with the community

    Early engagement has informed the business case. This is just the first step amid a staged engagement approach and will not be the only opportunity for the community to be part of this significant project.

    “If this business case is approved by the council, there will be more opportunities for engagement and for the community to be involved in the design,” says Mr Mansell.

    “We will need to work collaboratively with mana whenua, a variety of funders and members of the community, taking a catchment-wide approach to ensure the right outcomes are achieved for the community over the short and long-term.”

    “As part of this work, we will engage with community and key stakeholders to review both the golfing and wider recreation needs of the North Shore. This will inform how we develop this space into a vibrant recreation area for the community to enjoy and there will be time to consider the full range of options. It’s really important that we get the balance right and we can only do that by working with the Wairau community.”

    Planning and prioritisation for future projects

    Many communities were heavily impacted by the severe weather events of early 2023. Further areas across Tāmaki Makaurau continue to be assessed and prioritised for future blue-green works.

    You can find out more information about these projects on the council’s website or you can reach out to the team at bluegreen@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

    About Making Space for Water

    The Making Space for Water programme includes a range of initiatives to reduce flood risk to Aucklanders. Part of this is building new flood resilient infrastructure to enhance stormwater assets and green spaces to deliver increased flood management.

    Auckland Council is sharing some of the cost of flood resilience projects with central government as part of a $2 billion co-funding agreement for storm recovery. These are subject to business case approvals from both the council and the government, and projects must demonstrate a flood risk reduction for the wider community, not just individual properties.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff.

    Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New Zealand’s dismal health and safety performance.

    “It’s disappointing to see the Minister has ignored the widespread consensus on what New Zealand needs to do to improve its poor track record and instead has chosen to carve out small businesses from good health and safety practices,” Wagstaff said.

    “Exempting small businesses from best practice health and safety makes no sense when we know that small business are riskier and need more support.

    “The Government seems to think the biggest obstacle to our poor productivity and health and safety outcomes is too many road cones. It’s no wonder New Zealand can’t get ahead when our leaders in Government seem so out of touch, and have no credible responses to these challenges.

    “Given the massive challenge we have as a country to improve our health and safety performance, it’s astounding the Minister would target the use of road cones and expect WorkSafe to focus its scarce time and energy on creating a hotline.

    “The Minister has been quick to cut support for important issues like modern slavery, and sat on her hands on other important health and safety concerns, like banning engineered stone. It would seem that this Government is more concerned about road cones than either of these issues.

    “What’s worse is that these changes are being justified on the basis of cutting red tape for economic growth. Good business know that proper health and safety is not a compliance cost.

    “On average there is a workplace fatality every week, another 20 are killed from occupational disease, and thousands more are incapacitated by injuries. Nothing in these proposals signals an intent to improve these numbers,” said Wagstaff. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Privacy News – March 2025

    Source: Privacy Commissioner

    This issue includes a note that the Biometric Code consultation has now closed, and that the final version of the Code will likely be published mid-2025. It also includes policy advice for government agencies, Kordia research and what OPC said about that, the Global Privacy Assembly’s new comparison tables, and the delay of the UK’s adequacy review. We also announce a special guest for Privacy Week 2025. Read the March 2025 issue.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: If it Pleases the Gods

    Source: ACT Party

    The Haps

    Last week Free Press extolled the Government’s RMA reforms. We thanked ACT and Simon Court for resource management law based on property rights. We think we understated it, Free Press has campaigned for this for a decade (yes, we are ten). RMA reforms are the best policy change so far this century. If New Zealanders cannot develop the land, we have no advantage as a country. It’s a country saver.

    Meanwhile the Greens have gone (more) insane. Last week one Green MP effectively said police patrols are worthless. The Press Gallery finally rounded on them, because young people in Central Wellington know the world can be a dangerous place and a few coppers are a welcome sight at night. Chlöe Swarbrick’s increasingly deranged economics become clearer every week in Question Time. She seems to think profit is a line item that businesses just add on to their customers’ bill. Now there are some serious questions for the Green Party leaders to answer around another one of their MPs’ social media accounts. Free Press predicts the Greens polling will soften this year.

    If it Pleases the Gods

    Free Press has seen correspondence demanding courts must now begin and end with a Karakia, or prayer in English and Māori. Gary Judd KC has written to MPs making (as usual) lucid arguments as to why this is wrong, and there are legal precedents from the Privy Council finding it is wrong for people in public service to be subject to prayers. 

    Parliament begins with a prayer, but Parliament is a self-Governing political body with rules decided by its members. Besides, there is no requirement to attend it. Judd points out, however, that lawyers are required to arrive before the judge and leave after, so they cannot avoid being present for the Karakia.

    They’ll be required to read along because “Large prints of the karakia will be installed in each courtroom for all those present to use to read along to.” Judd points out the Bill of Rights says, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief, including the right to adopt and to hold opinions without interference.”

    Judd goes on to reference precedent from the Privy Council. It found for a Muslim soldier in The Bahamas (a Commonwealth country) who did not want to be part of a Christian prayer during colours parades. The Privy Council relied on The Bahamas’ constitution, which is remarkably similar to New Zealand’s Bill of Rights.

    A lot of people might ask, so what, who cares? It’s up to the Court anyway and surely a minute of praying can’t hurt, even if technically it does interfere with some lawyers’ practice of their faith?

    Will it harm the impartiality of justice? Probably yes, it chips away at neutrality when the Courts give the nod to some religious or spiritual views but not others. Is that critical? Probably no. Is it the biggest problem we have right now? No.

    We’re writing about this because it is such a good example. Such a good example of people’s basic rights being trampled for no reason. The right to think your thoughts and speak your mind, or not, without being hindered and harassed by do-gooders. It could be any organisation, it just happens to be the Courts.

    At Free Press, we often wonder where these people come from. What drives their behaviour? Why can’t they just leave other people alone? Here’s our theory.

    For 100,000 years humans lived in tribes, closed societies where a person’s role was decided for them. The instinct to make other people conform to rituals is deep. They reassure you the people partaking are in your tribe. The idea of living as an individual choosing your own adventure in life is WEIRD. Specifically, Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic.

    Most people in most of history didn’t live weird lives. They lived tribal lives. Much of what is happening in New Zealand today, weird rituals, compulsory courses, demands to be part of a race first and a citizen second, it all comes from deep tribal urges.

    Free Press and friends and allies have to get better at explaining the alternative. A civilised society where each person is treated as a thinking and valuing being, required not to do any violence against anyone else but otherwise free to go about their lives unhindered. It would be a start.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, SH73, Sheffield

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash in Sheffield that has closed State Highway 73, West Coast Road.

    The crash involves a truck and pedestrian; it was reported to Police about 6.40am and happened between Malvern Hills Road and Duke Street.

    Diversions will be in place for some time and members of the public are asked to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –