Workers First Unionis pleased to announce that the union has now formally changed its name from ‘FIRST Union’ to ‘Workers First Union’ (or ‘Workers First’, for short) following a vote by delegates at the union’s Annual General Meeting in December 2024.
Dennis Maga, Workers First General Secretary, said he was proud that the union was making its mission clear with the new name.
“For too long, employers have been putting workers second or worse, with fair wage rises and workplace wellbeing ranking last after a long list of shareholders, creditors and managers,” said Mr Maga.
“I’m excited to enter the next era with a new name befitting of our union’s work and purpose – we put workers first.”
FIRST Union was formed in 2011 through the merger of the National Distribution Union (NDU) and the Finance Sector Union of New Zealand (Finsec). NDU represented workers in the retail, distribution, and textile industries, while Finsec represented employees in banking and finance. The newWorkers First Unionhas since grown to cover over 32,000 workers across retail, finance, transport, logistics and manufacturing. The union is an affiliate of theCouncil of Trade Unions(CTU) but unaffiliated to any political parties.
Mr Maga said that the union had sought to change its name to distinguish the organisation from similarly named business entities and encapsulate the union’s purpose more clearly.
“This change reflects what our members have always known: our union is here to fight for them, whether in wage bargaining, on the picket line, or in the halls of Parliament,” said Mr Maga.
“The new name embodies the interests of working people in New Zealand and is particularly apt at a time when a far-right Government is abandoning the working class in favour of an illusory ‘growth’ model for their corporate backers.”
“Workers in Aotearoa face serious challenges ahead, from increasing workplace automation to stagnating wages, but our union is built on collective strength, and we will meet these challenges head-on in 2025 and beyond.”
The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is introducing mandatory retailer reporting of domestic and small business customer data to increase transparency and accountability in New Zealand’s retail electricity market. Towards the end of 2025 the Authority will begin publishing aggregated retail data and insights on its website.
Authority General Manager Retail and Consumer Andrew Millar says increased retail reporting will enable the Authority to protect consumers’ interests, make proactive regulatory changes that support their needs, and hold the industry to account to ensure vulnerable customers are protected and promote competition.
“As we build a comprehensive and reliable data set over time, we’ll be able to identify and communicate trends and issues to help inform policy decisions, and share these insights with industry, investors and consumers,” says Millar.
“Improved oversight of retail plans and prices will enable us to assess the barriers that consumers face, promote retail competition and shine a light on retailer performance.”
Importantly, retailers will be required to provide information about medically dependent and prepay consumers and disconnections to enable robust compliance monitoring of the new mandatory Consumer Care Obligations.
“We are putting consumers at the forefront of our decisions to protect their interests, increase their choices, and give people greater control over their electricity use and costs,” Millar said.
The Authority is providing retailers with a five-month implementation period for the new reporting requirement, to enable them to make any necessary operational changes. As the Authority’s need for retail market information and data continues to increase, this more streamlined, automated process will reduce long-term regulatory burden. Retailers with fewer than 1000 domestic and small business customer connections are excused from some of the new requirements.
When developing its approach, the Authority confirmed that the long-term benefits for consumers will outweigh any costs. The Authority will work with retailers to respond to questions and implementation challenges if they arise, as they prepare to provide their first report in August 2025.
The Authority has powerful information gathering powers under the Electricity Industry Act 2010 and in the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (the Code). This new requirement, implemented under clause 2.16 of the Code, supports the Authority’s statutory function to monitor the industry and electricity markets, and make data, information and tools available to help improve participation in and understanding of the electricity markets by consumers and industry participants.
A member of the public’s spidy senses and an officer’s keen sense of smell has assisted Police in locating more than 70 bags of drugs inside a car in Beachlands overnight.
At about 2.20am, Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Wakelin Road with the engine running.
Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rakana Cook, says Police arrived quickly and spoke to a man who was sitting in the vehicle passengers’ seat believed to be under the influence of drugs.
“Upon seeing Police, the man has attempted to get into he driver’s seat and drive off, however he was quickly taken into custody.
“Officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and a search of the vehicle located a large quantity of cannabis.”
Inspector Cook says more than 44 bags of cannabis were found, along with 30 bags of what appeared to be cocaine and MDMA.
“Also found was an air rifle, cash and what appears to be stolen property.
“It was also established this person has numerous warrants for his arrest.
“We’re very happy to have what appears to be a considerable amount of cannabis and other drugs that were set for sale now off the streets.
“This was a good example of proactive Police work that has resulted in a safer community.”
A 20-year-old man will appear in Manukau District Court today charged with possession for supply of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, possession of utensils for cannabis and two counts of failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search.
17 March 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua welcomes the release of the latest National Risk Assessment (NRA) from Police’s Financial Intelligence Unit. The report assesses threat and sectoral vulnerability, exploring their impact on money laundering and terrorism financing risk and proliferation financing in New Zealand.
“An effective Anti-Money Laundering and Countering-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system enhances the economic wellbeing and prosperity for all New Zealanders by safeguarding the integrity of our financial system and keeping it resilient against crime,” RBNZ Manager AML/CFT Supervision Damian Henry says.
This Assessment outlines the significant criminal behaviours generating illicit income that threatens New Zealand’s financial system. It also assesses and identifies the vulnerabilities within our financial system that criminals are taking advantage of when they launder proceeds of crime.
“The release of the NRA is a trigger for reporting entities to review and update their respective risk assessments accordingly. We encourage them all to review the report,” Mr Henry says.
This NRA identifies that fraud-related crime, drug crime and transnational money laundering are the highest threat, with fraud accelerating and seeing both ‘defrauding’ and the subsequent ‘laundering’ occurring within the financial system.
This means the banking sector remains highly vulnerable to money laundering, along with any sector that offers services and products enabling movement of proceeds out of or into New Zealand.
“The NRA is a key document for New Zealand’s AML/CFT system as a clear understanding of risk strengthens our system’s resilience, enabling direct responses and maximising the benefits of security for both our financial sector and communities,” Mr Henry says.
SPECIAL REPORT:By Peter Cronau for Declassified Australia
Australia is caught in a jam, between an assertive American ally and a bold Chinese trading partner. America is accelerating its pivot to the Indo-Pacific, building up its fighting forces and expanding its military bases.
As Australia tries to navigate a pathway between America’s and Australia’s national interests, sometimes Australia’s national interest seems to submerge out of view.
Admiral David Johnston, the Chief of the Australia’s Defence Force, is steering this ship as China flexes its muscle sending a small warship flotilla south to circumnavigate the continent.
He has admitted that the first the Defence Force heard of a live-fire exercise by the three Chinese Navy ships sailing in the South Pacific east of Australia on February 21, was a phone call from the civilian Airservices Australia.
“The absence of any advance notice to Australian authorities was a concern, notably, that the limited notice provided by the PLA could have unnecessarily increased the risk to aircraft and vessels in the area,” Johnston told Senate Estimates .
Johnston was pressed to clarify how Defence first came to know of the live-fire drill: “Is it the case that Defence was only notified, via Virgin and Airservices Australia, 28 minutes [sic] after the firing window commenced?”
To this, Admiral Johnston replied: “Yes.”
If it happened as stated by the Admiral — that a live-fire exercise by the Chinese ships was undertaken and a warning notice was transmitted from the Chinese ships, all without being detected by Australian defence and surveillance assets — this is a defence failure of considerable significance.
Sources with knowledge of Defence spoken to by Declassified Australia say that this is either a failure of surveillance, or a failure of communication, or even more far-reaching, a failure of US alliance cooperation.
And from the very start the official facts became slippery.
Our latest investigation –
AUSTRALIA’S DEFENCE: NAVIGATING US-CHINA TENSIONS
We investigate a significant intelligence failure to detect live-firing by Chinese warships near Australia, has exposed Defence weaknesses, and the fact that when it counts, we are all alone.
— Declassified Australia (@DeclassifiedAus) March 7, 2025
What did they know and when did they know it The first information passed on to Defence by Airservices Australia came from the pilot of a Virgin passenger jet passing overhead the flotilla in the Tasman Sea that had picked up the Chinese Navy VHF radio notification of an impending live-fire exercise.
The radio transmission had advised the window for the live-fire drill commenced at 9.30am and would conclude at 3pm.
We know this from testimony given to Senate Estimates by the head of Airservices Australia. He said Airservices was notified at 9.58am by an aviation control tower informed by the Virgin pilot. Two minutes later Airservices issued a “hazard alert” to commercial airlines in the area.
The Headquarters of the Defence Force’s Joint Operations Command (HJOC), at Bungendore 30km east of Canberra, was then notified about the drill by Airservices at 10.08am, 38 minutes after the drill window had commenced.
When questioned a few days later, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared to try to cover for Defence’s apparent failure to detect the live-fire drill or the advisory transmission.
“At around the same time, there were two areas of notification. One was from the New Zealand vessels that were tailing . .. the [Chinese] vessels in the area by both sea and air,” Albanese stated. “So that occurred and at the same time through the channels that occur when something like this is occurring, Airservices got notified as well.”
But the New Zealand Defence Force had not notified Defence “at the same time”. In fact it was not until 11.01am that an alert was received by Defence from the New Zealand Defence Force — 53 minutes after Defence HQ was told by Airservices and an hour and a half after the drill window had begun.
The Chinese Navy’s stealth guided missile destroyer Zunyi, sailing south in the Coral Sea on February 15, 2025, in a photograph taken from a RAAF P-8A Poseidon surveillance plane. Image: Royal Australian Air Force/Declassified Australia
Defence Minister Richard Marles later in a round-about way admitted on ABC Radio that it wasn’t the New Zealanders who informed Australia first: “Well, to be clear, we weren’t notified by China. I mean, we became aware of this during the course of the day.
“What China did was put out a notification that it was intending to engage in live firing. By that I mean a broadcast that was picked up by airlines or literally planes that were commercial planes that were flying across the Tasman.”
Later the Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, told ABC that two live-fire training drills were carried out at sea on February 21 and 22, in accordance with international law and “after repeatedly issuing safety notices in advance”.
Eyes and ears on ‘every move’ It was expected the Chinese-navy flotilla would end its three week voyage around Australia on March 7, after a circumnavigation of the continent. That is not before finally passing at some distance the newly acquired US-UK nuclear submarine base at HMAS Stirling near Perth and the powerful US communications and surveillance base at North West Cape.
Just as Australia spies on China to develop intelligence and targeting for a potential US war, China responds in kind, collecting data on US military and intelligence bases and facilities in Australia, as future targets should hostilities commence.
The presence of the Chinese Navy ships that headed into the northern and eastern seas around Australia attracted the attention of the Defence Department ever since they first set off south through the Mindoro Strait in the Philippines and through the Indonesian archipelago from the South China Sea on February 3.
“We are keeping a close watch on them and we will be making sure that we watch every move,” Marles stated in the week before the live-fire incident.
“Just as they have a right to be in international waters . . . we have a right to be prudent and to make sure that we are surveilling them, which is what we are doing.”
Around 3500 km to the north, a week into the Chinese ships’ voyage, a spy flight by an RAAF P-8A Poseidon surveillance plane on February 11, in a disputed area of the South China Sea south of China’s Hainan Island, was warned off by a Chinese J-16 fighter jet.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to Australian protests claiming the Australian aircraft “deliberately intruded” into China’s claimed territorial airspace around the Paracel Islands without China’s permission, thereby “infringing on China’s sovereignty and endangering China’s national security”.
Australia criticised the Chinese manoeuvre, defending the Australian flight saying it was “exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace”.
Two days after the incident, the three Chinese ships on their way to Australian waters were taking different routes in beginning their own “right to freedom of navigation” in international waters off the Australian coast. The three ships formed up their mini flotilla in the Coral Sea as they turned south paralleling the Australian eastern coastline outside of territorial waters, and sometimes within Australia’s 200-nautical-mile (370 km) Exclusive Economic Zone.
“Defence always monitors foreign military activity in proximity to Australia. This includes the Peoples Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) Task Group.” Admiral Johnston told Senate Estimates.
“We have been monitoring the movement of the Task Group through its transit through Southeast Asia and we have observed the Task Group as it has come south through that region.”
The Task Group was made up of a modern stealth guided missile destroyer Zunyi, the frigate Hengyang, and the Weishanhu, a 20,500 tonne supply ship carrying fuel, fresh water, cargo and ammunition. The Hengyang moved eastwards through the Torres Strait, while the Zunyi and Weishanhu passed south near Bougainville and Solomon Islands, meeting in the Coral Sea.
This map indicates the routes taken by the three Chinese Navy ships on their “right to freedom of navigation” voyage in international waters circumnavigating Australia, with dates of way points indicated — from 3 February till 6 March 2025. Distances and locations are approximate. Image: Weibo/Declassified Australia
As the Chinese ships moved near northern Australia and through the Coral Sea heading further south, the Defence Department deployed Navy and Air Force assets to watch over the ships. These included various RAN warships including the frigate HMAS Arunta and a RAAF P-8A Poseidon intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance plane.
With unconfirmed reports a Chinese nuclear submarine may also be accompanying the surface ships, the monitoring may have also included one of the RAN’s Collins-class submarines, with their active range of sonar, radar and radio monitoring – however it is uncertain whether one was able to be made available from the fleet.
“From the point of time the first of the vessels entered into our more immediate region, we have been conducting active surveillance of their activities,” the Defence chief confirmed.
As the Chinese ships moved into the southern Tasman Sea, New Zealand navy ships joined in the monitoring alongside Australia’s Navy and Air Force.
The range of signals intelligence (SIGINT) that theoretically can be intercepted emanating from a naval ship at sea includes encrypted data and voice satellite communications, ship-to-ship communications, aerial drone data and communications, as well as data of radar, gunnery, and weapon launches.
There are a number of surveillance facilities in Australia that would have been able to be directed at the Chinese ships.
Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Shoal Bay Receiving Station outside of Darwin, picks up transmissions and data emanating from radio signals and satellite communications from Australia’s near north region. ASD’s Cocos Islands receiving station in the mid-Indian ocean would have been available too.
The Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) over-the-horizon radar network, spread across northern Australia, is an early warning system that monitors aircraft and ship movements across Australia’s north-western, northern, and north-eastern ocean areas — but its range off the eastern coast is not thought to presently reach further south than the sea off Mackay on the Queensland coast.
Of land-based surveillance facilities, it is the American Pine Gap base that is believed to have the best capability of intercepting the ship’s radio communications in the Tasman Sea.
Enter, Pine Gap and the Americans The US satellite surveillance base at Pine Gap in Central Australia is a US and Australian jointly-run satellite ground station. It is regarded as the most important such American satellite base outside of the USA.
The spy base – Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG) – showing the north-eastern corner of the huge base with some 18 of the base’s now 45 satellite dishes and covered radomes visible. Image: Felicity Ruby/Declassified Australia
The role of ASD in supporting the extensive US surveillance mission against China is increasingly valued by Australia’s large Five Eyes alliance partner.
A Top Secret ‘Information Paper’, titled “NSA Intelligence Relationship with Australia”, leaked from the National Security Agency (NSA) by Edward Snowden and published by ABC’s Background Briefing, spells out the “close collaboration” between the NSA and ASD, in particular on China:
“Increased emphasis on China will not only help ensure the security of Australia, but also synergize with the U.S. in its renewed emphasis on Asia and the Pacific . . . Australia’s overall intelligence effort on China, as a target, is already significant and will increase.”
The Pine Gap base, as further revealed in 2023 by Declassified Australia, is being used to collect signals intelligence and other data from the Israeli battlefield of Gaza, and also Ukraine and other global hotspots within view of the US spy satellites.
It’s recently had a significant expansion (reported by this author in The Saturday Paper) which has seen its total of satellite dishes and radomes rapidly increase in just a few years from 35 to 45 to accommodate new heightened-capability surveillance satellites.
Pine Gap base collects an enormous range and quantity of intelligence and data from thermal imaging satellites, photographic reconnaissance satellites, and signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellites, as expert researchers Des Ball, Bill Robinson and Richard Tanter of the Nautilus Institute have detailed.
These SIGINT satellites intercept electronic communications and signals from ground-based sources, such as radio communications, telemetry, radar signals, satellite communications, microwave emissions, mobile phone signals, and geolocation data.
Alliance priorities The US’s SIGINT satellites have a capability to detect and receive signals from VHF radio transmissions on or near the earth’s surface, but they need to be tasked to do so and appropriately targeted on the source of the transmission.
For the Pine Gap base to intercept VHF radio signals from the Chinese Navy ships, the base would have needed to specifically realign one of those SIGINT satellites to provide coverage of the VHF signals in the Tasman Sea at the time of the Chinese ships’ passage. It is not known publicly if they did this, but they certainly have that capability.
However, it is not only the VHF radio transmission that would have carried information about the live-firing exercise.
Pine Gap would be able to monitor a range of other SIGINT transmissions from the Chinese ships. Details of the planning and preparations for the live-firing exercise would almost certainly have been transmitted over data and voice satellite communications, ship-to-ship communications, and even in the data of radar and gunnery operations.
But it is here that there is another possibility for the failure.
The Pine Gap base was built and exists to serve the national interests of the United States. The tasking of the surveillance satellites in range of Pine Gap base is generally not set by Australia, but is directed by United States’ agencies, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) together with the US Defense Department, the National Security Agency (NSA), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Australia has learnt over time that US priorities may not be the same as Australia’s.
Australian defence and intelligence services can request surveillance tasks to be added to the schedule, and would have been expected to have done so in order to target the southern leg of the Chinese Navy ships’ voyage, when the ships were out of the range of the JORN network.
The military demands for satellite time can be excessive in times of heightened global conflict, as is the case now.
Whether the Pine Gap base was devoting sufficient surveillance resources to monitoring the Chinese Navy ships, due to United States’ priorities in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, North Korea, and to our north in the South China Sea, is a relevant question.
It can only be answered now by a formal government inquiry into what went on — preferably held in public by a parliamentary committee or separately commissioned inquiry. The sovereign defence of Australia failed in this incident and lessons need to be learned.
Who knew and when did they know If the Pine Gap base had been monitoring the VHF radio band and heard the Chinese Navy live-fire alert, or had been monitoring other SIGINT transmissions to discover the live-fire drill, the normal procedure would be for the active surveillance team to inform a number of levels of senior officers, a former Defence official familiar with the process told Declassified Australia.
Inside an operations room at the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) head office at the Defence complex at Russell Hill in Canberra. Image: ADF/Declassified Australia
Expected to be included in the information chain are the Australian Deputy-Chief of Facility at the US base, NSA liaison staff at the base, the Australian Signals Directorate head office at the Defence complex at Russell Hill in Canberra, the Defence Force’s Headquarters Joint Operations Command, in Bungendore, and the Chief of the Defence Force. From there the Defence Minister’s office would need to have been informed.
As has been reported in media interviews and in testimony to the Senate Estimates hearings, it has been stated that Defence was not informed of the Chinese ships’ live-firing alert until a full 38 minutes after the drill window had commenced.
The former Defence official told Declassified Australia it is vital the reason for the failure to detect the live-firing in a timely fashion is ascertained.
Either the Australian Defence Force and US Pine Gap base were not effectively actively monitoring the Chinese flotilla at this time — and the reasons for that need to be examined — or they were, but the information gathered was somewhere stalled and not passed on to correct channels.
If the evidence so far tendered by the Defence chief and the Minister is true, and it was not informed of the drill by any of its intelligence or surveillance assets before that phone call from Airservices Australia, the implications need to be seriously addressed.
A final word In just a couple of weeks the whole Defence environment for Australia has changed, for the worse.
The US military announces a drawdown in Europe and a new pivot to the Indo-Pacific. China shows Australia it can do tit-for-tat “navigational freedom” voyages close to the Australian coast. US intelligence support is withdrawn from Ukraine during the war. Australia discovers the AUKUS submarines’ arrival looks even more remote. The prime minister confuses the limited cover provided by the ANZUS treaty.
Meanwhile, the US militarisation of Australia’s north continues at pace. At the same time a senior Pentagon official pressures Australia to massively increase defence spending. And now, the country’s defence intelligence system has experienced an unexplained major failure.
Australia, it seems, is adrift in a sea of unpredictable global events and changing alliance priorities.
Peter Cronau is an award-winning, investigative journalist, writer, and film-maker. His documentary, The Base: Pine Gap’s Role in US Warfighting, was broadcast on Australian ABC Radio National and featured on ABC News. He produced and directed the documentary film Drawing the Line, revealing details of Australian spying in East Timor, on ABC TV’s premier investigative programme Four Corners. He won the Gold Walkley Award in 2007 for a report he produced on an outbreak of political violence in East Timor. This article was first published by Declassified Australia and is republished here with the author’s permission.
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges.
The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts.
Annette Gray
Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips Fox in 1987. She then moved to Buddle Findlay, where she worked in the family and medical areas, before joining specialist family law practice Jan Clark Law in Porirua in 1994.
Ms Gray spent a year with Volunteer Service Abroad in Solomon Islands in 1999, returning to Wellington in 2000 and setting up practice as a specialist family lawyer. Since 2007 she has been principal of Buchanan Gray.
She is a District Inspector under the Mental Health Act and is a member of the panel of legal counsel for Hague Convention cases.
Judge Gray will sit in Auckland and will be sworn in on 16 April.
Annette Page
Ms Page was admitted to the bar in 1997 and commenced her legal career as a junior barrister working with Marie Dyhrberg KC before joining Smith and Partners in Waitākere, practising a broad range of litigation work in the District and High courts.
She has been a barrister sole since 2010, practising in all areas of family law.
Ms Page has held several roles within the New Zealand Law Society and is presently the Waitākere regional representative of the Family Law Section.
Judge Page will sit in Manukau and will be sworn in on 1 May.
Source: Press Release Service – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Barrio Brings the Taste of Home to Filipinos in New Zealand
Barrio, a new Filipino online grocery store, has officially launched in New Zealand. Founded by the team behind Bini Beauty, Barrio offers a wide selection of authentic Filipino products, including Mama Sita’s meal mixes, shrimp paste, chili garlic oil, Burong Hipon (fermented shrimp), sauces, childhood snacks, and Filipino coffee. With free shipping on orders over $100, Barrio aims to bring the comfort and flavours of home to Filipinos living in New Zealand. The store offers an easy online shopping experience, making it simple to enjoy beloved Filipino flavours no matter the distance.
Wellington drivers will need to take extra care on the region’s roads with wind weather warnings in force.
The Metservice has issued a Strong Wind Watch for the region from one am Tuesday morning to one pm Tuesday afternoon. North to northwest winds are forecast to approach severe gale in exposed places.
It means drivers will need to exercise caution on exposed routes like State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill and the Wainui Saddle on State Highway 1 Transmission Gully.
This particularly applies to drivers of high-sided vehicles (eg trucks and vans), light and towing vehicles, and motorcycles.
Strong winds increase the risk of treefalls, downed powerlines and wind-blown debris. Road users should be ready for such hazards and should check road and weather conditions before they travel.
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU).“This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department.“Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied on the ICU for all patients that require critical care. This includes high dependency patients who do not need the same level of care as intensive care patients.“This was putting significant pressure on the ICU, which was often at capacity with unplanned admissions, and impacted its ability to support elective surgery admissions. As a result, planned surgeries that required significant post-operative care, such as heart surgery or major cancer surgery, would be postponed.“The ICU being at capacity was also creating patient flow issues and causing longer wait times for patients in ED needing critical care as they waited for a bed to become available.“The addition of an HDU now means that patients who do not need to be in the ICU but are not well enough to be discharged to a ward and still require close observation can be cared for in a separate unit.“Expanding critical care capacity and ensuring that patients are cared for in the right environment will free up bed availability and help to improve hospital flow from the emergency department, while also reducing the need to postpone planned surgeries.“This is key to achieving the Government’s health target for shorter stays in emergency departments and shorter wait times for elective treatment.“The unit will have 12 beds and the latest in critical care equipment, and will be staffed by intensive care specialists, registrars, and critical care trained nurses.“Improving health infrastructure is a priority for the Government to enable access to timely, quality healthcare. This new HDU will enhance health services for the region, ensuring patients in the lower North and upper South Islands who require support after major surgery will be able to receive it when they need it,” Mr Brown says.
Greenpeace Statement: The deep sea mining industry is crumbling and desperate
Source:Greenpeace
The30th Session of the International Seabed Authority, which starts today in Kingston, Jamaica, is the first under the new Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho, a scientist whose appointment brings an opportunity to reset the ISA’s focus away from prioritising deep sea mining industry interests and towards its mandate of protecting the seabed for all.[1][2]
In stark contrast with Carvalho’s science-driven approach, delegates are being forced to address The Metals Company’s (TMC) threat to submit the world’s first ever deep sea mining application for the international seabed in June without any rules and regulations in place.[3] TMC are seeking regulatory certainty from governments at this meeting,calling on governments to deliver a pathway to greenlight the start of deep sea miningdespite growing headwinds.
Greenpeace International campaigner Louisa Casson, who is attending the meeting, said: “The deep sea mining industry is crumbling and resorting to increasingly desperate tactics as they lose support from governments and investors. The last weeks have repeatedly shown that companies are failing to live up to their hype and downsizing plans before they’ve even started. There’s never been a better time for governments to take decisive action to protect the ocean from this faltering, risky industry.”
Earlier this year, in a further sign of a faltering industry, TMC gave up one third of their exploration areas in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean. [5]
Alongside the threat of the first-ever commercial mining application, deep sea mining contractors have senta joint letter to the ISA Councilcomplaining they have spent US$2 billion, yet governments have not finalised the Mining Code. Indigenous representatives attending the ISAchallenged the letter.
Louisa Casson added: “Deep sea mining companies seem to be confused about the role of the ISA. Governments are not gathered here to protect corporate interests but to co-operate on how to preserve the ocean for future generations. The only way to responsibly respond to these dangerous threats is by putting a moratorium in place.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee says: “Wannabe miners like Trans-Tasman Resources also want to plunder the ocean here in Aotearoa, encouraged by the Luxon government’s reckless fast-track process. The threat of seabed mining in Aotearoa is imminent and seabed miners around the world are watching closely what happens here. If TTR is given the go-ahead, it will encourage wannabe miners like TMC to push their application to start deep sea mining in the Pacific.”
Thirty-two governments have voiced opposition to the start of deep sea mining, calling for a moratorium at the International Seabed Authority in 2025.
[1]Leticia Carvalho’s inaugural statement:“We will embark on a new era defined by collaboration, equity, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, effectiveness and sustainability-values that will guide our collective efforts to ensure ISA remains a trusted steward of the ocean […] Together, we must ensure that the ISA embodies the spirit of multilateral cooperation, serving as a model for transparent, inclusive and science-driven governance.”
[5] The company’s financial filings show that the company’s subsidiary DeepGreen Engineering Pte Ltd has ended its services agreement with Kiribati-sponsored Marawa, which gave TMC exclusive exploration rights to an area covering 74,990 square kilometres in the Clarion Clipperton Zone, the area of international seabed targeted for deep sea mining.https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1798562/000110465924119467/tmc-20240930x10q.htm
Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Scientists have long known Fiordland’s marine habitats are home to a diverse range of species, from bright orange cup corals to huge black corals. A project to survey and catalogue these habitats is now underway to help support evidence-based management of this unique environment.
Researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have been working with Environment Southland to develop the first comprehensive classification of the different habitats in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area. This area includes 14 fiords and 10 marine reserves.
“The aim of this project is to describe the distribution of different marine communities throughout Fiordland so, in the future, we can precisely map where they occur,” said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka.
The research team has already spent several weeks diving on rocky reefs and soft sediments on the seafloor in Fiordland’s Te Puaitaha—Breaksea and Tamatea—Dusky Sounds to collect data on the marine communities that live in these areas.
“Many locations we surveyed had a high diversity of species, while others had very different and very low diversity. At one site near Entry Island in Te Puaitaha—Breaksea, we found diverse communities of ascidians, bryozoans, and sponges living on rocky reefs. In contrast, neighbouring soft sediment areas of the seafloor had comparatively few species. It’s important to capture these extremes,” said Professor Bell.
The researchers dived to depths of about 30 metres, taking high resolution videos in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds. Analysis of this footage was used to classify the different communities found.
“Understanding which species are present is important, but we also need to know where they’re located. This project will eventually enable comprehensive maps of the different habitats across Fiordland and the wider Southland coast. This information can then be used to support management decisions.”
Professor Bell said further research was being undertaken to collect data from more locations in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds, and from deeper areas in the fiords.
“Eventually, we hope to have a complete picture of the different habitats in the entire Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area.”
The research was funded by Environment Southland.
Ash Rabel, Environment Southland’s team leader—aquatic ecosystems, said cataloguing the communities and their composition in this way provides a strong foundation for future scientific endeavour and supports evidence-based management of these ecosystems.
“By undertaking this work with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, we’re able to tap into world-class expertise and knowledge the team holds of the underwater realm,” he said.
Reports resulting from the research are available on Environment Southland’swebsite. The research is part of wider work to understand Fiordland’s ocean floor ecosystems as well as the rest of Murihiku Southland’s coastal marine area.
ASB has launched Caller Check, its latest innovation in its fight against scammers to help protect customers from impersonation scams.
Research by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance last year found half of New Zealanders had experienced a rise in scam encounters over the past 12 months, and more than 40% received these by phone call. [1] Impersonation scammers will often claim to work for a bank or another key service provider and trick victims into providing personal information or access to bank accounts.
Caller Check allows ASB customers to confirm they’re speaking with an actual ASB employee when they receive a call from the bank by sending a push notification in the ASB Mobile Banking app.
ASB’s General Manager Fraud and Scams Brodie Macdonald says Caller Check is another critical tool in the bank’s toolbox to help keep customers safe.
“We know people are often busy, distracted or multi-tasking when they’re receiving calls, and want to give our customers the confidence they’re speaking to the right person.”
“We are working harder than ever to keep scammers and fraudsters at bay, alongside Government, telcos and the banking industry. In 2024, we extended our 0800 FRAUD hotline to operate 24/7, and worked with the banking industry to launch Confirmation of Payee as an added check for customers when making online payments.”
Customers interested in downloading ASB’s Mobile Banking app can head to our website to learn more here: Caller Check – Security notifications for ASB Bank calls | ASB
[1] The State of Scams in New Zealand 2024 conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (www.gasa.org) in partnership with Netsafe. 1,071 respondents.
Results from the largest analysis of KiwiSaver, encompassing more than 3.2 million members, reveal no progress has been made on closing the gender retirement savings gap.
With shades of the recent estimate by the World Economic Forum that at the existing rate of progress, full gender parity won’t be achieved until the year 2158, the report released today by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission shows the average gender KiwiSaver retirement savings gap remains at 25%. It also delivers essential insights into KiwiSaver balances, trends and opportunities.
The Retirement Commission secured the services of Melville Jessup Weaver (MJW) actuaries to obtain the country’s most comprehensive current age and gender-related KiwiSaver stats. The results update an annual analysis that began in 2021 – then the first study of its kind, collecting previously unknown data about balances across these demographics. The new report provides a snapshot as at 31 December 2024 that – importantly – represents approximately 97% of Aotearoa’s KiwiSaver members.
In a country in which more women (51%) than men are members of KiwiSaver, the research shows that despite efforts towards its reduction, the average gender KiwiSaver retirement savings gap has remained static at 25% since 2022 – and, in fact, has increased slightly for those aged 61-65. The gap generally increases across the age groups, rising above 25% after the age of 35 and peaking at around 37% for those aged 56-65. This translates into women having on average around $20,000 less in their KiwiSaver account than men as they approach retirement age.
Of particular interest is where the gap is widest: between women and men in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
“This pivotal information shows the combined long-term effect of factors such as the gender pay gap, time out of paid work, and the higher percentage of women than men who work part-time,” says Te Ara Ahunga Ora Policy Lead Dr Michelle Reyers.
“It tells us that at an age when many women may be returning to the full-time paid workforce after years of unpaid caregiving and necessary part-time work, the effect comes more starkly into focus.
“Also of significant interest is that as at 30 June 2024, the gender pay gap is 8.2% and trending downwards, yet we’re not seeing that decrease reflected in the average gender KiwiSaver retirement savings gap. The impact of compounding interest on balances informs some of this, as money invested earlier has time to grow, but if women’s balances are lower than men’s in younger life, they will likely remain lower.”
Also notable among the new demographic data is that women continue to have lower average balances than men across all groups, with the exception of those aged over 80. In almost all age groups, women are overrepresented among those with low balances and men are overrepresented among those with the highest balances.
Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says: “Thanks to the gender pay gap and other factors, women tend to earn less, which leads to saving less. Women tend to spend longer periods in unpaid work, and get hit harder by life shocks like unemployment and divorce.
“This unchanged KiwiSaver retirement savings gap is one of several reasons why we’re advocating to get New Zealanders contributing more to KiwiSaver across the board. We’re arguing for system change, and one opportunity we’ve identified is to increase the default contribution rate of all individuals to at least 4%, with employers matching it at this level or contributing more.
“KiwiSaver has been instrumental in promoting retirement savings in New Zealand, but it’s not working as well as it could for everyone. Changes made to the settings now will improve outcomes for all who contribute, and since women live longer on average than men and therefore have longer retirement periods to fund, for this demographic, a rethink is especially critical.”
The Retirement Commissioner welcomes the recent changes made by the Government to paid parental leave by making matching contributions for those who continue to make their employee contribution, and would encourage that this be extended to all those on paid parental leave, not just those who can continue to make their own contributions.
Key insights
According to a survey of approximately 97% of Aotearoa’s KiwiSaver members (3,286, 614 people), the average KiwiSaver gender retirement savings gap remains 25%, as at 31 December 2024.
It has increased marginally for those aged 61-65 (from 35 to 36%).
The average KiwiSaver balance is $37,079, an increase of 16.5% from 2023 that likely reflects the strong performance of financial markets over the 2024 year.
Women’s average balance is $34,185 (an increase of 16.7%); men’s average balance is $42,664 (an increase of 16.6%).
The widest gaps are between women and men in their 40s and 50s, and those approaching age 65.
On average, men in their 40s have about $12,000 (or 30%) more invested in KiwiSaver than women; men in their 50s have about $20,000 (or 36%) more; and men aged 61-65 have approximately $21,500 (or 36%) more.
Although there’s still a relatively large number of members with KiwiSaver balances below $10,000, this has trended downwards, declining from 41% of members in 2021 to about a third of members in 2024.
There are more women than men with balances lower than $10,000 across almost all age brackets.
61% of the people with balances below $10,000 are aged 35 and younger.
17% of members aged 51 to 65 have less than $10,000 in KiwiSaver (note that these members have not had access to KiwiSaver for their full working lives).
12% of KiwiSaver members have a balance over $80,000. There are fewer women than men with balances above $80,000 across almost all age brackets.
Only 22% of women aged 51-65 have balances greater than $80,000, whereas 32% of men in this age group have balances greater than $80,000.
Kiwi entrepreneurs now have an easier way to turn their business ideas into reality.Sodahas launched an online business platform, packed with short business courses that give aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners the framework to create business success.
There are six courses which, as a complete set, provide the necessary tools and frameworks to guide aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners through all the steps of being a business owner.
Each course is around two hours long and includes real-world insights from successful founders, downloadable checklists, templates, and actionable strategies.
The six primary Business Fundamentals courses include: Your Business Vision & Goals, Market Validation & Customer Fit, Crafting Your Brand & Competitive Edge, Money Matters, Marketing & Sales, and Legal, Compliance & Future Planning. These are complemented by a Beginners Marketing Toolkit and a free Business Setup Checklist.
Soda Innovation Specialist, Dr Fern Kelly-Zander has led the platform development and says: “Having worked in innovation and startup environments abroad – and having also launched a business while on maternity leave – I know firsthand how overwhelming starting a business can be. I always wished for a practical, easy-to-access platform like this. Business Fundamentals Online is a supportive learning experience with real-world insights, actionable tools and peer discussion to help entrepreneurs and small business owners succeed.”
Soda General Manager Anna Devcich adds: “Soda has been supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners for 16 years, during which time we’ve received constant requests for resources to support the establishment of new businesses. In 2023 we created an in-person Business Fundamentals programme which has run successfully in Taranaki and the Waikato, so the next natural step was to create an online version.
“Our online Business Fundamentals programme enables entrepreneurs and business owners to access everything they need to start a business, all in one easy place. It gives people the ability to learn the fundamentals of being a business owner anywhere, anytime and at a very reasonable price.”
The courses are targeted at entrepreneurs who wish to start their own business and small business owners who may need to refine and review their strategies.
Small business owner, Rae MacDonald, has completed all six Business Fundamental courses and says: “Business Fundamentals is jam-packed with critical actions for building a successful business. It is a tiny investment, for a big return. The Sales & Marketing module was a game-changer! I feel empowered and confident to take my business to the next level.”
Prices start at just $49 per course or $245 for all six courses.
Background
Soda helps businesses achieve their goals and create success. We connect entrepreneurs, business owners and key decision makers with the right people, tools, resources and programmes to accelerate business growth. Based in Hamilton, Soda is the Waikato’s Regional Business Partner (RBP), connecting business owners with government funding and support. Soda also provides free one-to-one coaching sessions for startups through Startup Aotearoa.
Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:
Police are seeking the public’s help following two serious incidents in Miramar overnight.
At 2am, Police were called to a Darlington Road address, where the occupants found an intruder inside their home. One occupant received minor injuries following an altercation with the suspect, who fled before Police arrived. Three other occupants at the address were unharmed.
A police dog unit tracked the intruder north of the bus turnaround for several hundred metres until the trail was lost.
About 2.30am, Police on patrol found a person unconscious and critically injured near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road. The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
We are making a number of enquiries into both of these incidents and are working to determine whether they are linked. There will be a visible Police presence in the area while we carry out this work and speak with residents.
We would like to hear from anyone with information that may help our enquiries.
It is possible the intruder has gone to other addresses in the immediate area. Police are asking that residents on upper Darlington Road (north of Camperdown Road), and residents near the intersection of Camperdown Road and Totara Road to report any unusual or suspicious activity overnight.
We are also asking residents to check their sections and yards for any items that may have been stolen or discarded by the offender, described as a tall man of thin, athletic build, wearing a white cap.
Also of interest, is any CCTV that may assist the investigation.
If you can help, please make a report via 105, referencing the case number 250317/6324.
Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti will travel to Port Moresby this week to attend the Conference of Pacific Education Ministers alongside representatives from Pacific nations and Australia, to collaborate on shared education priorities.
The theme of the conference, Transforming Edukesen for a Better Pacific, reflects the need for the region to adapt and embrace innovative approaches in response to global educational changes.
This transformation aims to enhance growth and create a more effective, equitable and sustainable education system. It will impact everything from individual classrooms to national education frameworks.
“The Pacific is critically important to New Zealand given our shared social, language, cultural, and historical links,” says Dr Reti.
“This conference is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment as a Pacific nation to working together in addressing shared education challenges.
“This engagement is of particular significance to New Zealand, given we are celebrating 50 years of independence and diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea.
“New Zealand enjoys a positive and longstanding relationship with the Pacific education community. Our investments across the region support the educational aspirations of our Pacific whanau.
“I am therefore pleased to announce New Zealand’s investment of $1.5 million over three years from our International Development Cooperation programme in the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report.
“This investment will support education leaders, Ministers, officials, teachers, and communities to better understand global challenges in education and use this information to bolster local education policy and planning, including in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.
While in Papua New Guinea, Dr Reti will meet with education counterparts and experts from across the region to further strengthen relationships and collaborate on shared educational goals. He will also provide a statement on the recent Second Pacific Education Development Partners Coordination Meeting hosted in Wellington.
Dr Reti will host an event with recipients and alumni of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme, which provides a range of tertiary and short-term scholarships across the Pacific.
Dr Reti departs New Zealand on Tuesday 18 March and returns on Thursday 20 March 2025.
Education Minister Erica Stanford is leading a New Zealand delegation to Iceland to participate in the 2025 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP).
“The summit will be attended by Education Ministers, union leaders, and teacher leaders from high performing OECD countries. It provides an excellent opportunity for sharing best practice and gaining an international perspective on common challenges,” Ms Stanford says.
The New Zealand delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.
This year’s summit theme is ‘Quality Education: The Key to Prosperity and Well-being’. The discussion topics include building a foundation for equitable and inclusive education, supporting educators to foster equity and wellbeing, and the educator’s role in child-centred education systems.
“Everything we’re doing is aimed at lifting achievement and closing the equity gap so all Kiwi kids can succeed. I look forward to continuing to share our education journey with my ministerial counterparts and strengthening New Zealand’s education ties with the world,” Ms Stanford says.
Minister Stanford will also travel to the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany.
While in the UK, she will meet with the Secretary of State for Education, Department for Education officials, the Office for Standards in Education, and the Education Endowment Foundation. She will also visit local schools and have meetings with Oxford University Press and the Cambridge Assessment.
In Stockholm, Sweden, Minister Stanford will give a keynote speech and participate in the 2025 Knowledge Rich Curriculum Forum. In Hamburg, Germany, Minister Stanford will participate in a German New Zealand Chamber of Commerce networking event to promote overseas investment in New Zealand.
Minister Stanford travelled to the UK and Europe on 16 March and returns to New Zealand on 29 March.
New Zealand Food Safety wants your feedback about changes to the New Zealand Food Notice: Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds. The proposed changes include:
2 new entries for maximum residue levels in Schedule 1
12 amended entries for maximum residue levels in Schedule 1.
Full details are in the consultation document. Submissions close at 5pm on 16 May 2025.
Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are the maximum legal levels for residues of agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines in food for sale in New Zealand. As new products and uses are registered, new MRLs are set and existing MRLs are adjusted as needed to ensure that residue levels remain as low as practicable without compromising the ability for the chemical to successfully do what is intended. Entries are also set and amended for compounds that do not require MRLs to manage residues in food.
The entries in the notice for MRLs and compounds for which MRLs do not apply are established for agricultural compounds to support Good Agricultural Practice in New Zealand while ensuring risks associated with food safety are effectively managed. MRLs may also be proposed to support the importation of food into New Zealand.
For each compound you comment on, answer these questions:
Do you agree or disagree with the proposed addition or amendment?
Do you agree or disagree with the proposed MRL values?
While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:
MRL Amendments New Zealand Food Safety Ministry for Primary Industries PO Box 2526 Wellington 6140 New Zealand.
What to include
Make sure you tell us in your submission:
the title of the consultation document
your name and title
your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
The Government is strengthening health requirements for dependent children of people on temporary visas to ensure more consistency in the immigration system. “In recent years, a spike in enrolments of children of temporary migrants in our schools has resulted in an increase in children from this cohort with very high learning needs. This has put significant strain on an already oversubscribed learning support system, preventing other children from getting the support they need,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. From 17 March, dependent children of temporary visa holders will no longer be eligible for student and visitor visas if they have a severe cognitive or development disorder that requires significant support. These changes will be applicable to people both offshore and those already onshore applying for a new visa. Immigration New Zealand will continue to be able to exercise discretion in exceptional circumstances. “Parents or legal guardians are required to declare whether a child has a medical condition that may affect their ability to be granted a visa. In addition, most applicants applying for a visa that allows a stay of 12 months or more must supply a full medical certificate. “This will provide greater transparency and fairness for temporary visa applicants by aligning the health requirements with those applying for resident visas. The current system allows a family with a child with significant additional needs to be granted a temporary visa and become settled in New Zealand, only for them to then discover they are not eligible for residency. “Our immigration system must balance creating opportunities for people to come here and make a meaningful contribution but also protect New Zealanders rights to work and thrive. Aligning the health settings across these visas provides more clarity in our immigration system, as well as ensuring those currently in the education system receive the additional support they need,” Ms Stanford says.
Notes to editor: The Acceptable Standard of Health, or ASH, are a set of criteria that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) uses to evaluate visa applicants. More information about ASH can be found here: www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/medical-info/acceptable-standard-of-health-criteria-for-visa-approvals
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) contractors will begin rebuilding a section of State Highway 1 near Puhipuhi Rd, Whakapara, from next week.
From Wednesday (19 March) the road will be down to one lane with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place for the duration of the works.
Contractors will undertake dayworks between 6am and 8pm for the first week, before switching to 24/7 day and night works.
There will be increased noise for residents in the area.
Travel delays are typically expected to be less than 10 minutes, longer during peak. We encourage road users to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
Work will stop over the Easter holiday weekend and ANZAC Day, and is expected to be completed on Wednesday 30 April.
Access to residents properties and for emergency services will be maintained throughout the works.
Please be patient and treat our crews with kindness and respect. Reduce your speed, adhere to the temporary speed limits and follow the directions of traffic management staff and signs.
Rebuilding the road, which often involves replacing all or most of the structural road layers, improves the longevity of the network, and ultimately the safety and efficiency for all road users.
This summer maintenance period (September 2024 to May 2025), we’re investing in the largest road rebuild programme ever for the region, with Northland one of three regions across Aotearoa with the most significant road rebuild programmes over the next three years.
This work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.
For more information about the overall maintenance programme and planned works, visit the Northland State Highway Maintenance Programme website:
You can now sign up to receive email updates on upcoming road maintenance:
NZTA thanks everyone for their understanding and support while we carry out this essential maintenance to improve the safety and efficiency of Northland’s state highway network.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is currently fighting a scrub fire next to State Highway 1 on the northern side of the Brynderwyn Hills.
NZ Transport Agency does not expect to close this section of SH1 at this point, but is in continual contact with FENZ staff and a traffic management crew is standing by on-site to assist as required.
Road users are asked to allow additional time for their journeys and to slow down, follow any directions from emergency services or traffic management personnel and drive with care, paying close attention to the road, rather than activity alongside it.
As the situation may change, people are encouraged to visit the Journey Planner website for up to date information before they travel.
Motorists traveling on State Highway 1 (SH1) north of Auckland are advised to plan ahead, with lane and road closures scheduled between Sunday 16 and Friday 21 March.
Johnstone Hill Tunnels – Sunday 16 to Friday 21 March
Northbound traffic will be shifted across to one of the southbound lanes through the Johnstone Hill Tunnels from 9pm on Sunday 16 to 5am on Friday 21 March while the northbound lanes are closed to allow contractors to undertake tunnel maintenance.
Silverdale Interchange to Warkworth Roundabout – Tuesday 18 March (northbound)
On Tuesday night, SH1 northbound will close between Silverdale interchange and Warkworth roundabout from 9pm to 5am for road resurfacing and vegetation clearance. Several on- and off-ramps will also be closed, including:
Silverdale northbound on-ramp
Millwater northbound off-ramp
Orewa northbound off-ramp and on-ramp
Puhoi Road northbound off-ramp
Warkworth roundabout northbound off-ramp
Motorists should use the recommended detour via Hibiscus Coast Highway and Old SH1.
Warkworth Roundabout to Silverdale Interchange – Wednesday 19 March (southbound)
On Wednesday night, SH1 southbound will close between Warkworth roundabout and Silverdale interchange from 9pm to 5am for road resurfacing and vegetation clearance. Ramp closures include:
Puhoi southbound on-ramp
Orewa southbound off-ramp and on-ramp
Millwater southbound on-ramp
Silverdale southbound off-ramp
Detour via Old SH1 and Hibiscus Coast Highway.
Silverdale Interchange to Oteha Valley Road – Monday 17 to Thursday 20 March
Southbound lane restrictions will be in place to allow contractors to undertake slip repairs, though traffic will still be able to travel south at all times.
Plan Ahead
Drivers are urged to drive with care and follow the directions of traffic management staff and signs.
Ramp closures and lane restrictions may be in place before the advertised closure times for the main state highway.
There will be increased noise while contractors undertake these works.
All work is weather dependent, and dates may change. For the latest updates, visit the NZTA Journey Planner
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay today announced New Zealand and India have formally launched negotiations on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.
Mr McClay held extensive discussions with his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal in New Delhi today, where they agreed to launch negotiations.
“This announcement is a major breakthrough in the economic relationship between India and New Zealand,” Christopher Luxon says.
“When we came into Government 16 months ago, we made it clear that closer economic ties with India was a key priority.
“Currently the fifth-largest economy in the world, with a population of 1.4 billion people, India holds significant potential for New Zealand and will play a pivotal role in doubling New Zealand’s exports by value over the next ten years.
“This announcement comes off the back of a major lift in political engagement with India. Todd McCay has visited five times and had eight meetings with his Indian counterpart. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has also visited, and I had a highly productive meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
A Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement is only one part of the Government’s commitment to stepping up all facets of the New Zealand-India relationship.
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says alongside trade agreement negotiations, New Zealand will continue to invest in stronger, deeper, more sustainable connections with India across all pillars of the relationship, including our political, defence and security, sporting, environmental, and people-to-people connections.
“One in four Kiwi jobs rely on trade and last year our export revenue added $100 billion to the economy. Strong agreements and relationships like this ensure every New Zealander has good job opportunities, higher wages and access to world-class public services,” Mr McClay says.
A former US diplomat, Nabeel Khoury, says President Donald Trump’s decision to launch attacks against the Houthis is misguided, and this will not subdue them.
“For our president who came in wanting to avoid war and wanting to be a man of peace, he’s going about it the wrong way,” he said.
“There are many paths that can be used before you resort to war.” Khoury told Al Jazeera.
The danger to shipping in the Red Sea was “a justifiable reason for concern”, Khoury told Al Jazeera in an interview, but added that it was a problem that could be resolved through diplomacy.
Ansar Allah (Houthi) media sources said that at least four areas had been razed by the US warplanes that targeted, in particular, a residential area north of the capital, Sanaa, killing 31 people.
The Houthis, who had been “bombed severely all over their territory” in the past, were not likely to be subdued through “a few weeks of bombing”, Khoury said.
“If you think that Hamas, living and fighting on a very small piece of land, totally surrounded by land, air and sea, and yet, 17 months of bombardment by the Israelis did not get rid of them.
‘More rugged space’ “The Houthis live in a much more rugged space, mountainous regions — it would be virtually impossible to eradicate them,” Khoury said.
“So there is no military logic to what’s happening, and there is no political logic either.”
Providing background, Patty Culhane reported from Washington that there were several factual errors in the justification President Trump had given for his order.
“It’s important to point out that the Houthi attacks have stopped since the ceasefire in Gaza [on January 19], although the Houthis were threatening to strike again,” she said.
“His other justification is saying that no US-flagged vessel has transited the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden safely in more than a year.
“And then he says another reason is because Houthis attacked a US military warship.
“That happened when Trump was not president.”
Is the world waiting for hundreds of thousands of people to die of hunger in Gaza to do something to save them ? pic.twitter.com/xMFJBNzJNY
— Ahmed Hassan 🇾🇪 أحمد حسن زيد (@Ahmed_hassan_za) March 14, 2025
Down to 10,000 ships She said the White House was now putting out more of a communique, “saying that before the attacks, there were 25,000 ships that transited the Red Sea annually. Now it’s down to 10,000 so, obviously, sort of shooting down the president’s concept that nobody is actually transiting the region.
“And it did list the number of attacks. The US commercial ships have been attacked 145 times since 2023 in their list.”
Meanwhile, at least nine people, including three journalists, have been killed and several others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on relief aid workers at Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, according to Palestinian media.
The attack reportedly targeted a relief team that was accompanied by journalists and photographers. At least three local journalists were among the dead.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Protection Centre said in a statement that Israel had killed “three journalists in an airstrike on a media team documenting relief efforts in northern Gaza”, reports
“The journalists were documenting humanitarian relief efforts for those affected by Israel’s genocidal war,” the statement added, according to Anadolu.
In a statement, the Israeli military claimed it struck “two terrorists . . . operating a drone that posed a threat” to Israeli soldiers in the area of Beit Lahiya.
“Later, a number of additional terrorists collected the drone operating equipment and entered a vehicle. The [Israeli military] struck the terrorists,” it added, without providing any evidence about its claims.
‘Liberation’ poetry In Auckland on Saturday, protesters at the Aotearoa New Zealand’s weekly “free Palestine” rallies gave a tribute to poet Mahmoud Darwish — the “liberation voice of Palestine” — by reciting peace and justice poetry and marked the sixth anniversary of the Christchurch mosque massacre when a lone white terrorist gunned down 51 people at Friday prayers.
Two of the pro-Palestine protesters hold West Papuan and Palestinian flags – symbolising indigenous liberation – at Saturday’s rally in Auckland. Image: APR
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet.
“Shane Jones is nothing more than a puppet for private interest, parroting industry talking points while allowing our oceans to be exploited and abused for short-term profit that will come with long-term consequences,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Oceans, Teanau Tuiono.
“Instead of pandering to industry interests, the Minister must wake up to the reality that he has a responsibility to protect our oceans so that future generations can enjoy what we have today.
“Jones’ cushy relationship with the most exploitative elements of the fishing industry has always been pretty fishy. However, his display on Q&A was a severe case of a Minister being completely captured and controlled by corporate interest, even by his standards.
“Shane has no shame. On national television, he was quite happy to defend a company described by a Judge as cavalier and found guilty of bulldozing over ocean protections with repeated bottom trawling. Companies connected to this of course donated to New Zealand First.
“Shane also did his very best to make his industry mates proud by saying ‘there’s nothing to see here’ when it comes to the dolphins, albatrosses and other wildlife becoming caught up in the collateral damage of the industry. Despite the shocking scenes and saddening statistics cameras on boats have uncovered, Shane continued to argue against them in a bid to protect the industry from any accountability or transparency.
“What is clear here is that Shane Jones is not in charge, neither is the Prime Minister, the worst elements of the fishing industry are in control and the health of our ocean is at risk.
“However, we can feel the tide turning against this Government. Many are waking up to the fact that we can do a lot better than a government that is happy to sell out on people and planet to please a few rich mates. We deserve better and we can do better,” says Teanau Tuiono.
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:
Hamilton Police have made an arrest in relation to the death of a man, and wounding of a second man, on Beatty Street in Melville yesterday.
A 41-year-old man sought by Police was arrested this morning and is expected to appear in Hamilton District Court on Monday.
He is charged with murder and with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The injured man remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Police would like to thank the public for their assistance, and continue to ask for anyone with information or CCTV of the incident, in the early hours of yesterday, to contact the enquiry team.
You can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.