Delays expected following crash, Māngere East

Source: New Zealand Police

Motorists are being advised to expect delays following a two car crash in Māngere East.

The crash, at the intersection of Massey Road and Gray Avenue, was reported to Police at about 10.54am.

At this stage there are no reports of injury.

Motorists are being advised to expect delays or seek an alternative route while the scene is cleared.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Wānaka bridges ‘fit for a King’ to reopen this weekend

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  30 May 2025

Yesterday a small group of Makarora residents and conservation groups met to admire the bridges and upgraded Blue Pools Track walkway located 70 km north of Wānaka.

DOC Operations Manager Charlie Sklenar says the occasion warrants a royal celebration after a two-year slog involving engineers, contractors, specialists, geotechnical consultations, unexpected complexities and a lot of hard work.

“In May 2023 engineering reports on Blue Pools and Rob Roy bridges showed they needed to be upgraded for public safety, while Makarora’s swing bridge had to be completely replaced. We closed all three to get the work done.

“In peak summer season 550 people a day cross the Blue Pools and Makarora bridges. At times 75 people would cross the bridges each hour, and visitors were regularly exceeding the signposted ‘safe number of people to cross’ advice. We needed to ensure these structures were safe for the public.”

Upgrades included:

  • a new longer Makarora swing bridge with higher capacity,
  • a 160-metre-long elevated board walk, and
  • extensive upgrades to the Blue Pools bridge offering an improved experience for visitors.

“We are so fortunate to have the stunning clear waters, native forest and dramatic alpine scenery of Tititea Mt Aspiring National Park on our doorstep,” says Charlie.

“These upgrades mean people can safely experience this special place for years to come and do so in a way that protects nature.

“It’s an investment that preserves our natural taonga species and supports our local communities who rely on outdoor recreation and tourism.”

Yesterday was a big day for the Makarora community, with a parallel celebration for the opening of the 1.1 km Charteris Track in nearby Makarora township.

Built by the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust on land donated by Makarora resident Gary Charteris, the track is a valuable last link in a loop that takes in the Makarora township.

Note: Reminder Blue Pools and Makarora bridges are not officially open to the public until Saturday 31 May. Contractors may still be site.

Visitors should check the DOC website before heading out.

Blue Pools Track: Mount Aspiring National Park, Otago region

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

Terms of Reference Inquiry into Ports and the Maritime Sector

Source: New Zealand Parliament –

New Zealand’s ports (both marine and inland) and maritime sectors plays a crucial role in global trade, transportation, and economic development.

The Transport and Infrastructure Committee will establish an Inquiry into the Ports and Maritime Sectors to examine the current state, challenges, and future opportunities within the ports and maritime sectors. The Inquiry will focus on:

  1. Economic Contribution and Efficiency
    • Assessing the contribution of ports and maritime industries to trade, logistics, and both regional and national economic development. This includes the scale, nature of operations, and markets of ports around New Zealand.
    • Understanding how ports and related infrastructure interact with other marine fleets operating in New Zealand (such as the national fishing fleet).
    • Investigating instances where competition between ports may be affected by market distortions.
  2. Infrastructure and Investment needs
    • Evaluating the adequacy of existing infrastructure and identifying key investment priorities to support future growth.
    • Reviewing the interface between ports and the relevant parts of the land and maritime transport system.
    • Examining the current and potential role of coastal shipping within New Zealand’s broader transport network.
    • Looking into the adequacy and locations of drydock facilities.
    • Reviewing technological developments in the sector and how these can help support the sector’s growth.
    • Looking into the safety practices, both in ports and on the sea.
    • Understanding the consenting environment facing ports.
  3. Regulation, Governance, and Ownership of Ports
    • Reviewing the current regulatory frameworks, funding, ownership, and governance structures to ensure effective oversight and coordination.
    • Examining the role of Maritime New Zealand in regulating the maritime sector.
  4. Environmental Sustainability
    • Investigating the environmental impact of the sector
    • Understanding the sector’s progress toward decarbonisation.
    • Reviewing the climate resilience of the sector.
  5. Workforce and Skills Development
    • Considering the workforce capacity, training and education pipeline, and labour market challenges facing the industry.
  6. Security and Supply Chain Resilience
    • Examining the sector’s role in national security, emergency response, and supply chain continuity.
    • Understanding international shipping and supply arrangements.

The committee will gather evidence through public submissions, hearings, and stakeholder consultations, and report its findings and recommendations to Parliament.

Leg Up on the Mitre Flats

Source: New Zealand Police

Wairarapa Police are reminding hikers, as winter sets in, to ensure they dress for all weather eventualities.

It comes after a woman injured her ankle hiking in the Tararua Ranges last week.

Despite the pain of a fracture ankle, which happened during a fall about an hour out from “the Pines”, the woman was able to keep warm while help arrived.

Detective Constable Richard Butler says the injured woman and her friend were well-equipped with overnight gear.

“We always recommend hikers take warm clothing or a jacket, even if only going on a day walk, as conditions can change quickly.

“A Personal Locator Beacon can also be a lifesaver when things don’t go to plan.

“In this case, the injured woman’s friend was able to hike further along the track to obtain cell phone reception and call emergency services.”

Wairarapa Search and Rescue volunteers deployed, along with an ambulance officer and a wheeled stretcher.

Murray Johnston, Chairman of Wairarapa SAR, says the team were well-versed in rescues, but the more prepared people were for the outdoors, the better.

“Our volunteers did a fantastic job, and wheeled the woman to safety for further medical treatment.

“If you’re heading into the outdoors, our advice is enjoy yourself, but make sure you’re prepared in the event something happens.”

ENDS
 

Issued by Police Media Centre

Post-study outcomes data – technical information

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Post-study outcomes from tertiary education measure where graduates go (their destinations) and how much they earn after completing study.
The data can be broken down into:

the level of study on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF)
the field of study
student characteristics (age, gender, region where they lived, etc) and
the tertiary provider they studied with.

The data tells you the number of graduates who:

are in employment
are in different types of further study
are on a jobseeker benefit
are overseas
have changed their employment or jobseeker status over a period between two years prior to their graduation and the outcome year, or
are in another (unknown) destination (if they don’t fit any of the above criteria).

The data also tells you employed graduates’ median and quartile earnings in years 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 after they graduated and, for comparison, median and quartile earnings for employed students two years before their graduation.
Things to remember when using this data
Cohorts
We show outcomes for graduates 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 years after graduation. To create a large enough set of data to analyse across qualification level, subject area, age, gender, ethnicity, etc, we group graduates into four-year cohorts.
We use the calendar year to measure further tertiary study and the tax year for all other information (employment, income, days overseas and days on benefit).  

Graduate cohorts which correspond to the results for each year after study

 

Year in which we look at what the graduate earned or did

Cohorts’ year of graduation

Year after study

Calendar year

Tax year

2019–2022

1[1]

2020–2023

2021–2024

2017–2020

3

2020–2023

2021–2024

2015–2018

5

2020–2023

2021–2024

2013–2016

7

2020–2023

2021–2024

2011–2014

9

2020–2023

2021–2024

The same graduate may appear in two different cohorts. A student who graduated in 2020 may have their outcomes measured in the 2021 calendar/2022 tax year for the Year 1 cohort and measured in the 2023 calendar year/2024 tax year for the Year 3 cohort.
Who is included in the data?
The outcomes in these spreadsheets are for domestic graduates who completed qualifications at tertiary education providers reporting qualification completions to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). This data excludes graduates who were receiving a disability benefit or in a Corrections facility for any period within the outcome year.
National-level data includes all qualification completions reported to TEC. Provider-level data includes Student Achievement Component-funded providers and Industry Training Organisations. Some smaller providers may not have outcome data if their graduate numbers do not reach the statistical threshold.
Outcomes are influenced by a range of factors
Graduates’ outcomes are influenced by a range of factors outside of providers’ control. These include different regional labour markets, individuals’ choices, and graduates’ other qualifications, skills and experience.
Outcomes are grouped by qualification subject area, not specific qualification
We’ve used this higher level of grouping because there are often too few graduates at individual qualification level to produce any meaningful data. We have grouped together some qualifications that are likely to give graduates different outcomes. For example, graduates with a Bachelor in Oral Health (needed to become a dental hygienist) and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (needed to become a dentist) are grouped together under dentistry.
Older graduates are included in this data
This data presents earnings and destinations not only for young graduates but for all age groups (under 25 years old, 25–39 years old, and 40 years and over). Older graduates who complete similar qualifications will likely have different outcomes from younger graduates, as other factors such as prior learning and work experience influence outcomes for older graduates. Accordingly, for older graduates traditionally used outcome indicators of earnings, employment, unemployment, and further study might not be enough to define which groups of graduates have relatively better outcomes from their tertiary study.
To improve outcome information for older graduates, this data includes measures such as:

change in employment or jobseeker status over a period between two years prior to student’s graduation and the outcome year, and
employed students’ earnings two years prior to their graduation compared to employed graduates’ earnings in the outcome year.

Outcomes are included for only a graduate’s highest and latest qualification
In previous data sets employment outcomes were attributed to all qualifications completed by a graduate.
In this data we attribute outcomes only to a learner’s highest and latest (by the outcome year) qualification, so a graduate has labour market outcomes attributed only once. The highest and latest qualification completed by a person is derived from all data reported to the TEC or NZQA by tertiary providers and Industry Training Organisations (ITOs). If a learner completed two equal-level qualifications in the same year at an ITO and a provider, we have attributed the outcomes to the ITO qualification, not the provider qualification.
Other sources of information
Jobs
This post-study outcomes data does not give information on earnings and employment prospects for particular occupations. Graduates will often find jobs outside their area of study.
For more information on expected earnings and job prospects in different professions see Careers.govt.nz’s jobs database.
Job profiles – Careers.govt.nz
Qualification information
This post-study outcomes data does not provide information on specific qualifications at tertiary providers. For information on qualifications and their completion rates, entry requirements, costs and career opportunities visit Careers.govt.nz’s qualifications database.
Study and training – Careers.govt.nz
Technical information
Domestic graduates
Only domestic graduates are included in post-study outcomes data.
A domestic graduate lives in New Zealand and has either New Zealand or Australian citizenship, or permanent New Zealand residency.
Graduate numbers are rounded
To protect confidentiality all graduate counts are randomly rounded to base 3.[2] Graduate counts below five, including zero counts, are not included.
Graduate destinations
Graduates might be counted under multiple destinations.
When a graduate meets the criteria for more than one destination, they are counted in each of these destinations.

Destination

Definition

Employed

The graduate had income above 50% of the minimum wage from employment sources, measured over the 12-month period.

Full-time higher study

The graduate was enrolled in a formal study of >=0.8 EFTS at an NZQCF level higher than the completed qualification level in the outcome year.

Full-time non-higher study

The graduate was enrolled in a formal study of >=0.8 EFTS at an NZQCF level the same as or lower than the completed qualification level in the outcome year.

Part-time higher study

The graduate was enrolled in a formal study of 183 days in the outcome year.

Overseas

The graduate was overseas for >183 days in the outcome year.

Moved into employment

The graduate was not qualified as employed 2 years prior to qualification completion and was employed in the outcome year.

Moved off benefit

The graduate met the definition of a jobseeker (as outlined above) 2 years prior to qualification completion and did not meet the definition of a jobseeker in the outcome year.

Other

The graduate didn’t meet any of the above criteria, or there was no record in that year for them in the IDI data.

Measuring earnings
Gross earnings from employed graduates

Earnings include taxable earnings from wages and salary, paid parental leave, ACC compensation and self-employment.
Earnings are measured across graduates who are employed.
Earnings in tax years 2021–2023 are adjusted with the Labour Cost Index to the March 2024 dollars.
Earnings are rounded to the nearest $1,000.

Hours of work
Earnings will be understated for any qualifications and fields of study where there are significant numbers of young graduates in part-time work or who only work part of the year. This is because no adjustments are made for graduates’ hours of work.
Fields of study and qualifications
Defining area of study
The field of study is determined from the courses graduates take in their study. The New Zealand Standard Classification of Education (NZSCED) is used to classify the fields of study.
For more information about NZSCED codes, see New Zealand Standard Classification of Education – Education Counts.
Results are presented at the broad, narrow and detailed NZSCED levels.
Number of graduates
Where the total number of graduates was 20 or below, we excluded the results from this data. Take care interpreting earnings and destination results when there is a small number of graduates as the results may fluctuate.
Merged providers
Some providers have merged over the period covered by this data. Where this has occurred, we have combined the former providers’ graduate outcomes to give outcomes for the merged provider.
Earnings data suppression

Value

Meaning

S

Earnings data in a cell is suppressed due to a low number of employed graduates (under 10 graduates for median earnings and under 20 graduates for lower and upper quartile earnings).

Disclaimer
These results are based on information obtained by TEC from Statistics New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). We try to the best of our ability to ensure that these results are true and accurate. However, TEC does not accept any liability for their accuracy or content.           
These results are not official statistics; they have been created for research purposes from the IDI, which is carefully managed by Stats NZ. For more information about the IDI please see Integrated Data – Stats NZ.
Access to the data used in this study was provided by Stats NZ under conditions designed to give effect to the security and confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act 2022. The results presented in this study are the work of the author, not Stats NZ or individual data suppliers.
The results are based in part on tax data supplied by Inland Revenue to Stats NZ under the Tax Administration Act 1994 for statistical purposes. Any discussion of data limitations or weaknesses is in the context of using the IDI for statistical purposes, and is not related to the data’s ability to support Inland Revenue’s core operational requirements.

[1] For the example given in the table, the Year 1 cohort takes those who graduated in 2019 and measures their outcomes in the 2020 calendar/2021 tax year; adds those who graduated in 2020 measuring their outcomes in the 2021 calendar/2022 tax year; adds those who graduated in 2021 measuring their outcomes in 2022 calendar/2023 tax year and adds those who graduated in 2022 measuring their outcomes in 2023 calendar/2024 tax year.
[2] Base 3 refers to a standard arithmetical term, when any number is rounded to the nearest multiple of 3 (eg. 3, 6, 9, etc). The rounding to a higher or lower number is randomly selected to hide the real number of people for confidentiality purposes.

Sergeant smells trouble after stopping driver on phone

Source: New Zealand Police

An officer patrolling the roads in Waiuku earlier this week got more than he bargained for after pulling over a motorist using his phone while driving.

Counties Manukau South Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes, says the driver was signalled to stop on Kent Street after he was spotted using his cellphone while driving.

“While speaking to the man the officer has noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle.

“A search of the vehicle has then located eight bags of cannabis, weighing more than two kilograms, in the passengers footwell as well as a significant amount of cash.”

Inspector Hoyes says a knife was also located in the man’s pocket.

The 24-year-old man will reappear in Pukekohe District Court on 30 July charged with possession for supply of cannabis, possession of a knife in a public place and failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search.

“In the interest of road safety, the man was also issued with an infringement for using his mobile phone while driving.

“This is yet another example of great Police work and keeping our community safe by removing these harmful substances from our streets.”

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

New High Commissioner to the UK announced

Source: New Zealand Government

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Hamish Cooper as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “New Zealand’s relationship with the UK is one of our most important. “Mr Cooper is one of New Zealand’s most senior and experienced diplomats and is eminently well-qualified to take on this significant role,” Mr Peters says.Over his 40-year career at the Ministry, Mr Cooper has held several important roles including as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan, Russia, and Türkiye. He will take up the role in September.

110km/h speed limit consultation begins for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights

Source: New Zealand Government

Transport Minister Chris Bishop is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say in public consultation that begins today on increasing speed limits for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h.

“Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and this proposal supports that outcome by reducing travel times and increasing efficiency on this vital route between Wellington and the lower and central North Island,” Mr Bishop says.  

“With around 22,000 vehicles using the road daily, it provides important regional resilience and a safe, modern, reliable route for all road users. Transmission Gully is one of the first Roads of National Significance (RoNS) announced by the former National Government in 2009 and is the main gateway to Wellington. 

“Transmission Gully was designed and constructed to a high safety standard. This is reflected in the low crash numbers on the road since opening in 2022. It has safety features that greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a crash, like two lanes in each direction, and flexible median barrier between opposing lanes. Since opening, there have been over 150 barrier strikes but no deaths

“Along with Transmission Gully, the NZ Transport Agency will also be consulting on Raumati Straights, which connects Transmission Gully with Kāpiti Expressway.  By consulting on this section now, we can finalise a decision on appropriate speed limits quicker, ahead of possible safety improvements on the section. 

“This is all part of the Coalition Government’s agenda to deliver the infrastructure needed to grow the economy, reduce travel times and increase the productivity of our transport network. We’re committed to providing state highways that help people get where they need to go quickly and safely.”  

Consultation on raising the speed limit for SH1 Transmission Gully and Raumati Straights to 110km/h begins on Friday 30 May and will last six weeks.  You can find more on the NZTA website here: 

Police seeking information about vehicle in relation to Waikaia fires

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney, Gore CIB

Gore Police are continuing to investigate a suspicious house fire in Waikaia last year.

Just after midnight on Wednesday 21 February 2024, emergency services were called to the fire on Elswick Street.

The investigation team have now identified a vehicle of interest, and we’re keen to know more about its movements around the time of the fire.

The vehicle is a red BMW Z3 convertible, like the one pictured, which was seen leaving the Waikaia township at speed around the time of the fire. On that same night, the vehicle was also observed travelling towards the Riversdale area, again at speed.

We would like to speak to anyone who has information about this vehicle, or one matching the description. Additionally, if anyone has any footage of this vehicle in the area around 21 February 2024.

If you have any information that could assist, please contact Police via 105 either over the phone or online.

Reference file number 240222/8704.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Govt’s budget balanced on the backs of low-income families

Source: Green Party

The Government is quietly leaving some of our poorest families hundreds of dollars worse off, ignoring warnings that changes to the accommodation supplement and public housing subsidies will disproportionately target disabled, older, Māori, Pasifika, and young people.

“This is a stealth cut, pushed through with no acknowledgement of the harm it will cause,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Ricardo Menéndez March.

“Housing is a human right. We can build an Aotearoa in which everyone has what they need, and nobody is left behind. 

“Instead, the Government hoped we wouldn’t notice that, hidden under headlines about KiwiSaver and Best Start changes, lies a major policy shift that will leave 13,200 families worse off by $100, even up to $200 per week*. 

“Changes to how the Accommodation Supplement is calculated means that income from boarders–which previously were partially exempt because the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) understood these boarders were often family members–now fully counts against eligibility.

“MSD flagged early on that increased hardship was expected to be experienced by disabled people, young people, older New Zealanders and Māori and Pasifika peoples.

“People who receive the accommodation supplement, by definition, already have unaffordable rents. $100 or $200 a week may not feel much for a Prime Minister out of touch with reality, but for thousands of families it’s a lifeline that allows them to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table and pay their bills.

“MSD also noted that any ‘savings’ were likely overstated**, as costs were simply going to be shifted to emergency housing and hardship grants. 

“Poverty is a political choice this coalition is repeatedly choosing. Once again, we see the wellbeing of thousands sacrificed in the name of superficial savings and cowardly games of political hot potato,” says Ricardo Menéndez March.

  • *An estimated 13,200 households will be affected (7,000 on accommodation supplement, 6,200 on public housing subsidies). On average, the 7,000 households with boarders receiving the Accommodation Supplement will be $100/week worse off, and people with 3 boarders would be $202/week worse off. Affected households receiving public housing subsidies would see an average increase of $132/week to the cost of their rent. (Page 21 of the report)
  •  **The Government is saving $150m over four years by stripping support (Accommodation Supplement + Income Related Rent Subsidy) from around 13,200 households who have boarders. MSD has told the Government that the savings are likely to be overestimated (page 7 and bottom of page 15 of the report). This is due to people needing hardship assistance, emergency housing, etc as a result of these changes creating costs for other parts of the system.