Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Radio New Zealand

All motorists know what it is like learning to drive – the endless attempts to parallel park, the grinding gears, the lurches and the stalls.

Now one instructor believes he has found a way to confine those teeth-clenching experiences to the past, with a virtual reality programme that can help teach learners to drive without even getting into a car.

Ashley Gore runs VR lessons in Auckland and Napier through his company MintEDVR, and is now hoping to expand his virtual driving school across the country.

When he first came across virtual reality technology five years ago, Gore started thinking about its implications for learner drivers and the huge number of people who fail their tests, often multiple times.

“[In one year] 46,000 fails, 7000 failed because they didn’t stop at a stop sign, 37,000 drove too slow on their practical licence, let’s get rid of all these thousands of people who don’t have a license.”

The set up looks identical to one used while playing VR video games, consisting of a headset that covers the eyes with two small controllers held in each hand.

Once the headset goes on, the user is in the driver’s seat.

But with joysticks instead of pedals, and no actual steering wheel to grab onto, it is a system quite different to traditional car controls.

However, Gore said most people catch on quickly.

“Couple of sessions, it’s just familiarisation, it’s a bit like when you jump into a different car, if you’re used to driving a small hatchback and then you jump into a ute, just the whole dynamics, the controls are a bit different.”

There are different scenarios available to practice things like right-hand turns, parallel parking and T-intersections, along with the rest of the skills needed to pass a practical licence test.

While the simulation features other cars on the road, road signs and markings, and all the buttons and the lights you’d find in and on a real car, the scenery resembles something closer to a video game than real life.

At around $15 per lesson, it is a cheaper option than practical driving lessons, which Gore hopes will make the tech more accessible, not just for first time learners, but also people wanting to brush up on their skills.

The VR tracks the users movements, picking up on errors such as failing to stop, driving too fast or slow, or forgetting to check a blindspot.

Although it offers virtually every experience you get while being in a car, Gore said it is not a replacement for driving.

“The VR is there and it plugs and plays anywhere in your driving journey, and it’s never going to replace driving on the road.”

However, Gore said he believes the VR training should count towards the driving hours learners are recommended to undertake before their practical test.

“I would like to see the hours that you do in VR count towards your driving hours because you are learning, you’re getting important skills, you still need that experience on the road but I think it should count.”

It comes soon after the government announced changes to the driver licensing system, including increasing the learner period for those under 25, and removing the requirement to sit a second practical test.

While Gore is now marketing his technology to driving schools across the country, AA spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said the organisation is tentative.

“The thing you need to spend lots of time doing is actually driving a real car in the real world, and that is the major thing that people need to put the time into, but we certainly see potential for the tech to work as a nice additional practice tool.

“Those hours of practice should be for hours spent in a real car actually driving in the real world, that is the key thing.”

The New Zealand Transport Agency told RNZ there is no substitute for on-road training and experience.

“Our position is based on evidence which shows that learners do not gain the same level of skill or competence in a simulated environment, without real-world experience, and there is potential for over-confidence which can lead to novice and learner drivers being at greater risk of crashes.”

It said it is not possible to replicate the complex real world driving environment using a simulator.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Growth in Hamilton is leading the council to consider lowering the speed limit on part of a major city road.

Up to 2,500 new homes are planned for the northern end of the city in a new neighbourhood, called Te Awa Lakes.

Hamilton City Council has asked for feedback on lowering the 80 kilometre-an-hour speed limit to 60 km/h for a 460-metre section of Te Rapa Road.

As part of the approved development, the Te Awa Lakes developer was required to install a signalised pedestrian crossing on Te Rapa Road at their cost.

Council’s Network & Systems Operations Manager Robyn Denton said the road is an arterial route in a semi-rural area; but that is changing.

“People can already see a lot of earth works in there, but they are going to see buildings and that sort of thing,” she said.

The new homes would increase the number of people walking, cycling, and catching the bus in the area.

“The whole area will get busier,” sad Denton.

The council was looking for community feedback on the lower speed limit.

It consulted recently on other speed limit changes and Denton said Hamilton residents had shown they are thoughtful and engaged when it comes to considering the impacts.

“We found that people had thought about the issues and weren’t highly emotive about it but actually put some good, reasoned thought to us which was really useful for helping us and our elected members make decisions,” she said.

Denton said change was to be expected given that Hamilton was the country’s fastest growing city.

“This is one of the many things that happen in a growth city… we’re trying to respond at an appropriate time to get the right sort of outcome for those people who are moving into that area,” she said.

Public feedback would be presented to the council’s Transport Subcommittee in late May and if supported by elected members the proposal would then require approval from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

The public had until 9 April 2026 to have their say.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Child poverty activists say families are having to make impossible decisions and go without life’s essentials following the release of new Stats New Zealand data.

The statistics agency said one in seven kids are living in material hardship, according to research conducted between July 2024 and June last year.

Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston has said reducing child poverty was a priority and that the government is making changes to improve the lives of families.

Advocates were calling for change after the latest data on child material hardship did not show a statistically significant difference compared to 2024 and 2018.

But it did show a statistically significant increase compared to 2022.

The Children’s Commissioner said the data shows there are 47,500 more children in material hardship in 2025 than there was in 2022 (169,300 compared to 121,800).

Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad said affected kids were going without key life essentials.

“I’m talking about things like access to fresh fruit and vegetables, being able to go to the doctor or the dentist, being able to have a good bed to sleep in.

“I think we can all agree no child in New Zealand should be going without these things.”

Dr Achmad said half of the children in poverty had parents that were in work – so it was important people have pay that can lift kids out of deprivation.

She said child poverty needs to be a priority for successive governments.

“Children cannot wait for our economy to improve. Children get one chance at childhood, and we’ve got to act and get this right now.”

Child Poverty Action Group communications manager Isaac Gunson said some families were being forced to make ” impossible decisions”.

“They are paying power and rent so they can keep the lights on and keep a roof over their head, and they are going to see if there is anything for them at the foodbank.

“No one in this country should be having to make decisions like that.”

Social advocate and BBM founder Dave Letele said there needed to be change.

Unless support was provided, Letele said the conditions kids lived in would deteriorate.

“The New Zealand that our grandkids grow up in will be even worse. It is going to be seen more unsafe.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the current stats weren’t good enough.

“We want to see a reduction in child poverty, but I also have to acknowledge it has been an incredibly difficult time.”

Luxon said it was important the economy was run well for low-income New Zealanders.

Upston said reducing kids’ material hardship was a priority in the government’s child and youth strategy.

Upston said they have made a number of changes to improve the lives of Kiwi families such as the in-work tax credit and introducing their FamilyBoost policy for childcare.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Otago Regional Council is aiming to deliver an overall zero percent rates rise in the upcoming financial year.

The council has been preparing a draft annual plan which will be put up for adoption in April.

The Long Term Plan forecasted a close to nine percent increase for the same year.

Chairperson Hilary Calvert said councillors sought to keep rates as low as possible while protecting the environment and providing public transport.

“We’re confident we can deliver for Otago’s people and environment within the zero-budget increase proposed,” she said.

“Factors helping to reduce rates include cost savings and efficiencies in work programmes, extended timeframes for some work and finding alternative revenue sources.”

A directive from the government to pause planning work meant that the council would spend less than expected this financial year and would use some of the surplus to pay for work next financial year.

The average residential property in Dunedin, Clutha, Waitaki and Central Otago would see a slight rates drop, but Queenstown Lakes properties would see an increase due to a public transport rate, Calvert said.

Councillors have opted not to consult the community on this annual plan, saying no significant changes had been made to what was consulted on in the 2026/2027 year of the Long Term Plan.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The wives of two firefighters killed in a landslide during Cyclone Gabrielle have recounted the moment they learned their husbands had died.

Volunteer firefighters Dave van Zwanenberg and Craig Stevens were buried while responding to slips on Muriwai’s Motutara Road on 13 February 2023.

Stevens was freed from the pile but later died in hospital, while van Zwanenberg was found dead after two days of searching.

A coronial inquest into their deaths is being held in Auckland.

Van Zwanenberg’s wife, Amy, said she first heard that her husband was trapped as she was preparing to evacuate their home at about 2.45am on 14 February, several hours after the slip fell.

“I had just started to pack the car to leave when members from FENZ (Fire and Emergency NZ) arrived to tell me what had happened. They were fairly vague on details other than that Dave was missing. They were searching for him and conditions were obviously incredibly challenging,” she recounted.

“Under an hour later I was told that they had called off the search due to the severity of the conditions, high risk to search personnel and low chance of Dave’s survival.”

She said the following days were extremely difficult.

“We spent that night in an odd sort of horrific limbo without much hope but the distressing thought of Dave, whether alive or dead, alone in a pile of mud and rubble still waiting to be found,” she said.

“You can imagine how difficult and heart-wrenching that was to explain to our six-year-old son.”

Van Zwanenberg’s body was recovered on 15 February, two days after the slip.

“I was told at about 10.45am on the 15th of February that a body dressed in FENZ uniform had been located and later that day this was officially confirmed as Dave,” van Zwanenberg said.

“I was told I was not allowed to see or touch him, which was very hard to hear, but I was granted the privilege to go to the site and say goodbye from the outside of the undertaker vehicle. On its departure, men and women who’d been involved lined the exit in a guard of honour, an incredibly touching salute.”

Amy van Zwanenberg said she was proud of her husband’s work as a volunteer firefighter, which he did alongside working as a vet.

“While adjusting to life without Dave has been very painful and my two young children are now growing up without their dedicated father, a life-long loss, they can be proud of who he was and the respect he’s been given even in death,” she said.

Steven’s wife, Lucy, echoed that sentiment.

“When Craig left [that day] both his mum Marianne and I talked about how proud we were of him being out there in the cyclone helping the community,” she said.

“I never saw him conscious again.”

Stevens died in hospital on 16 February, three days after the slip, surrounded by his family.

“Finding out Craig wasn’t going to make it and then having to tell the boys they were going to lose their dad was the hardest and most distressing moment of my life,” Lucy Stevens said.

She described Stevens as a perfect husband and father.

“My six-year-old said the other day, ‘I at least needed one dad, and that one was perfect.’ The deep loss of their perfect dad and my loving husband and partner in life will remain with us forever.”

Stevens’ mother, Marianne, was visiting Muriwai from the United Kingdom when Cyclone Gabrielle hit.

Lucy Stevens read a statement written by Marianne to court.

“As a mother every fibre in your being wants to protect your child, and I was unable to do that,” she said.

Coroner Erin Woolley was visibly emotional as she thanked the women for giving evidence.

“I’m always grateful when family members have the courage to give evidence. I find it moving just listening to you so I admire you for having the ability to do that and thank you very much for doing so,” Woolley said.

The Cyclone Gabrielle inquest will move into its next phase in mid-March, with a focus on the events in Hawke’s Bay.

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