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OSPRI brings drones into the fight against bovine TB

Source: New Zealand Government

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says the Government is using the latest drone and thermal imaging technology to boost the fight against bovine tuberculosis (TB).

Disease eradication agency OSPRI is trialling the use of thermal imaging drones to monitor and assess the location and density of possum populations, the main spreaders of the disease.

“I have challenged OSPRI to constantly seek out new and innovative ways to step up the fight against bovine TB. 

“Many farmers today may not remember the terrible situation that existed back in the late 70’s through to the early 90’s where thousands of herds had TB infections, I remember as a child the anguish and cost this caused my parents whenever an infected cow was found in our herd.

“We only need to look across to the UK and Ireland nowadays to see how much this matters, particularly the mental strain this disease can cause on farmers. That’s why it’s so important that we finish the job.”

OSPRI is working on a selected trial site in the rugged tussock-covered hills of Central Otago where the massive landscapes make traditional possum control challenging.

“New Zealand farmers and taxpayers have invested millions of dollars in the control, and eventual eradication of this disease, but we must finish the job, it all comes down to controlling and monitoring possum numbers. This new technology is expected to give a major boost to this work.”  
 
“This drone technology represents a real step-change in how we approach possum control in some of New Zealand’s most challenging terrain.

In rugged terrain, traditional methods such as trapping, shooting, and helicopter operations are not only difficult but extraordinarily expensive.

These drones allow us to work smarter, not harder—they can access remote areas, detect possum populations, and pinpoint exactly where we need to deploy ground teams. It’s a targeted approach that makes TB control more efficient and cost-effective.”  

The Central Otago trial site was selected because it’s considered a hot spot for TB eradication. It’s also known to have a higher-than-average possum population.

“To eradicate bovine TB, we have to eradicate enough of the possums for the disease to be unable to exist in a possum population.

This technology could well be the kicker we need to achieve, sustainable, and enduring eradication of TB,” says Mr Hoggard
 

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Fatality following water-related incident, Glenbrook

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died after a water-related incident in Glenbrook this morning.

Emergency services were called to the area near Falston Road, Glenbrook, about 8.40am after a person was pulled unresponsive from the water.

CPR was undertaken, however sadly they died at the scene.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Young New Zealanders sail to Antarctica in the wake of great polar explorers

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Gwenaёlle Chollet, journalism student

Eight young New Zealanders will soon travel in the wake of great polar explorers. Supplied

Eight young New Zealanders will soon travel in the wake of great polar explorers, sailing from Argentina to Antarctica across the notorious Drake Passage on the historic tall ship Bark EUROPA.

The group of 18 to 30 year olds will set sail in January for a month-long voyage alongside record-breaking sailor Lisa Blair, as part of the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s inspiring explorers expedition.

Wellington global studies graduate Meleki Schulster, 21, said sailing, living and sleeping on a ship would be an entirely new experience.

“It looks like it’s out of the Pirates of the Carribean, it’s so cool. It feels like a crazy adventure and I’m always keen on an adventure,” he said.

“I honestly can’t wait to do it all. I still don’t know how I made it, but I’m so grateful, so honoured and feel so privileged to be in this spot.

“Our ancestors used to use the stars and used to go on voyages with even less crazy boats. It’s going to be a really cool experience to be able to tie it back to them and just inspire people to jump on board.”

Meleki Schulster says the ship looks like something out of Pirates of the Carribean. Supplied

The group would learn to sail the ship, with shifts of four hours on and eight hours off, before exploring the Antarctic Peninsula for just over a week.

The Drake Passage was known for its contrasting conditions – the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake.

Blair said the Drake Lake was a calm and quiet sea, while the Drake Shake saw storms thousands of nautical miles wide trying to funnel through the narrow passage.

“It’s luck of the draw. You could be there in a high-pressure system, which is no wind, calm seas, or you could be out there in 10-metre breaking seas. Everyone’s going to be seasick in those conditions. Cold, wet, maybe snowing, like brutal climate so we don’t know what will happen,” she said.

The team could either face the Drake Lake or the Drake Shake. Supplied

Blair said the Antarctic Heritage Trust aimed to inspire a spirit of adventure by providing opportunities for young people to follow in the footsteps of explorers who traversed the continent more than 100 years ago.

“Part of the inspiring explorers programme is that explorer’s mindset. So fostering their curiosity, their innovation, talking to teamwork, building their resilience and just really structuring their mind to go through challenges that they might face after this,” she said.

Blair holds eight world records, including being the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica in 2022.

Lisa Blair. Andrea Francolini

However, sailing a tall ship would also be a new experience for her and she would have to remember the names of different ropes and 24 sails like everyone else.

Blair said she understood what the group would go through, given she did not start sailing until the age of 25.

“I still really remember my first experience with it and how I struggled in certain things, so just trying to bring that to them and make them feel supported,” she said.

“I really think there’s so much incredible value for us, as a global world, in making sure that the next generation of people coming through can have forged a connection with Antarctica because we don’t protect what we aren’t connected to.”

The historic tall ship Bark EUROPA. Supplied

Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton journeyed to Antarctica on tall ships like the Bark EUROPA.

Bark EUROPA was built in 1911 in Germany as a floating lighthouse on the Elbe river before being converted into a fully-operational sailing ship.

As well as learning to sail the ship, the group would participate in Bark EUROPA’s collaboration with the Polar Citizen Science Collective to gather data such as microplastic sampling and log bird and whale sightings.

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

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‘Believe we can win’: Labour rallies party faithful

Source: Radio New Zealand

CTU members at the Labour Party’s AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Labour Party faithful are upbeat as they rally in Auckland’s viaduct, roughly one year out from the next election.

The mood has been energetic off the back of recent polling that has Labour tracking ahead of National on almost all issues, including the cost of living.

Already in campaign mode, Labour leader Chris Hipkins took a swipe at Te Pāti Māori in his opening remarks to the membership on Friday.

“I recently saw a whakataukī quoted in the media with reference to a different political party in New Zealand.

“He tōtara wāhi rua he kai nā te ahi – a tōtara that is split in half is only good for firewood. Well I can assure you that our waka is made of a very solid tōtara.”

There were lots of cheers and a series of standing ovations as the party’s leadership presented a united front at the top of the conference.

“We are energised, we are focused and we are determined to make this a one-term government,” Hipkins said.

Deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said the coalition government’s policy programme had put people through so much.

“We now have a health system that is falling over right before our eyes. We’ve seen the cancellation of thousands of state housing builds and infrastructure projects, increased unemployment and skyrocketing cost of living.

“A tax on our education system and teachers, a tax on workers wanting a fair deal, a tax on women with the scrapping of pay equity, attacks on our rainbow community.

“And where do we even start with the attacks on Māoridom and Te Tiriti?

“We must keep fighting. We need to support each other, to keep the light burning. We have to retain hope and we have to believe that we can win.”

Carmel Sepuloni at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Sepuloni, like many other speakers, remarked on the varying views held in the Labour Party and pitched them as a good thing.

“We don’t all look the same in the Labour Party. We are a very diverse bunch. This is probably no starker than when looking at your leadership. You have a Sharkies-wearing ginga leader from the Hutt and an Amazonian Pasifika pulatasi-wearing deputy leader from West Auckland.

“We look like we come from different worlds. Have we always agreed over our 17 years of working together? Hell no.

“But do we share the same values and care enough about the same things to make it work? Abso-freaking-lutely.”

Chris Hipkins at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

‘Doesn’t it feel good to see those numbers rise?’ – Labour president

Party president Jill Day said it was encouraging to see public support for Labour rebuilding.

“Now I know the only poll that matters is the one on election day, but doesn’t it feel good to see those numbers rise?” she said, as members cheered.

“To see those numbers rise, to feel the tide turning, to know that New Zealanders are putting their trust back in our party, our caucus, and our leader, Chris Hipkins.”

Jill Day at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Day said it had been a tough couple of years.

“Every time we think this National government has gone too far, it pushes a bit further.

“It’s exhausting, it’s frustrating and it’s heartbreaking because behind every decision National makes, a real person is paying the price.

“We see that in the mum, working two jobs, having to choose between petrol and kai for her kids, kaumatua waiting weeks for a GP appointment and teachers buying classroom supplies from their own pay.”

Day said the party was busy organising ahead of the election and told members every call, leaflet and conversation mattered.

“Our LECs are growing stronger, our volunteers are knocking on doors, our branches are welcoming new members, and we’re selecting candidates who know their communities, who are grounded in the issues and who will not back down from the hard work ahead.

“Election 2026, will be won in the same way Labour has always won: by being visible, by being organised and by showing up, especially when it’s hard.”

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

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One dead after vehicle crashes into Hawke’s Bay river

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

One person is dead after a vehicle crashed into water in the Hawke’s Bay town of Wairoa.

Police were alerted just after 4am on Saturday.

It happened at the intersection of Carroll Street and River Parade.

The National Dive Squad will inspect the vehicle, but it was not believed anyone was unaccounted for.

Cordons were in place while emergency services staff worked at the scene.

Motorists should avoid the area if possible, police said.

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New cost-cutting measures for wastewater standards announced

Source: Radio New Zealand

Local Government Minister Simon Watts made the announcement on Friday. (File photo) RNZ/Mark Papalii

The Local Government Minister has announced cost cutting measures for wastewater aimed at boosting savings for ratepayers.

New national wastewater environmental performances standards hope to save up to $830 million over the next 35 years by streamlining wastewater consents.

Minister Simon Watts said 60 percent of treatment plants needed new consents within the next decade, and many were already operating on expired consents.

“These standards that we’re announcing today will make sure consenting keeps pace with the needs for upgrades, avoids wasteful spending, and reduces the risk of wastewater overflows into rivers, lakes, and the sea,” he said.

Watts said the change removes unnecessary delays and costly over-engineering.

Councils would have a nationally consistent framework for renewing wastewater consents for the first time, Watts said.

The standards applied to over 330 publicly owned treatment plants across the country, and would immediately reduce the need for expensive, duplicated technical assessments.

Watts described the standards as a major step forward.

Reducing consenting costs by up to 40 percent per plant meant a potential saving of $300,000 to $600,000, and up to 60 percent for smaller plants, he said.

Speaking to media, Watts said the nationally consistent standards meant there was now a national minimum standard to uphold.

“There’s been a significant process of engagement across the broad sectors, as I outlined, in order to set these standards,” he said.

“The Water Services Authority is taking a leadership in regards to this, to ensure that we balance the needs in regards to environmental protection.”

The new standards come into effect on 19 December.

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The new girl on Stranger Things is ‘part Kiwi’

Source: Radio New Zealand

In the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, Fisher takes over the role of Holly Wheeler – the younger sister of Mike and Nancy.

When she found out she’d been cast, back in 2023, the London-based actor was weary from a day shooting the family film Bookworm on a rainy Canterbury hillside.

“What had been a pretty exhausting day turned into one of the best days of my life,” she tells RNZ’s Saturday Morning.

Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher in Bookworm.

Geoffrey Short

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

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Live – Air NZ cancels flights as global A320 fleet grounded

Source: Radio New Zealand

Live – Air New Zealand cancelled multiple flights on Saturday, with all A320 aircraft grounded due to a global software problem.

Airbus said a recent incident involving an A320 family aircraft had revealed intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.

The company has ordered an immediate change to a “significant number” of its best-selling A320 jets, which threatened to disrupt half the world’s airlines.

Air NZ chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said “as a precaution” all A320neo aircraft in its fleet would receive a software update before operating their next passenger service.

“This will lead to disruption across a number of our A320neo flights on Saturday and we’re expecting a number of cancellations to services across that fleet.

“We will contact customers directly if their flight is affected. Customers can also check the latest updates on their flight through the Air NZ app or website. We will provide an update when we have more information on the impact to our services on Saturday.”

Airbus A320s were commonly used on Air NZ’s Australia and Pacific Island routes.

In a statement, the plane manufacturer said: “Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

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Leaving Treaty out of geothermal strategy a breach – Waitangi Tribunal

Source: Radio New Zealand

The strategy was developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment with the aim of doubling New Zealand’s geothermal energy by 2040.

The Waitangi Tribunal has found the Crown’s decision to exclude the Treaty from a draft geothermal development strategy would be a Treaty breach.

The strategy was developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment with the aim of doubling New Zealand’s geothermal energy by 2040.

Minister for Māori Development and Minister for Māori Crown Relations Tama Potaka, Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Minister for Resources Shane Jones were involved in the draft.

On 7 November the Waitangi Tribunal held a discrete hearing on the Crown’s draft geothermal development strategy ‘From the Ground Up – A draft strategy to unlock New Zealand’s geothermal potential’.

It was revealed that in the hearing, Jones noted an objective to finalise the strategy later this year for Cabinet approval.

The Waitangi Tribunal said in its report most of the claimants at the hearing supported the draft strategy and it was a promising initiative for Māori economic development.

But the Tribunal noted the strategy also raised a number of issues, and called on the Crown to take the time to strengthen the strategy with Māori, noting specific actions for economic development in the action plan remained significantly underdone.

The Tribunal found that protection was not integrated in the action plan.

“On the specific issue of kaitiakitanga, the report notes that the Treaty principle of active protection requires the Crown to actively protect taonga, and that this is a particularly serious issue in a strategy designed to double geothermal energy in 15 years.

“The Tribunal further found that the strategy concerns the development of geothermal taonga of immense significance to Māori, the exercise by Māori of tino rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga in respect of those taonga, and Crown-Māori cooperation on a major economic development platform.

“The Tribunal therefore found that the Crown’s decision to exclude the Treaty from the strategy would be a Treaty breach.

“The Tribunal did not consider this exclusion reasonable when the same Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment team and minister included the Treaty in the Minerals Strategy seven months earlier.

“In particular, the Tribunal found that the Treaty partnership, which requires the utmost good faith and mutual respect of each other’s authority, should be reflected in any strategy aimed at the Crown and Māori working together to achieve important outcomes.”

Shane Jones. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Another concern raised was that the Crown incorrectly characterised geothermal taonga in the strategy as ‘surface features’, such as geysers.

The report said this would breach the Treaty unless the definition was corrected, but there was still time to make amendments before the strategy was finalised.

The Tribunal also noted few specific opportunities in the strategy for iwi and hapū as distinct from Māori landowners.

The report stated the issue of Māori rights and interests, in particular the question of Māori customary title or ownership issues, needed to be addressed.

As this interim report was released part way through the Tribunal’s hearings, the Tribunal said it was not yet in a position to make findings on these issues.

The Tribunal welcomed the Crown’s inclusion of an action to consider the findings and recommendations of its stage 3 report, when this was released.

The report said that for time being, the Crown should engage directly with the groups who hold those rights.

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Basketball: Slow-finishing Tall Blacks beaten by Australian Boomers

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tall Black Flynn Cameron brings the ball down court against Australia. photosport

A slow finish has scuppered the Tall Blacks in Hobart, going down 84-79 to Australia after leading for much of their tense World Cup qualifying game.

Chasing a first-ever back-to-back win over the Boomers, New Zealand looked on track after opening up a 48-42 halftime lead and still having their nose in front going into the final stanza.

However, turnovers and missed shots proved costly down the stretch, with the visitors combining for just 12 points while a clutch Davo Hickey three-pointer pushed Australia four points clear with 34 seconds remaining.

The teams meet again in Wellington on Monday.

Coach Judd Flavell lamented his team’s high turnover count.

“That’s probably the key stat right there. You know 15’s not a lot, but they scored 12 points off [turnovers]. In international basketball, that’s too many,” said Flavell, who also said the Tall Blacks needed to improve their three-point shooting, which had a lowly 25 percent success rate.

“They sat out there and shot 12 threes. We would’ve liked to have done that, but it just means you have to be very precise and execute more – and I don’t think we did that tonight.”

Tall Black Carlin Davison in possession against Australia. photosport

Centre Sam Mennenga topped the scoring for New Zealand with 19, to go with a game-high 10 rebounds, helping the visitors win the rebound count 49-36.

Flynn Cameron came off the bench and continued his impressive FIBA Asia Cup form, setting the tone on both ends, compiling eight points, five assists and two steals.

Fellow gaurd Izayah Le’afa said there were reasons to be confident of reversing the result on Monday night.

“There was definitely some positives for us, rebounding gave us a good chance but it was just little hiccups during the game that Aussie punished us for. I think we’ll go back to the drawing board, look at the film and make the little adjustments,” he said.

“For the majority of it – very happy, and I think we can just do a lot better to close out possessions or just entering our possession and being on the same page a little bit more and just tidying up a few things there.

Taylor Britt was in doubt for the rematch after suffering an apparent knee injury.

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