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Homicide investigation launched in Manurewa

Source: New Zealand Police

A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Manurewa this morning.

Emergency services were called to a Mahia Road property just before 10am following a report of a person seriously injured.

Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, Counties Manukau CIB, says upon arrival, a man was located in a critical condition but despite the best efforts from emergency services, he died at the scene.

“Police are continuing to gather information from the scene and there will be an increased Police presence in the area.

“A scene examination will continue throughout today as we work to understand the exact circumstances surrounding this tragic incident and who was involved.”

Detective Inspector Vickers says Police are working hard to identify and locate the person or persons responsible.

“Police would ask anyone who saw what happened, who has not yet spoken to us, to please get in touch.”

If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please make a report via 105, using the file number 250506/4011 and quote ‘Operation Gully’.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org

Further information will be provided when we are in a position to do so.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

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Government Cuts – Changes will gut the Equal Pay Act and lock in discrimination – CTU

Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is slamming the Government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act, announced today by Brooke van Velden, as an attack on working women and their rights to pay equity.

“It is shameful that the Government is cancelling pay equity for hundreds of thousands of working women in order to balance the budget,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.

“These changes will gut the Equal Pay Act and lock in gender discrimination and inequity for years to come.

“Pay equity is an issue of justice, not penny pinching. There is no excuse to ignore injustice, especially when employers’ business models have been predicated on the exploitation of women. The coalition is prioritising tax cuts for the rich over justice for poorly paid women.

“This is not just about cancelling current claims, which would be bad enough, but the changes will also retrospectively rip up existing settlements by removing the review clauses. This will mean that those workers will soon lose the value of their claims.

“This Government seems determined to undo all the progress that working women have made on achieving equal pay. They disestablished the Pay Equity Taskforce, pulled funding for settlements, and are now gutting the Act.

“It is totally unacceptable that Brooke van Velden is intending to push these changes through Parliament in two days under urgency, bypassing democratic scrutiny and due process.

“This Minister is once again demonstrating her contempt for working people and a total disregard for workers’ rights, fair pay and good work,” said Ansell-Bridges.

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Government Cuts – “A national embarrassment” – Workers First on Government’s pay equity betrayal

Source: Workers First Union

Workers First Union has described today’s announcement that the Government will attempt to shut down existing pay equity claims and make it harder to file new ones as a “national embarrassment” that will worsen inequality in New Zealand and continue the flood of experienced professionals in historically female-dominated professions to countries overseas.
Sheryl Cadman, Workers First Central Region Secretary, said that the plan announced today by Minister Brooke Van Velden reneges on decades of bipartisan work on pay equity because the current Government cannot manage the economy ahead of Budget 2025/26.
“Minister Van Velden has decided to make tens of thousands of women pay for her Government’s next austerity budget,” said Ms Cadman.
“As a policy decision, it achieves the ambitious trifecta of worsening the long-term health of our economy, exacerbating worker shortages in health, education and other historically female-dominated industries, and embedding unfairness throughout our society.”
Ms Cadman said pay equity claims like Workers First’s case on behalf of veterinary nurses across the private sector could be jeopardised by the Government’s “fast-tracked” changes to the system that deals with pay equity claims.
“We’ll regroup and assess our options, but the problems do not go away just because the legislative pathway for change has been willingly broken by the Government,” said Ms Cadman.
“Entire industries rely on the pay equity claim process to have an expert court consider their historical underpayment and make recommendations for redress – not an ignorant Minister whose main experience of female workers is as people who bring her things.”
“Using parliamentary urgency to force a law change like this that demands careful scrutiny is especially foolish, short-sighted and authoritarian.”
Ms Cadman said she reserved particular disdain for Minister Brooke van Velden.
“Minister Van Velden is a politician who’s incapable of listening and barely capable of thinking clearly about the present moment, let alone considering the decades of unfairness in the past that has made pay equity a priority for anyone who wants to make New Zealand a better place to live.”
“The union movement has dealt with worse and we will fight this again.”
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Politics and Business – Pay equity improvement supported – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ supports amending the pay equity process to make it more transparent, evidence-based, and more able to achieve robust settlements.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the current process is bringing large anomalies between the public and private sectors, in effect leading to new equity problems – between those employed in the public sector and those in the private sector.
“Increases in public health sector remuneration have created difficulties in the private sector where they can’t afford those pay rates. Where those private sector employers receive government funding for some services, it is not enough to cover the contracted services they provide. As a result, they are losing staff, suffering from industrial action and face problems in delivering their contracted work.
“These outcomes indicate that the pay equity process needs attention.
“Current problems include unclear evidence for some pay equity claims, a lack of transparency around choice of comparators for the pay equity process, and insufficient incentives for the bargaining parties to resolve pay equity claims themselves, without recourse to the government.
“BusinessNZ supports a review of the settings for pay equity claims, in the interests of fairness and a more balanced economy,” Mrs Rich said.
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Politics and Health – Pay equity changes an attack on women: NZNO

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Changes by the Government to make pay equity claims harder to lodge and resolve are an attack on women, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden today announced changes saying they will “significantly reduce costs to the Crown”.
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter says nurses will be outraged that historical gender discrimination will not be addressed so the Government can save money.
“This is a blatant and shameful attack on women.
“Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations. That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify.
“This move by the Government will widen the pay gap between men and women,” Paul Goulter says.
NZNO has at least 10 pay equity claims being progressed across branches of the health sector including Aged Care, Primary Health Care, Hospices, Plunket, Community Health and Laboratories covering many nurse and support worker roles.
Paul Goulter says some of these claims have been going on for years.
“Our members will be devastated that after years of waiting for settlements, the Government is now pulling the rug out from under their feet.
“This move is particularly unfair to primary health and aged care nurses who are being denied the opportunity to close the pay gap with their hospital counterparts. Our Plunket and hospice members now face the injustice of having to redo their pay equity claims,” Paul Goulter says.
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Local News – Pacific Language Weeks has new addition for 2025 – Porirua

Source: Porirua City Council

Bislama, the official language of Vanuatu, has been added to the list of Pacific Language Weeks to be celebrated in Porirua in 2025.
Language weeks are important to our city as they highlight the diversity, language, heritage and identity of our many Pacific communities.
After Rotuman Language, from 11-17 May, we recognise and celebrate the languages of Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu (Bislama), Cook Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue and Tokelau and Solomon Islands.
The overarching theme for the 2025 series of Pacific Language Weeks across New Zealand is ‘preserving Pacific languages for the future’, following on from previous years’ of protecting heritage and culture through sustainability – the United Nations has said recently that 40 per cent of the world’s 7000 languages are in danger of being lost.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says flag-raising and other events across each language week represent a chance to share the vibrancy of our Pacific people, who make up nearly 27 per cent of the city’s population.
“It’s well-known that Porirua is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, and I love that we highlight and celebrate that,” she says.
“To see people, young and old and everywhere in between, getting out and learning and developing relationships in our community brings us all closer together. It’s wonderful to witness and aligns with our Pacific Strategy Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life, which we adopted in 2023.
“It’s more important than ever before for everyone to be proud to live in Porirua and be proud to celebrate their own ancestry and culture.”
Individual language week themes will be announced closer to each celebration. Keep an eye on Council’s website and social media pages as we announce and highlight flag-raising and other Pacific Language Week activities. There is also information at mpp.govt.nz.
Pacific Language Week dates for 2025:
Rotuma: 11-17 May
Samoa: 1-7 June
Kiribati: 6-12 July
Vanuatu: 27 July-2 August
Cook Islands: 3-9 August
Tonga: 17-23 August
Papua New Guinea: 7-13 September
Tuvalu: 28 September-4 October
Fiji: 5-11 October
Niue: 19-25 October
Tokelau: 26 October-1 November
Solomon Islands: 23-29 November
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Government Cuts – Dark day for women as Government slams brakes on pay equity to save money – PSA

Source: PSA

The Government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act will severely limit people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly, said the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA).
“The new legislation announced today throws away all the work that has been done to date solely to save the Government money,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.
“Women across the country will pay the price for this.
“The Government’s changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the Government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach.
“The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women. We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all.
“The Government is taking money out of the pockets of women. It’s denying justice, it’s denying hard work and dignity to women who for years have been underpaid by reinventing the process on specious grounds to save money.
“This is a complete back-down from any attempt to eliminate pay discrimination in this country,” said Fitzsimons. “The Government is telling us who it thinks is disposable: women – especially women who also face pay discrimination based on their ethnicity.”
The PSA is involved in 15 pay equity claims. This includes 65,000 care and support workers, who have lost about $18,600 each due to pay discrimination while they have waited for the Government to fund their claim.
“It is now Government policy to keep sexist pay discrimination entrenched in the fabric of this country. It talks a big game about how we all need to ‘tighten our belts’, but it is women who will bear the brunt because of this decision.
“For workers with claims, pay equity would mean they could put money aside and save for emergencies, holidays, or retirement. They wouldn’t have to stress about essentials like dental check-ups and GP visits.
“The Government is snatching this justice from these women and using it to line landlords’ pockets. It spits on this country’s supposedly proud history of advancing equal rights.”
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Police stress safety to heavy vehicle drivers

Source: New Zealand Police

Southland Police are reminding heavy motor vehicle drivers of the importance of road safety as the country makes its way towards winter.

“There have already been a couple of crashes involving trucks and I want to remind drivers to manage their fatigue and drive to the conditions for this time of year, particularly in early morning,” says Senior Sergeant Scott Mackenzie, Southland Road Policing Manager.

Colder months bring more dangers to the country’s roads.

“In winter the sun sits lower in the sky and sun strike becomes a more common occurrence. Surface conditions, particularly on rural roads become less predictable, and slow-moving tractors and silage wagons are more prevalent at this time of year,” he says.

“All of this makes it even more important to practice appropriate following distances.

“I’m asking drivers to make sure they are getting a good night’s sleep, taking regular breaks, checking their speed, and wearing their seatbelts.”

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Team.

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Witnesses sought after suspicious fire in Bluff

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are appealing for information following a suspicious car fire in Bluff on Sunday 4 May.

About 3.40pm, a Ford Courier ute was set alight while it was parked on Marine Parade. The vehicle suffered substantial damage.

Senior Constable Pete Jenkins says a man carrying a red petrol can was seen running away from the vehicle after it was set on fire.

“This person was last seen running south on Henderson Street, where he was picked up in a dark-coloured vehicle.

“We want to talk to this man, and also need to hear from anyone who has information that could help our enquiries. If you saw suspicious activity in the Marine Parade area on Sunday, please contact us.”

Information can be reported to Police online, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number 250504/8027.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

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Pinnacles Hut, Summit Track set for improvement

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

Date:  06 May 2025

The Pinnacles Hut is an 80-bunk hut, located in the Kauaeranga Valley. Built in 1994, the hut offers expansive views across the southern Coromandel Peninsula.

The Pinnacles Hut and Summit Track are often used by international tourists visiting Coromandel and is one of DOC’s busiest with 15,000 bednights per year.

DOC Hauraki Senior Ranger Karen Ismay says the hut refurbishment project will start on Monday 12 May and run for six weeks until 21 June.

“The work on the hut involves installing insulation, false ceilings and double-glazed windows – all of which will mean a warmer, drier and more comfortable hut for our visitors.

“We know that a significant proportion of tourism is based in, on or around our unique natural environment and this part of a wider drive to make DOC’s hut buildings more environmentally sustainable for future generations to enjoy,” Karen says.

“This hut is particularly popular with international visitors enjoying what the Coromandel has to offer.”

With the work underway, the hut becomes an active worksite – which means it is off-limits to the public and cannot be booked for the duration of the refurbishment project.

Alongside the hut project is an improvement project on the Summit Track, which is accessed from the Pinnacles Hut.

The Summit Track project focusses on improving the track surface, with boardwalks set to be installed to prevent the spread of kauri disease.

With more than 50 per cent of international visitors and 80 per cent of New Zealanders visiting protected natural areas every year, improvements like these are vital for future-proofing our assets.

Drainage work will also improve management of rainwater on and around the track.

The track will be closed to the public from 7am Monday to 3pm on Friday, but will be available for weekend walkers. The track upgrade project is expected to be completed by 21June.

“We understand there may be some disappointment about these closures, but we’re confident our visitors will appreciate the improvements – particularly on chilly winter nights in the hut,” Karen says.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz