Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Superintendent Tony Hill, Canterbury District Commander:

Late last night, Police shot two people following a report of a family harm incident at an address in Clyde Street, Bryndwr.

Sadly, a woman died at the scene and a man sustained critical injuries.

The man is now in a stable condition in hospital. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening at this time.

These incidents are extremely distressing for all involved, and our number one priority is to offer support to the family of the two people shot, as they come to terms with what has happened. Attending Police staff are also being provided the necessary support.

Police were called to the property about 11pm, after receiving a 111 call from a person who was not present at the address. They told the emergency calltaker that the man was allegedly armed with a knife and threatening to hurt both himself and his partner.

Due to information provided to Police at the time, officers established a safe forward point and made a tactical decision to arm themselves.

At that point, a woman ran out of the house, closely followed by the man, who was in possession of a hunting knife.

Police believed the woman was at risk of imminent serious harm and fired a single shot, which struck the man.

As an officer immediately approached the man to provide first aid, the woman picked up the knife and began to threaten the officers.

Despite an appeal for her to put the weapon down, she advanced on Police, brandishing the knife.

A second shot was fired, hitting the woman.

Officers immediately provided medical assistance, however she died at the scene.

Support is in place for the 10 officers who were in attendance at the time of the shooting.

Cordons remain in place at the address and a scene examination will be carried out over the next few days.

I want to assure the community that there is no ongoing threat following the events overnight.

I also want to acknowledge the difficult situation our staff found themselves in last night. Drawing a firearm is one of the last things a Police officer wants to do, and this will likely be the most significant decision they will make in their Police career.

A critical incident investigation is ongoing, and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Te Poi Road, southeast of Matamata, will be closed for some time following a crash between a truck and a pedestrian.

It happened just north of the intersection with State Highway 29.

Indications are that the pedestrian is seriously injured.

The Serious Crash Unit will be in attendance.

Te Poi Road is closed between the State Highway 24 and State Highway 29 intersections, and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Government

In Government, we’re busy working to grow our economy – and this includes improving competition settings.  Today I can provide an update on where things stand across competition and consumer policy. 

I’ll begin with the Commerce Act review and the governance of the Commerce Commission – two areas I know are top of mind for many of you.

Commerce Act review

The Commerce Act review was launched to modernise New Zealand’s competition law framework – the first review of its kind in 20 years. 

The review looked at New Zealand’s merger regime, rules around beneficial collaboration, confidential information, industry codes, and the effectiveness of enforcement tools.

We received a wide range of submissions – most of them from the people in this room. Thank you to everyone who contributed – your feedback has been detailed, constructive, and very helpful.

As you know, the review was initiated earlier in the term and has been carried forward under new ministerial leadership. That transition has brought fresh perspectives while maintaining momentum on the work already underway. 

I acknowledge the delay and appreciate your patience. Increasing competition is a central pillar of this Government’s Going for Growth Agenda. The issues are complex, have important implications across the economy, and I want to make the most of this opportunity to update our competition settings to promote business dynamism and lift economic growth.

Today, I’m pleased to announce the initial set of reforms to the Commerce Act, with further changes to be announced over the coming weeks. 

First, we’re making changes to the Act to better support beneficial collaboration – because we’ve heard the current system is too complex, costly, and slow for business. 

Right now, even low-risk, competitive collaboration – like joint R&D or emergency coordination – faces legal uncertainty and high barriers. The authorisation process alone costs nearly $37,000 and can take several months. That’s not workable for small businesses or urgent initiatives. 

So, we’re introducing a new framework to make collaboration easier, while keeping competition safeguards in place:

• A statutory notification regime, initially limited to resale price maintenance and small business collective bargaining, will allow firms to notify the Commission of collaborative conduct and proceed unless the Commission objects – a faster, cheaper alternative to authorisation.
• Class exemption powers will allow the Commission to exempt categories of conduct that are low-risk or clearly beneficial.
• Fee relief mechanisms will give the Commission discretion to waive or reduce application fees where appropriate.
• A streamlined process for collaborative activity clearance will allow applicants to ask the Commission to assess the purpose and necessity of cartel provisions, without assessing broader competition impacts.
• Flexibility for evolving collaboration will allow clearance and authorisation for arrangements with changing participants over time – better supporting multi-party initiatives.

These changes will reduce duplication, simplify the process, and better reflect the original intent of the collaborative activity regime. 

We have also heard in your submissions that businesses and individuals are increasingly reluctant to share information with the Commission because of fears confidential information could be released under the Official Information Act, potentially leading to retaliation or misuse of confidential information by competitors. This is undermining the Commission’s ability to collect evidence and receive useful information, particularly in investigations and merger clearances.

To address this issue, we are:

• Providing a 10-year OIA exemption for confidential information provided to the Commission.
• Extending the Commission’s ability to issue confidentiality orders over classes of information or documents, to attach terms and conditions on release, and to allow orders to continue to apply for up to 10 years.
• Protecting individuals against retaliation who provide information to the Commission – modelled on whistleblower legislation. 

These changes will help restore trust, encourage cooperation, and ensure the Commission can access the information it needs – especially from complainants and whistleblowers.

Further decisions on the merger regime, potential new industry codes, and other changes will be announced over the coming weeks. 

Commerce Commission Governance Review

Alongside the Commerce Act review, we’re also looking at the governance of the Commerce Commission.

This review, led by Dame Paula Rebstock, was focused on:

• The structure and composition of the Commission board
• Decision-making processes and transparency
• The skills and expertise needed to regulate increasingly complex markets. 

The Commission is made up of very talented people, and I see some of you in the room today.

The goal is to ensure the Commission is well-equipped to deliver timely, high-quality decisions and maintain public confidence in its work.

We are considering the review’s recommendations and will announce Cabinet decisions in the coming weeks. 

Banking

The Commission’s market study into personal banking services (launched in June 2023) found that the four major banks do not face strong competition, due to structural advantages, regulatory barriers, and low consumer switching.

The final report, released in August 2024, recommended: 

• Strengthening Kiwibank as a competitive force
• Accelerating open banking, and
• Making it easier for consumers to switch banks.

The government has accepted all the recommendations, and my colleague Hon Nicola Willis has issued a new Financial Policy Remit to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, directing it to place greater emphasis on promoting competition alongside its stability objectives.

In June 2024, a Select Committee inquiry into banking competition was announced, with broader terms of reference including business and rural banking. The Committee is expected to report back this month.

Open banking and consumer data right

In March, Parliament passed the Customer and Product Data Act, establishing the Consumer Data Right.

The framework will allow consumers to safely share their data with other providers, making switching easier and promoting innovation.

The Act also sets rules to make sure data is shared in standard formats, outlines who can receive the data, and includes safeguards to keep it secure and compatible across systems.

Banking is the first sector to be regulated, with rules coming into force by the end of 2025. 

Over time, different sectors will be brought into the framework through regulations.

Retail payments

In July, the Commission released its final decision to further regulate interchange fees on Mastercard and Visa networks, aiming to reduce merchant service fees by $90 million annually.

This decision builds on the initial fee caps set back in 2022, which led to $140 million in annual savings for New Zealand businesses. 

In late July, I announced the Government will ban surcharges on in-store EFTPOS and domestic Visa and Mastercard debit and credit payments by May 2026, and earlier if possible.

This responds to concerns that consumers are paying up to $150 million in surcharges annually, including up to $65 million in excessive surcharges.

The decision followed a detailed competition impact assessment, which weighed potential benefits and risks:

• Benefits include eliminating excessive surcharges, lowering compliance costs for merchants, improving enforcement, and enhancing the consumer experience.
• Risks include pressure on small businesses, potential price increases, and reduced incentives for consumers to adopt lower-cost or innovative payment methods.

The Retail Payment System (Ban on Surcharges) Amendment Bill will be introduced by the end of 2025, ensuring consumers know exactly what they’ll pay at the point of sale.

Water regulation 

As part of the Local Water Done Well reforms, the Government is introducing a new regulatory regime under the Commerce Act to ensure water services are efficient, transparent, and accountable.

The Local Government (Water Services) Bill is expected to pass very shortly, and will appoint the Commerce Commission as the water services economic regulator.

The regime will initially apply to local government drinking water and wastewater services, with potential to include stormwater later.

The Commission’s tools will include: 

• Information disclosure, to promote transparency about regulated suppliers’ performance.
• Maximum and minimum revenue thresholds, so that regulated suppliers have a clear understanding about the level of revenue they need to collect and invest in water infrastructure.
• The ability to impose requirements on regulated suppliers that give effect to the financial ring-fencing principle.

Together, these tools will lay the foundation for a water services system that is financially sustainable and delivers better outcomes for communities across New Zealand.

Broader view of competition policy 

Competition policy is broader than just the Commerce Act. It intersects with consumer protection, sector-specific regulation, and innovation policy.

Making competition a priority means embedding it across government – not just in legislation, but in how we regulate, procure, and design markets.

For example, new Cabinet requirements for regulatory impact analysis explicitly reference the Commerce Commission’s Competition Assessment Guidelines to guide officials in developing regulatory proposals. 

MBIE and the Commerce Commission play a key role in supporting this work, providing secondary advice that informs decisions across agencies and sectors.

Competition policy is also a function of trade policy, and a Government priority to deepen our relationship with key trading partners, including Australia and a single trans-Tasman economic market. 

Closing remarks 

Thank you again for your engagement and feedback – especially through the Commerce Act review process.

We’re committed to delivering reforms that are practical, enduring, and in the public interest.

I look forward to working with you as we move into the next phase of implementation. 

Source: New Zealand Government

Cabinet has agreed to a series of policy proposals following public consultation for a new Emergency Management Bill, says Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell. 

As part of its response to the Government Inquiry into the Response to the North Island Severe Weather Events, the Government intends to pass a new Emergency Management Bill during this term of Parliament. The Bill will replace the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. 

“The Government released a discussion document in April this year seeking feedback on options to strengthen New Zealand’s overarching emergency management legislation,” Mr Mitchell says. 

“The 324 submissions received were from individuals and organisations ranging from councils, Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups, iwi groups, volunteer organisations, businesses, interest groups such as animal welfare, and groups representing parts of the community such as disabled people, older people, and rural communities.  

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to share their experiences and perspectives which have informed Cabinet’s decisions on which proposals to progress through the Bill.”  

The Cabinet paper provides details on the 21 proposals, but in summary the Bill will: 

clarify who is in control during emergencies (particularly when undeclared) and clarify accountabilities at the local level
improve how Civil Defence Emergency Management Group plans are developed and with whose input, given they drive change on the ground
provide for representation of iwi Māori, rural communities and the wider community on Coordinating Executive Groups
expand the tools available to improve assurance of the system, e.g. through rules or Compliance Orders
expand the lifeline utilities/essential infrastructure providers that can be recognised under the legislation (e.g. certain digital services and solid waste).  

“Alongside new legislation the Government will deliver operational improvements through the initiatives outlined in the Strengthening Emergency Management Roadmap for Investment and Implementation. This includes initiatives that will address, over time, the resourcing and training issues identified by some submitters,” says Mr Mitchell.

The Government intends to introduce and pass the new Emergency Management Bill during this term of Parliament. The public will have another opportunity to make submissions during the Select Committee process. 

The Cabinet Paper is available at: https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/proactive-release-eco-25-sub-0117-strengthening-emergency-management-legislative-reform

The submissions on the discussion document will be published soon at www.civildefence.govt.nz/emergency-management-bill  

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the number of people waiting for an outcome of their Citizenship by Grant application is at the lowest level since August 2020. 

“Finding efficiencies within the Department of Internal Affairs, including by reducing wait times for citizenship applications, has been a priority for me, and I’m pleased to see the real progress being made,” says Ms van Velden.

“In the past, I’ve heard about the impact citizenship delays have had on people and their families. Becoming a New Zealand citizen is a milestone moment that deserves to be celebrated, not overshadowed by lengthy wait times.”  

“Currently, just over 13,700 people are waiting for citizenship decisions, down from a high point of 37,690 in April 2022.” 

A sustained focus on performance and improved processing flows implemented in March this year have made a hugely positive impact on citizenship processing and has delivered real results. 

“These are not just numbers, these are people who are contributing to our economy and communities. From teachers and nurses to engineers and small business owners, these people are building lives here while waiting on citizenship.” 

“Focusing on performance and reducing the backlog continues while new applications continue to be made, however I’m proud of the hard work in the citizenship office to date.” 

Currently the oldest applications being picked up are just over two months old, compared to October 2023 when the oldest applications were from September 2022.  

This represents an 11-month improvement in how quickly the Department starts work on applications.  

“Congratulations to the Department for the results and a larger congratulations to all the new Kiwi citizens.” 

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister of Defence Judith Collins today opened the new headquarters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 5 Squadron at Ohakea and its four P-8A Poseidon aircraft.

“This 20,000 sq m facility, Te Whare Toroa – The Home of the Albatross, provides essential, state-of-the-art infrastructure to support the RNZAF’s work in maritime surveillance, resource protection and disaster response,” Ms Collins says.

“The Government knows Defence personnel must have modern and fit-for-purpose equipment and infrastructure to be interoperable, combat-capable, and to deter actions that are adverse to our interests.

“The work they do safeguards New Zealand, its interests and our way of life.”

The new facility can train, sustain and support up to 320 personnel with its two hangars, maintenance and support facilities, spare parts warehouse, full flight simulator and mission support centre. For the first time, it brings together a range of training and support tools for aircrew, maintenance and mission support personnel. 

“There will be more projects like this as the Government’s Defence Capability Plan, which outlines planned commitments worth $12 billion over the next four years and doubles our Defence spending by 2032, is implemented,” Ms Collins says.

“The project has also provided significant employment and up-skilling opportunities for the local workforce, which the delivery of the Defence Capability Plan will continue to generate into regional economies in the coming years.”

Images from the event will be uploaded here: http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdfmedia

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  14 August 2025

There are only two populations of black robins in the world – on two reserve islands in the Chatham archipelago, 800 km offshore from mainland New Zealand.

This iconic species’ recovery from the brink of extinction is an internationally renowned success story. There were only five black robins left in 1980, with just one breeding pair – Old Blue and Old Yellow – remaining. Following intensive conservation efforts, the population has increased to 445 birds, with approximately 45 birds on Mangere Island and another 400 birds on Rangatira.

Dave Houston, Department of Conservation Technical Advisor, says the upward trend for black robin on Rangatira is heartening, but the species risks becoming a victim of its own success.

“There’s a limit to how much food and habitat is available for these birds on Rangatira,” says Dave. “Native bush on the island is slowly regenerating, but the black robin population is growing faster than the bush.”

A second population of black robin, on Mangere/Maung’ Rē Island, is not faring as well as its neighbours.

“A decade ago, there was a population of around 50 birds, but this has dropped to 45 as female survival over winter has been low, and there are genetic problems stemming from the extremely small gene pool. Habitat and food availability on Mangere are also problems because, even though planting has been ongoing since the 1970s, there are still only very small, forested areas suitable for black robins.”

DOC’s focus over the past five years has been on site restoration and monitoring. Teams are sent to monitor the birds on each island during pre-breeding and post-breeding seasons, capturing and banding juveniles to determine survival rates after winter.

DOC is exploring options suitable for black robin populations on both Rangiura/Pitt Island and main Chatham Island, but the presence of predators such as mice means there is no easy solution.

As it stands, says Dave, a rat incursion or natural disaster on Rangatira or Mangere could devastate those populations.

“Our eggs are quite literally all in two baskets,” says Dave. “We really need to establish some more populations to safeguard the species, but we need sustainable, predator-free habitat first.

“Rangatira and Mangere are free of predators, which is why they work so well. One really bad week could wipe out hundreds of birds found nowhere else in the world, and erase decades of hard work. After how far we’ve come, we just can’t let that happen.”

Background information

South East Island/Rangatira/Hokorereoro and Mangere Island/Maung’ Rē are both predator free islands, home to a range of rare plant and animal species.

All of today’s black robins are descended from the last breeding female, Old Blue. She was one of the longest-lived robins known, reaching 14 years old.

The fostering programme used to save the black robin was such a fantastic success that it has been used as a case study on how to save endangered birds around the world.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

Media are advised that Police will hold a stand-up today regarding the fatal Police shooting in Bryndwr.

Canterbury District Commander, Superintendent Tony Hill will speak to media at 12:15pm in central Christchurch.

We ask those media interested in attending to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz. Further details will be provided to registered media.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the person who died in the two-vehicle crash on Dansey Road, Ngongotahā Valley on Wednesday 22 May.

She was Sakura Hall, 2, of Mamaku.

Police extend their sympathies to her family and friends at this difficult time.

The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries