Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:

A man has been arrested and charged in relation to the shooting incident at Pukehinau Flats in Brooklyn earlier this month.

About 3.30pm on Sunday 2 November, Police were notified of an altercation at the flats which had resulted in a shot being discharged towards a man.

Fortunately, the victim was not injured by the shot, however he did sustain injuries as he jumped from the southern end second-floor balcony to escape the offender.

On 7 November, a 34-year-old woman was arrested in relation to the incident. She has since appeared in court and was remanded on bail to reappear on 1 December.

On 5 November, a 22-year-old man was stopped by Police in Palmerston North for allegedly travelling at excess speed, and was arrested after being found in possession of a shotgun.

Wellington CIB have since charged this man in relation to the shooting incident at Pukehinau flats. 

He is due to appear in the Wellington District Court on 1 December 2025, charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery. 

Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.

We know this incident caused considerable distress to the residents of Pukehinau Flats, as well as the wider community, and we are pleased to have put those believed to be responsible before the courts.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has renewed its investment in the rural wellbeing programme Farmstrong, Associate Minister for ACC Nicola Grigg has announced.

The $2.7 million investment is the first phase of a five-year agreement between ACC and Farmstrong, totalling $6.8 million.   

“Agriculture continues to be one of New Zealand’s highest-risk sectors when it comes to injuries. In 2024, ACC accepted over 17,000 new claims for work-related agriculture injuries, with recovery costs around $120 million.  

“This investment will help reduce the frequency and severity of injuries in the agriculture and horticulture sectors by focusing on the link between wellbeing and injury risk,” Ms Grigg says.

ACC partnered with FMG and the Mental Health Foundation in 2016 to deliver Farmstrong, which was developed to address the need for improved psychosocial support in farming and horticulture.

Since then, it has delivered a return on investment of $7.85 for every dollar spent, equivalent to over 9,800 injury claims saved and $52 million claims cost savings. 

“For agriculture to do well, we need our people to be well so this support is a no-brainer.

“Farmers are the backbone of our economy, and this is just another way our government continues to back New Zealand’s most productive sector,” Ms Grigg says. 

Farmers can find a wide range of practical resources and guidance on the Farmstrong website www.farmstrong.co.nz.

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

A milestone agreement between New Zealand and Australia will give the region’s primary sector faster and more efficient access to important new agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines.

“Today New Zealand Food Safety and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) signed an agreement that will see the 2 countries sharing assessments of new products,” said New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“This brings the infrastructure of both countries to bear for the benefit of their primary sectors and the communities that depend on them. It builds on our existing strong relationship, and, at a practical level, it will mean streamlining workflows, reducing duplication of effort, and delivering faster turnaround times.

“Together, Australia and New Zealand want to position our region as a market of choice for innovative products that will benefit farmers and the wider community.”

Under the agreement, our agencies will work together on assessments, cross-training staff, and increasing the efficiency of our regulatory processes, said APVMA Chief Executive Officer Scott Hansen.

“Our countries have similar approaches to regulating agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines, so it makes sense for us to increase the scope of our teamwork to our mutual advantage.”

Earlier this year, the Ministry for Regulation’s Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review recommended that New Zealand Food Safety should increase its use of international regulators’ assessments to save time and resources. 

In parallel, the APVMA has committed to leveraging international partnerships to realise the opportunities for increased efficiency identified by the Australian Government’s Detailed Response.

“This closer collaboration with Australia is a significant step in these processes and will be a blueprint for future agreements with other regulators,” said Mr Arbuckle.

“While each regulator needs to address the specific needs of their legislative frameworks, the opportunity for us to collaborate in addressing these needs is not only a key to improving our productivity, but in ensuring we retain the confidence of both the community and industry,” Mr Hansen concluded.

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

Source: New Zealand Police

Shenandoah Highway, State Highway 65, is blocked following a two-vehicle crash, reported to emergency services at around 2:30pm.

Motorists should expect delays.

Two people have serious injuries, and one person has moderate injures.

Two people are also reported to have minor injuries.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

With the announcement that design is starting on the Hope Bypass, those wanting to know more about the project can do so soon.

From 27 to 29 November, NZTA/Waka Kotahi will hold community drop-in sessions so that people can find out more about the proposed Road of National Significance (RoNS) State Highway 6 Hope Bypass project.

Richard Osborne, Regional Manager System Design, says three community drop-in sessions will be held on Thursday 27, Friday 28, and Saturday 29 November in venues across Richmond.

“These sessions give the community a chance to meet the NZTA project team who will be available to answer questions and show the public through the recommended proposal.”

Mr Osborne says there is also up-to-date project information on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website, people can also subscribe to the project e-newsletter and email any questions to the project team.

“The engagement we are planning is a great chance for people to have a good look at what is being proposed and learn more about the next steps,” Mr Osborne says.

The public information days are just a part of ongoing engagement NZTA/Waka Kotahi has underway. The project team will also continue to meet and discuss the proposals with Councils, iwi, landowners, and other key stakeholders.

The endorsed recommendation is a two-stage implementation approach for the Hope Bypass RoNS. NZTA is designing both stages 1 and 2 together, with designs aiming to be completed by mid-2027.

• Stage 1:
  • A new grade separated interchange on SH6 at Salisbury Road Extension.
  • Upgrading the Richmond Deviation from a two-lane road to four lanes.
  • Widening Lower Queen Street and Gladstone Road to accommodate an additional right turn lane.
  • Signalising the intersection of Lower Queen Street and Stratford Street.
• Stage 2:
  • A new four-lane grade separated interchange at Lower Queen Street.
  • Four-lane Richmond bypass.
  • A new two-lane roundabout at the SH60 intersection.
• The bypass designation between SH60/Gladstone Road intersection and Edens Road in Hope will be retained for future development.
• The project will also retain cycleway routes and connections.

Information days schedule

Full project information as well as details about the information days can be found on the project webpage:

SH6 Hope Bypass