Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking nominations from people and organisations who are putting in the hard mahi to help ensure our seafood sector is sustainable and innovative, says Dan Bolger, deputy director-general Fisheries New Zealand.

“The Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards recognise the individuals, businesses of all sizes, iwi organisations and not-for-profits who are demonstrating exceptional commitment to ensuring that our oceans are productive and healthy, both now and for future generations,” Mr Bolger says.

A panel of independent judges, representing different parts of the seafood sector, will select finalists and winners across 5 categories:

• Operational Innovator Award
• Market Innovator Award
• Future Leader Award
• Ocean Guardian Award
• Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki Award

The winner of the Supreme Sustainability and Innovation Award will be selected from winners across these categories.

In addition, a Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Award will be presented to recognise a long-term contribution to sustainability and innovation in the seafood sector.

We are pleased to acknowledge Seafood New Zealand as the sponsor of the Supreme Sustainability Award and Aquaculture New Zealand as the sponsor of the Market Innovator Award. Additional sponsors will be named shortly.

To nominate yourself or someone else, complete the online form on the MPI website.

Award entries are open from 24 June 2025, and close at 5pm on 24 July 2025.

Finalists will be announced in August with an awards presentation at Parliament on 11 September 2025.

New Zealand Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards 2025

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

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

Source: New Zealand Police

To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark van Kempen, Rotorua CIB:

Rotorua Police can now release the name of the man who died after being struck by a motorcycle on Edmund Road on 15 June.

He was Paige Johnson, aged 24, from Rotorua.

Police have received a number of calls and online reports in response to our previous appeals for information and we would like to thank everyone who has contacted us so far.

We are now appealing for further public assistance to identify and locate the rider of the motorcycle involved.

Since 15 July, the investigation team has been working to trace the movements of the motorcycle that day.

CCTV footage provided by members of the public has helped establish that following the collision, the motorcycle travelled from Edmund Road on to Clayton Road, then along Thomas Road and in to Gordon Road, heading east.

Today, a significant police presence has been in and around this area, speaking with residents and gathering further information. The response has been extremely positive, with several valuable pieces of information being received.

Police are also continuing to support Paige’s family, who are devastated by his loss. Both Paige’s family and Police reiterate our appeal to anyone with knowledge of this incident, the motorcycle, or its rider to contact Police – either directly or anonymously via Crime Stoppers. 

We also want to reiterate our appeal to the motorcyclist to come forward and do the right thing – both for their own sake and for Paige’s grieving family. We know Paige’s death will likely be weighing heavily on this person and it is important that we speak to them to understand the full picture of what occurred.  

Additionally, we want to remind members of our community that assisting anyone involved in this incident in a way that intentionally hinders the police investigation could have serious consequences.

Photographs of the motorcycle and its rider are attached. The motorcycle is believed to be a black and gold Kawasaki Ninja 600cc. The rider is believed to be male and has a distinctive full-length tattoo on his left leg.

If you can help, please contact Police via 105 and quote Operation Simpson, file number 250615/1168. 

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 

Source: New Zealand Government

Mr Speaker,

The situation in the Middle East is of the gravest concern. 

No New Zealanders want to wake up to news of more bombing, more strife and more misery. Yet, tragically, for the last two years, that is what we have seen: a relentless and remorseless series of events which have greatly destabilised the region and gravely harmed its people and their sense of security and prosperity. 

New Zealanders are scattered across every part of the world – and so of course our minds turn in the current crisis to our people in harm’s way. Ensuring their safety is an absolute priority of this Government. 

New Zealand is a very long way from the Middle East. Unlike our own region, the Pacific, New Zealand’s influence in the Middle East and our ability to affect the trajectory of events is modest. Nevertheless, this Government, continuing New Zealand’s long tradition as a responsible international citizen, has pursued an active foreign policy based on engagement with all – via an intensive programme of Prime Ministerial and Ministerial travel. 

We have sought to understand the perspectives of all involved in the Middle East crisis – and to present a clear New Zealand position. That’s why we travelled to Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia; why we’ve met and discussed these issues with Israel, Iran, the Palestinians, the Gulf states, the Europeans, Australia, the United States, our Asian partners, and many others. And that’s why we have resisted the pressure from some to expel from New Zealand the Ambassadors of some Middle Eastern countries. We prefer diplomacy to moral outrage. 

Indeed, ours is a foreign policy of collecting all the facts, hearing all the perspectives, and applying a careful, reasonable, cool-headed approach to the situation – not kneejerk reaction and simplistic moral posturing. 

The New Zealand Government’s response to what is happening in the Middle East should be guided by two questions: 

• how can we act to get our people out of harm’s way?; and
• how can we best contribute to an international debate which helps push the situation towards de-escalation and peace not further disintegration and despair? 

Our first priority is the safety of New Zealanders. Our advice to New Zealanders in Iran and Israel remains to leave if and when they can find a safe route. The Government is committed to supporting New Zealanders caught up in this crisis. Since the beginning of the conflict, MFAT has provided 24/7 consular support to New Zealanders in Israel and Iran, and to their families back home in New Zealand. It will continue to do so. 

As we announced on Sunday, we have sent a C-130 aircraft to ensure that we have the resource available to aid in evacuations from the region for those that want to leave. We are also in discussions with commercial airlines to see if they can help. We encourage all New Zealanders in the region to make sure they register with SafeTravel so we can have an accurate picture of who may need assistance and where. We are also monitoring carefully the economic impacts back home of what is happening in the Middle East. 

We note, and welcome, positive signals in the last few hours about a potential ceasefire. New Zealand strongly supports all efforts toward diplomacy. We urge all parties to return to talks. An enduring solution depends on de-escalation and diplomacy.

As we have repeatedly said, the Middle East is not a situation of black and white; of good and evil; of just one bad actor. Those in this House who rush to condemn or call out one actor or other – or who demand that the Government do the same – should pause to reflect on whether they are seeking to understand and influence what is going on, or simply virtue-signal about it.

New Zealand has consistently called for peaceful resolution of this latest conflict. Diplomacy must always be the first resort, not the last. We have been clear to all our partners, and to all parties to the conflict, that military action must end and parties must return to the negotiating table to find a lasting resolution. 

New Zealand has a long, proud history of standing up against nuclear weapons. Our concerns about Iran’s aspirations for nuclear weapons are longstanding. Iran has a proven pattern of non-compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. And Iran has made threats against other countries in the volatile Middle East.

We end this statement by noting what New Zealand is looking for in the Middle East, and what we oppose. 

We want de-escalation and dialogue. We want a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living in security and peace side-by-side. We want humanitarian aid to get to those who need it. Ultimately, we want peace. 

And what we do not want is New Zealanders in harm’s way. We do not want ever escalating rounds of military action. We do not want a nuclear Iran. We do not want Hamas holding hostages and terrorising Palestinian and Israeli civilians alike. And we do not want Israel occupying Palestinian land.

And, ultimately, we do not want another generation of young people in the Middle East, scarred by conflict, replicating the enmities of today and yesterday. This cycle of conflict, now generations old, must end.

Mr Speaker, the Middle East is a long way away from New Zealand and our influence is limited. But the Government is committed to doing all we can to help New Zealanders affected and to help contribute to de-escalation and diplomacy. 

Thank you. 

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  24 June 2025

One of the injured ruru which was found on the side of the road in Greymouth in mid-May has just been released after a spell recovering at the South Island Wildlife Hospital.

“Usha” was found by a member of the public who used a towel to gently pick her up when she saw the ruru sitting on the ground unable to fly away.

The bird was initially cared for by Cassie Mealey, a DOC Senior Technical Advisor who rehabilitates native birds in her spare time (under an appropriate Wildlife Act authority).

After a few days of recovery and care Air NZ flew her across to the South Island Wildlife Hospital in Christchurch to see wildlife vet, Pauline Howard.

The little ruru had x-rays that showed a fractured coracoid (a deep chest bone that helps stabilize flight muscles). This was likely the result of a vehicle hitting her. Treatment included pain relief, cage rest and fluids. Pauline said, “Usha was a model patient, and she had an uncomplicated recovery.”

Once the fracture was stabilised and Usha had “rehab flight training”, Air NZ flew her back and Cassie released her into the wild near to where she was found.

Cassie has had five ruru in her care throughout May, most with fractures from suspected vehicle strikes, and some with suspected secondary poisoning from mice that have eaten poison brodificaum bait used by households to control rats and mice.

Chris Hickford, Greymouth DOC Operations Manager, says the work Cassie and the South Island Wildlife Hospital do to care and rehabilitate injured birds is really appreciated.

“DOC can’t look after every bird, so we rely on a network of individuals and organisations nationwide who donate their time to do this work,” Chris says.

Cassie says people are seeing more ruru in their back yards.

“It is likely that the cooler weather and mice boom at this time of year that has driven them into urban areas where there is more food such as moths around streetlights and mice around houses and compost bins,” she says.

After dark, ruru are attracted to streetlights, where they hunt moths attracted to the bright lights. They commonly fly into the sides of buildings or are hit by cars.

“People can help protect ruru by maintaining old trees, as they like to nest in tree cavities instead of on the ground where they are more vulnerable. You can also build nest boxes, and place them in trees,” Cassie says.

“Using traps instead of poison to control mice and rats also helps to protect the ruru population,” she says.

If you see sick or injured ruru or other wildlife, call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Acting Superintendent Lincoln Sycamore, Eastern District Commander:

Police will be closely monitoring the movements of those travelling from Napier through to Hastings for a funeral tomorrow morning around 9am.

Motorists can expect to see a large number of gang members and associates travelling around the region both this evening and tomorrow.

We’re reminding all those who are travelling on our roads to not act in any way that can put yourself and other road users at risk. Motorists should also expect delays.

Police will be investigating any unlawful behaviour, and where enforcement action can not be taken at the time, expect our staff to follow up.

If you have concerns for your safety, or witness any illegal behaviour from those involved, please call 111 immediately.

To report or send in any footage of the group engaging in illegal activity on our roads, please make a report online at 105.police/govt.nz, call Police via 105 or make an anonymous report via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

State Highway 3, Ōhaupō is closed at the intersection with West Road following a crash.

The three-vehicle crash happened at about 12:10pm.

No serious injuries have been reported.

Diversions are in place via Forkert Road (northbound) and Kaipaki Road (southbound).

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: NZCTU

The commitment at the 113th International Labour Organization conference to develop a binding Convention for securing decent work in the platform economy shows how disconnected and out of touch the New Zealand government is when it comes to employment rights.

“This decision is a huge step towards establishing internationally recognised labour rights for digital platform workers,” said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges. 

“This is the mandate for much-needed regulation of digital labour platforms and by doing so, ensuring that innovation is not achieved at the expense of workers’ rights.

“It’s really telling, that while the international community comes together to support platform workers, Brooke van Velden has introduced a new Employment Relations Amendment Bill that will undermine the rights of those very workers in Aotearoa.

“Her Bill, which intends to misclassify workers as contractors and remove their legal right to challenge their employment status in court, is a severe undermining of worker rights. It is completely out of touch, and the Bill must be voted down”, said Ansell-Bridges.

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Lee Underhill, Wellington CIB

An investigation is underway following the discovery of human remains at an address in Ōwhiro Bay on Sunday (22 June).

On Monday afternoon a Police team were in the area after a homeowner located remains in his garden.

The remains have been identified as human, and enquiries will look to determine how old these remains are, followed by a formal identification process, which may take some time.

Anyone with information that may assist as to the identity of the remains and how they came to be at the location is encouraged to contact Police via 105, either over the phone or online.

Please reference file number 250622/3189.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

Associate Transport Minister James Meager has confirmed an additional $76.7 million for New Zealand Search and Rescue over three years, to ensure 12 organisations can continue their lifesaving operations.
Additionally, the Government has announced an investment of $624,000 over the same period, to help maintain and improve recreational aviation safety across the country.
“New Zealand has one of the largest and most challenging search and rescue regions in the world, so it’s vital to ensure they have necessary funding to deliver their critical services,” Mr Meager says.  
“Ensuring Kiwis are safe as they go about their activities, either for work or leisure, is one of the Government’s top transport priorities.
“Last year, 152 lives were saved, 921 people were assisted and 794 people were rescued through the work of the search and rescue sector. This is thanks to the dedication of than 11,000 people involved in the industry – 80 per cent of whom are volunteers.”    
$542,000 will go towards the New Zealand Aviation Federation to deliver updated Instrument Flight Procedures at unattended aerodromes, which pilots use to safely take off and land at airports across the country.
An $82,000 funding boost will also enhance safety at those sites, paying for further training and education to remind pilots of the necessary safety procedures.
“The investment also underlines the Government’s commitment to helping grow our economy by supporting a safe and secure recreational aviation system,” Mr Meager says.
“Many Kiwis and visitors love to get out and explore our beautiful country. Today’s announcements will help keep everyone safe when they’re outdoors – whether that’s on the land, water or in the air.”
 

Source: New Zealand Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has held high-level talks with European Union leaders in Brussels, to underline the close ties between New Zealand and the EU.

“The European Union is one of New Zealand’s most trusted partners,” Mr Luxon says.

“This is something that was emphasised in my meetings with both EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa.

“President von der Leyen and I discussed our commitment to the international rules-based system – something that’s more important than ever given the pressure on global security and prosperity.

“We also talked about opportunities to ramp up two-way trade under the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

“New Zealand’s goods exports to the high-value EU market have already grown by more than $1 billion, a 25 percent increase since last year. But we know there is still scope to significantly increase this further with our premium New Zealand products.”

New Zealand and the EU are also collaborating on research, science and innovation through Horizon Europe, the world’s largest research funding programme.

“Our researchers are working together on 17 projects across a range of sectors, from hydrogen storage to bioprinting. By joining forces, we are driving scientific progress and innovation that delivers economic benefit for both our regions,” Mr Luxon says.

While in Belgium, Mr Luxon also visited New Zealand memorials and other significant sites across Flanders Fields, to pay respect to the thousands of Kiwi soldiers who served on the Western Front during World War I.  

He now travels to the Netherlands where he will meet with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof before attending the NATO Summit in The Hague.

A joint readout of the meeting is attached.