Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the names of the two people that died following a crash on Wairere Drive, Hamilton on Monday 13 April.

They were Jrusc Wilson and Reef Gurnick, both aged 15.

Our thoughts are with those close to them.

Two people remain in hospital in a serious condition following the crash.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Source: New Zealand Police

Motorists are being advised of major delays following two crashes in Northland this afternoon.

Emergency services responded to a serious single vehicle crash on State Highway 14, Tangiteroria at about 2.40pm.

Indications are there are serious injuries.

Police were then advised of a second crash on State Highway 14, Maunu involving two vehicles.

At this stage it appears there are minor injuries, however the two crashes are causing significant delays.

Motorists are being advised to seek alternative routes as State Highway 14 has been closed between Bob Taylor Road and Otuhi Road.

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

As Christchurch prepares for an exciting fortnight of big events in the city, Police are asking eventgoers to support a safe and positive environment for everyone to enjoy.

Christchurch Metro Area Commander Superintendent Lane Todd says two major first-time events are creating a high-energy and vibrant atmosphere for the community.

“The Repco Supercars Championship and the Super Rugby Super Rounds are bringing large crowds into the city, and we are proud to play our part in helping people enjoy them safely.

Police will be highly visible across the city throughout the next two weeks, particularly around event venues, transport hubs, and key entertainment areas.

“While we will be out and about, we ask people to have safety and responsibility in the forefront of their minds.

“We are there to help. If you see something that does not feel right, or you need assistance, please come speak with us.”

Police will be working with closely with our partner agencies, including Christchurch City Council, venue hosts, and liquor licence holders, to manage crowds, traffic offending, and alcohol-related harm

“Our focus is on prevention, safety, and reassurance. We want people to have a great time, but to do so safely.

“Events like this are a huge positive for Christchurch, and our message is pretty simple – plan ahead, look after your mates, and make smart choices.”

There are a number of people who will be travelling in and out of the city throughout the next two weeks and we urge them to drive to the conditions, wear restraints, drive distraction free, and to drive sober.

“If you are drinking, don’t drive. Instead, make a plan on how you will get home – have a sober driver, use public transport, or taxi home.”

People attending events are reminded to be respectful of others within the city, and any disorderly or unsafe behaviour will not be tolerated.

To ensure events are a safe and positive environment, please be respectful to those around you – other fans and attendees, venue staff, and emergency services.

Police are looking forward to being part of a vibrant fortnight for Christchurch and thank the community for helping keep the city safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Inspector Phil Gillbanks, Acting Eastern Bay of Plenty Area Commander:

Two people have died after a water-related incident in the Tarawera River near Boyce Park late this morning.

Emergency services were called to the scene about 11.30am after a report of a party becoming stuck under a bank.

Sadly, two people were located deceased a short time later.

The deaths will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

There is still time to nominate outstanding native forest initiatives for the 2026 Growing Native Forest Champions Awards, with nominations closing on Friday 17 April. 
 
Now in their second year, the awards recognise individuals and organisations leading the establishment and restoration of native forests across Aotearoa New Zealand. They celebrate practical, on the ground efforts that support biodiversity, strengthen land resilience, and deliver enduring environmental and economic benefits. 
 
The awards showcase the leadership of landowners, farmers, iwi, forestry organisations, and community groups who are integrating native forests into their land management in meaningful and innovative ways. From erosion control and climate resilience to long term sustainable land use, permanent native forests play a vital role – and these awards highlight those making it happen. 
 
Belinda Miller, forestry support regional manager at Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, says the awards reflect growing momentum for native forest planting and restoration nationwide. 
 
“We’re seeing strong enthusiasm from landowners and communities who are integrating native forests into their landscapes in practical, forward-thinking ways. These awards recognise that leadership and help share stories that inspire others,” she says. 
 
The Growing Native Forest Champions Awards align with the Government’s broader objectives to support sustainable land use, improve environmental outcomes, and strengthen regional economies. They also complement existing initiatives that encourage permanent native forests and long-term land stewardship. 
 
Award categories recognise excellence across innovation, environmental impact, and community or iwi-led initiatives. Categories include Trees on Farms, Lifestyle Block Owner, Large scale Restoration Project, Forestry Company, Mana Whenua, and Catchment or Community Group. 
 
Finalists and winners will be celebrated at a national awards ceremony at Fieldays from 10 to 13 June, providing a high-profile platform to share their stories with the rural sector and the wider public. 
 
Nominations close on Friday 17 April 2026. 

To celebrate the great work in your community being done to grow native forests, visit Growing Native Forests Champions  

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

This evening we sit in a close circle, focussed on an A3 laminated map on the ground. We scribble coloured marker lines over the map, which depicts the landscape around Camp Cove. To discuss our plans, we have to raise our voices. Heavy rain hammering our canvas shelter makes it hard to hear.

The map we are looking at shows about 1,500 hectares of Maukahuka/Auckland Island. It sounds impressive until you realise it’s only around four percent of the island; four percent we will get to know really well. The four of us, each marked by a different colour on the map, plan to service the 82 trail cameras spread across this area on a 500m-by-500m grid. On paper, it’s neat: dots evenly spaced, straight lines connecting routes. In reality, it’s anything but.

Outside the shelter, the rain changes to hail. Overnight it settles on the ground and crunches underfoot in the morning as we set off to walk the lines we marked the night before.

Maukahuka is big in a way that’s hard to explain until you’re walking in it. At 480m from the ridge above camp I can see 30km across fjords and ridges all the way to the northern-most point of the island. However, every ridge hides another line of tangled scrub; every plateau holds wet ground that sucks at your boots. Sometimes our progress while servicing cameras is measured at 200m an hour — crawling and fighting through scrub, climbing around basalt cliffs, sinking into bogs that look solid but definitely aren’t. Other times, while on open ground, we might cover three kilometres in an hour.

Between days servicing the camera grid, and as a reminder that our human scale doesn’t apply to most animals here, we spend a day collecting invertebrate samples from pitfall traps across different habitats. Most of the specimens are smaller than 1cm in length and perfectly adapted to utilise this challenging landscape. We are examining the abundance and distribution of these invertebrates. After eradicating pigs and mice, we expect the average size of invertebrates to increase, and that we will catch more of them, including more rare species that are abundant on the pest free islands nearby. These species are the ones that will be able to flourish once the mice and feral pigs are gone. Having baseline biodiversity data gives us the ability to accurately measure the impact of the restoration work in decades to come.

The challenge of eradication isn’t just finding the pests — it’s proving they aren’t there at the end. That means we need confidence across every kilometre of this varied terrain – and the island doesn’t give up answers easily. For the Maukahuka project we plan to have more than 2000 cameras across the island, collecting data and helping us build this assurance. However, when just four percent of the island takes days of effort, it’s easy to grasp how much work will be involved to check thousands of trail cameras across the entire Auckland Island archipelago.

One thing that’s changed how we work down here is connectivity. In the past, heading to the Auckland Islands meant weeks of limited communication with the outside world. This trip, thanks to DOC’s partnership with One NZ and their satellite capability, that’s no longer the case.

Being able to make daily scheds, share updates, and even make a WhatsApp call from such a remote place makes a real difference — not just for the coordination of our team in the field, but for safety too. While spread across a huge island in such varied conditions, quick communication allows us to change plans or even to ask someone else to cook dinner if we’re going to be home late! All making this vast place feel just a little more manageable.

Looking ahead, the kind of data capability we have now with satellites opens new possibilities for how we work across an island of this scale. We have been working with developers for the past two years to test and deploy ‘Sentinel’ devices that allow near real-time classification of camera imagery onsite, with the ability to notify us remotely when a detection of interest occurs. Until now these have been restricted to terrestrial cellular reception – but with the ability to connect to Satellite-to-cellular data services, these devices could be used almost anywhere. With reliable data connectivity and the inclusion of the devices at each camera site, many of the trail cameras wouldn’t need to be checked manually.  To read more about Sentinel devices  follow this link: Conservation X Labs Joins Island-Ocean Connection Challenge, Commits to Deploy Transformative Technology to Protect Island Ecosystems. Data captured on these devices can be sent back to us multiple times a day, reducing time, risk, and effort required to move people around the challenging landscape. Detections could be received in near real time, allowing teams to respond quickly during the eradication of feral pigs, mice, and feral cats. On an island this big, speed matters. Better data could allow us to react to a detection immediately and give us a higher probability of success.

How would real‑time detections change the way your conservation project approaches pest control? The scale of Maukahuka has forced us to rethink how we monitor, detect, and respond. As the project progresses, we’ll be sharing the lessons we learn with the wider conservation community.

Getting to know Maukahuka is the first step toward its recovery—you can be part of this ambitious endeavour by supporting the project through the NZ Nature Fund, you can help turn every trail camera checked and every mouse trap set into a future Auckland Island free of introduced pests and full of thriving native wildlife.

Donate here

Source: New Zealand Police

A man attempting to evade Police by hiding in the backseat of a vehicle has been arrested after tallying up a list of charges.

On 14 April, Northland Police were trying to locate a man who was wanted in connection with a series of burglaries across the region.

Mid North Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Mark Barratt, says officers were making their way to an address of interest when they came across a vehicle known to be used by the suspect.

“Despite no visible signs of him, an officer’s gut instinct suggested the man they were looking for was inside the departing vehicle.”

Police followed the vehicle as it travelled into Kaeo.

As the vehicle came to a stop on Wainui Road, a man leapt from the backseat and ran into a nearby property.

“The suspect then attempted to steal a vehicle from the address.

“The Police Dog Unit was quickly deployed, and the man was arrested,” Senior Sergeant Barratt says. 

A 44-year-old man has been charged with four counts of burglary, three counts of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, and driving while disqualified.

He has been remanded in custody and will appear in Kaikohe District Court on 28 April.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre