Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority following the death of a man in Auckland last year.

On 4 November 2024, Police were called to a commercial property on Boston Road after a report of a man becoming agitated towards staff at the address and paramedics.

Police officers arrived and instructed the man to leave.

The man refused to leave despite the officer’s requests, so the officer placed a hand on his shoulder to guide him along.

The man has then fallen and hit his head on the ground. Unfortunately, he was seriously injured and later died in hospital.

The IPCA conducted an independent investigation, which included reviewing CCTV footage of the incident, and found the officer did not use force when placing his hand on the man’s shoulder and instead he lost his balance on the sloping driveway and fell to the ground.

“This was an incredibly unfortunate incident for everyone concerned, including our attending staff,” Auckland City District Commander, Superintendent Sunny Patel, says.

“Our sympathies remain with the man’s family and friends during what was no doubt a very challenging time.”

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

A joint investigation has unpacked a criminal syndicate’s operation, which allegedly facilitated the smuggling of class A drugs through Auckland Airport.

Police and Customs terminated nearly two dozen search warrants on Wednesday across the Auckland region as part of Operation Matata.

Eighteen arrests have been made, including nine baggage handlers and another staff member working at the country’s busiest airport.

Those arrested are 17 men, aged between 20 and 42, and a 19-year-old woman. Those arrested were appearing in the Manukau District Court yesterday afternoon and today.

It all began on 20 March 2025, when a man was arrested outside an East Tamaki address after 25 kilograms of methamphetamine was discovered in his vehicle.

Now, detectives from the National Organised Crime Group and counterparts at Customs have uncovered a wider group organising and facilitating controlled drugs being smuggled through Auckland Airport.

“Police will allege in court that this group imported controlled drugs through the airport on six occasions,” Detective Inspector Tom Gollan says.

“As a result, approximately 64 kilograms of methamphetamine and 3.4 kilograms of cocaine has been seized by Customs and Police.”

This would have gone on to cause significant harm and cost to New Zealand communities.

“Insider threats pose a threat to this country, and we are pleased to continue to work with Auckland Airport authorities, Customs and overseas law enforcement agencies to stamp this out,” Detective Inspector Gollan says.

Customs Investigations Manager Dominic Adams adds: “These individuals are alleged to have abused their trusted positions as airport workers to smuggle significant amounts of harmful drugs into New Zealand.

“There is zero tolerance for this type of behaviour and this operation signals the action that law enforcement, with the support of industry partners, has taken against those who thought they could operate outside of the law and profit from their criminal activities.”

During the 23 search warrants carried out, Police located a significant amount of cash along with quantities of cocaine and a sawn-off shotgun.

Those arrested will face serious drugs charges, including importation, supply and possession for supply of the class A controlled drugs methamphetamine and cocaine.

• Operation Matata – by the numbers:

Around 64.5kg of methamphetamine equates to:
– 3,225,000 doses
– $22.5m – the approximate retail value of this methamphetamine
– $71.5m – an approximate amount of social harm prevented

Around 3.4kg of cocaine equates to:
– 34,000 doses
– $1.5m – the approximate retail value of this cocaine
– $1m – the approximate amount of social harm prevented

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: BNZ Statements

Small businesses can now access unsecured finance of up to $50,000 with BNZ’s new Merchant Flexi Loan, with approval in as little as three minutes. It offers eligible businesses a simple way to manage cash flow and fuel growth, with no interest and just a one-off fee.

Karna Luke, BNZ Executive for Customer Products and Services, says it delivers the speed and flexibility small businesses need to grow.

“Our Flexi Loans give small businesses fast access to capital, without the need to provide paperwork like financial statements or business plans. Instead, we use actual card sales data from the past 12 months to determine loan eligibility and calculate a personalised loan offer.

“Businesses can see their personalised offer, choose their preferred repayment rate and get a decision in minutes. Once accepted, funds are available within two business days.”
Repayments are set at a rate chosen by the business, between 10% and 30% of daily card sales, and are automatically deducted.

“This means repayments are higher when sales are strong and lower when business is quieter, helping owners stay focused on operations with cash flow under control,” Luke says.

Christchurch institution Waffle Haus takes advantage to expand business

The benefits of this flexible approach are already being realised BNZ customers like Jamie Stewart. He already had a successful Waffle Haus café in Akaroa when he expanded to Christchurch, opening on New Regent Street in December 2020. Now, with both locations thriving, he’s using BNZ’s Merchant Flexi Loan to fund expansion into a third branch, set to open next month at The Colombo shopping centre.

“A lot of prep goes into opening a new location – it takes about a year to get everything in place,” says Jamie. “When the Merchant Flexi Loan became available, the timing was perfect because I was looking at a significant equipment investment for the new café and wanted to preserve working capital for other business needs.”

For Jamie, whose capital is invested in growing his business rather than property assets that could be used as security, the merchant sales-based approach offers a compelling alternative to traditional secured lending. Instead of needing collateral, the loan is based on his proven sales performance.

The flat fee structure also appealed to Jamie: “The fee worked out at about 2.5% of the loan amount, which is really good value and substantially cheaper than a traditional business loan.”
With trading patterns that vary over time – busy evenings year-round, peak weekends and school holidays, plus seasonal fluctuations – Jamie appreciates having repayments that adjust accordingly.

“The winter period is slightly quieter for us than the summer and school holiday peaks,” he says. “Having repayments that flex with our natural business rhythms makes financial planning much easier.”

Fast funding when opportunities arise

Karna Luke says timing is critical when business opportunities emerge, which is why the BNZ team has worked hard to make the process of applying for a Merchant Flexi Loan as fast and simple as possible.

“Our customers tell us they need to move fast to stay competitive and grow, whether that’s securing new equipment, expanding their premises, or taking advantage of seasonal demand. By streamlining the application process and using data we already have, we can help them seize those opportunities without delay.

“It’s about bringing together speed, simplicity and flexibility to make it easier to move quickly when opportunity knocks. We’re proud to be the first New Zealand bank to offer a lending solution like this.”

To find out how Merchant Flexi Loan can help your business manage cash flow and growth, visit bnz.co.nz/business-banking/loans-and-finance/merchant-flexi-loans

The post BNZ offers flexible business loans up to $50,000, approved in minutes appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

Source: New Zealand Government

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has written to the major supermarkets to restate the basic expectation that they take all steps needed to comply with the Fair Trading Act and ensure Kiwi shoppers are not subjected to misleading price claims. 

“Supermarkets have statutory obligations under the Fair Trading Act to ensure that pricing information is accurate and does not mislead consumers.

“I am disappointed that I have to spell out to some of New Zealand’s biggest and most sophisticated retail operators – Foodstuffs North Island, Foodstuffs South Island, and Woolworths – that they should have in place processes to prevent inaccurate pricing, institute and publicise refund policies, and train staff to ensure that when errors are reported, fixes occur system-wide. Compliance with the law should be a basic expectation. 

“I am concerned to hear from the Commerce Commission and Consumer New Zealand that misleading promotional practices and common pricing errors are still occurring within New Zealand’s major supermarket chains.

“These include customers being charged more at the checkout than the advertised price, specials being advertised that don’t represent a saving on the normal price,  and multibuys that are more expensive than if the products are individually purchased.

“This week it was reported that two PAKnSave supermarkets that are part of Foodstuffs North Island have pleaded guilty to multiple charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act. The Commerce Commision has also filed proceedings against Woolworths for misleading consumers about prices. 

“I will not comment on ongoing court proceedings. However, it is clear that as participants in a sector that generates revenue of $27 billion a year, the major supermarkets have the resources to treat their customers fairly. 

“It should not be customers’ responsibility to alert stores to pricing discrepancies. Kiwi shoppers have the right to expect that the price they pay at the checkout is the same as the price they see in the aisle. 

“I have asked the major supermarket chains for an update on the actions they are taking to address these issues. It is in their and New Zealand shoppers’ interests that they be clear about what they are doing to ensure shoppers are not misled. 

“I am considering introducing tougher penalties and potential changes to ensure the provisions of the Fair Trading Act are more readily enforced. 

“I note that the maximum penalty for a breach of the Fair Trading Act in New Zealand is a fine of $600,000 whereas in Australia the courts can impose a penalty of up to $A50 million.”

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Employability Ecosystems – Part 1: Improving learner outcomes through links to industry
Dr Roy Priest, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University (BCU), gives an overview of their Employability Ecosystems that improve learner engagement, and support successful graduate outcomes by embedding employability into the curriculum and connecting learners with industry throughout their programme of study. 
Set in the heart of Birmingham, with a focus on practice-based learning, this public university has over 30,000 learners from over 100 countries. Around half of their learners come from the most deprived neighbourhoods of Birmingham. A significant proportion of learners are the first in their family to attend university and commute from home.  
The BCU’s Employability Ecosystems maximise the potential for ongoing connection between learners, industry-based professionals and tutors through informal frameworks. It’s a holistic approach encompassing research, knowledge transfer, curriculum development, course and programme marketing. Roy discusses what this approach looks like in practice and the support BCU has put in place for academic staff to enhance learner outcomes through informal engagement with industry.
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Employability Ecosystems – Part 2: Informal networks to support graduate outcomes
Dr Roy Priest, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University (BCU) shares insights into three informal network initiatives – Industry Mentors Forums, Special Interest Groups, and Formal and Information Industry Advisory Boards.
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DREAM Convening
The annual DREAM Convening is Achieving the Dream’s (ATD’s) flagship event. It attracts influential leaders and practitioners from more than 300 US-based community colleges and organisations who exchange ideas about evidence-based reform strategies that transform higher education and impact learner success.
Achieving the Dream
Te Rito Maioha
Nikki Parsons, Te Rito Maioha General Manager Workforce and Learner Engagement, shares her reflections on the 2024 DREAM conference. She talks about how Te Rito Maioha, a private training establishment, is applying the knowledge she has gained to help their learners to be successful in their tertiary study.
[embedded content]
Skills Group
Jon Smith, Skills Group General Manager Academic Skills and Quality, shares his three takeaways from the 2024 DREAM conference. He talks about introducing the Achieving the Dream 2.0 Capability Framework model into the Skills Group, and their robust conversations on what they need to do to build a student success model. The Skills Group is a private training establishment.
[embedded content]
English Language Partners
A key takeaway from the 2024 DREAM conference for Rachel O’Connor, English Language Partners Chief Executive, is the importance of having and applying an equity mindset throughout your organisation – from how you use data to how you train your people. Rachel talks about how English Language Partners are applying the knowledge she’s gained, and using data to support equity and address learner success.
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Source: New Zealand Government

Legislation to clarify how Herds of Special Interest (HOSI) operate in National Parks has passed its first reading in Parliament today, Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager says.
“The Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill will ensure the legislation for HOSI is clear and unambiguous. It will support the designation of a wapiti deer HOSI in Fiordland National Park and will allow hunter-led conservation groups to manage deer numbers in our national parks, creating opportunities for local hunters and tourism and driving more economic growth in the region,” Mr Meager says.
“HOSI are another tool to effectively and sustainably manage deer, tahr, and other valued introduced species on our conservation estate. By utilising hunter-led conservation groups we can manage deer numbers down to healthy, sustainable levels, whilst better protecting our biodiversity and controlling dangerous predators which kill our native birds.
“The National Parks Act’s requirement to ‘exterminate’ introduced animals as far as possible is at odds with the purpose of designating a HOSI, which is to manage game animals for hunting purposes while preserving conservation outcomes.
“The Game Animal Council Act always intended for HOSI to be allowed in national parks. By introducing this bill, we aim to provide clarity and certainty for all involved. The legislation will retain the requirements for HOSI to be consistent with New Zealand’s wider conservation framework, including the preservation of indigenous habitats and natural features.
“The bill has been referred to the Environment Select Committee for consideration, and the public will have the opportunity to submit. I look forward to hearing from everyone who is keen to better manage the impact of valued introduced species on our conservation estate.”

Source: Maritime New Zealand

Earlier this month we launched the Regulatory Licensing Review Panel to support the effective delivery of our regulatory licensing function, and to provide applicants with an accessible process for resolving specific disputes.

Source: New Zealand Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has attended the NATO Summit in the Hague, alongside other world leaders.

“The Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions face many of the same security challenges. That’s why it’s important New Zealand is at the table at NATO for these critical discussions with likeminded partners,” Mr Luxon says.

“We can see the links between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific in North Korea’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Russia’s technical expertise that can help North Korea develop its nuclear programme.

“Alongside NATO and its members, New Zealand is committed to the rules-based international system, and democratic values and norms.”

During the summit, Mr Luxon held one-on-one talks with a number of leaders and met with NATO alongside the other members of the Indo-Pacific Four – Australia, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

Mr Luxon returns to New Zealand on Friday 27 June. 

Indo-Pacific Four Partners and NATO Joint Statement attached

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has passed a change to the Employment Relations Act that reinstates the ability for employers to make pay deductions during partial strikes – making the system fairer for all, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced today. 

“These changes will help both employers and unions to return to the bargaining table and restores the law to what it was before the previous government removed this option in 2018.  

“I
acknowledge the right of workers to strike in
support of their collective bargaining claims, the right to strike remains,” says Ms van Velden.  

“The changes were needed to ensure a fairer bargaining process and minimise the disruption partial strikes have caused to public and
customer services. 

“The key benefit for all workers and the public is less disruption
to our communities – partial strikes had serious impacts on Kiwi families,
students, patients, and other workers across our workplaces,” says Ms van
Velden.  

Some
of the impacts included MRI and nuclear
medicine technologists limiting scans, around 50 per cent fewer procedures were
done. That meant delays in early cancer treatment, growing waitlists, increased
outsourcing costs and pressure on front-line staff to pick up the work of others participating in the partial strikes. 

In
2023, teachers took partial strike action, refusing to teach certain year
levels on specific days. This disrupted student learning and made it hard for
some parents to work.  

“Rebalancing collective bargaining settings will support the
Government’s priority to deliver better public services, by reducing disruption and maintaining a high quality of
service,” says Ms van Velden.  

This
new law allows for pay to
be deducted during partial strikes, but it’s up to each affected employer to decide how they respond to partial
strikes when they occur. 

Note to Editors: 

What
is partial strike and what did it mean prior to this change 

A
partial strike is industrial action that would normally involve turning up to
work but refusing to partake in parts of the job. Until now, if an employee was on a partial strike, their employer could not deduct their pay unless they suspended the employee or issued a lockout notice.  

Other
noted impacts on the communities: 

• Since mid-September 2024, NZDF PSA union members have been ‘working-to-rule’, and from November, they have been taking coordinated breaks and stopped working at heights or off-site. In response, the Minister of Defence has authorised uniformed personnel to cover civilian work in some selected areas.
• In September 2024, train operators in Wellington began work-to-rule industrial action including refusing shift changes, leading to disruption for travellers. 

What
these changes mean 

• Employers can respond to a partial strike by either: 
• reducing an employee’s pay by a proportionate amount, calculated in accordance with a specified method
  that is based on identifying the work that the
  employee will not be performing due to the strike, or 
• deducting 10 percent of their wages. 

 

• Employers will have to provide written notification to employees that they will be reducing their pay before the deduction is made (the amount of deduction is not required in the notice).
• If the union believes the employer has incorrectly applied a pay deduction, the union must advise the employer of that as soon as practicable, after receiving the employer’s information on how they calculated the specified pay deduction if relevant. The union can apply to the Employment Relations Authority, who can determine whether the employer has correctly applied the deduction. 
• Employers do not have to deduct pay in response to partial strikes – this simply provides an additional tool for how they can respond to a partial strike, if it works for them. 

 

 

Source: New Zealand Government

Legislation strengthening independent monitoring and oversight of the children’s system will help better protect young New Zealanders.

The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation passed its third reading in Parliament tonight and also gives visibility to the advocacy role of a single Children’s Commissioner. 

“By returning to a single Children’s Commissioner, the Bill also makes it crystal clear to children and young people who their advocate is.

“These changes intend to build public trust in independent monitoring and advocacy and improve governance of the oversight of the children’s system by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the agencies that oversee it.” Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.

The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill amends the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022 and Children and Young People’s Commission Act 2022, specifically to transition:

• the Monitor from a departmental agency to an independent Crown entity with a small multi-member board; and
• the Children and Young People’s Commission from an independent Crown entity led by a multi-member board to an independent Crown entity led by a single Children’s Commissioner.

“This Bill fulfils a commitment from the ACT-National Coalition agreement and responds to feedback on previous reforms to the oversight of the children’s system in 2022. There is significant public support to strengthen the oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, and these changes will contribute to that,” Louise Upston says.

“The changes will take effect from 1 August 2025, making it clear to children, young people and their families that the Monitor is independent and separate from government, and that the Children’s Commissioner will advocate effectively for all children and young people.”

The Monitor’s current Chief Executive, Arran Jones, will remain in his role from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026 to oversee and support the organisation’s transition.

Current Chief Commissioner of the Children and Young People’s Commission Board, Dr Claire Achmad, also will continue in her role for one year from 1 August 2025. 

“Dr Achmad is a respected voice for children and young people. I am confident that she will ensure the interests and concerns of children and young people will continue to be heard in this role,” Louise Upston says.

“During the Committee stage, an important addition to the Bill was made to strengthen accountability for agencies that are the subject of specific reports by the Monitor, by requiring additional reporting measures.

“This additional reporting will give Ministers the ability to take decisive action earlier to ensure relevant agencies are improving compliance and enhancing the wellbeing of children and young people in care.”

Notes to editors: 

• Under the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022, the Oranga Tamariki system includes several government agencies and their contracted partners that are responsible for providing services or support to children, young people, and their families and whānau.
• This includes Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, Police, the Ministries of Health, Social Development, Education, and Justice, and the Department of Corrections.
• The Children and Young People’s Commission Act 2022 established the Children and Young People’s Commission, equipping it with the functions, duties, and powers to protect and advocate for the interests and wellbeing of all children under 18 years old and young people over 18 and under 25 years old who are in care or have been in care or custody.
• The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022 established the Independent Children’s Monitor as the monitoring agency of the Oranga Tamariki system and appointed the Ombudsman to investigate issues and handle complaints that relate to services of support delivered by Oranga Tamariki or other care and/or custody providers.
• The Bill does not propose any changes to the roles and responsibilities of the Independent Children’s Monitor, the Children’s Commissioner, or the Ombudsman (in relation to complaints that relate to the Oranga Tamariki system).
• The cost of implementing these changes will be met by reallocating existing funding.