A youth has been arrested and charged in relation to a burglary in Pukete on Wednesday.
The burglary happened at around 2:20am on Wednesday morning at a restaurant on Church Road.
Two youths in a stolen vehicle smashed a glass door and took around 35 bottles of alcohol and 17 electronic tablets before fleeing the scene.
Police were notified later that morning, and a scene examination was conducted. Upon receiving CCTV, fast working officers identified and arrested one of the offenders the following morning.
The stolen vehicle was recovered, and all the tablets have been returned to the victim.
A 16-year-old appeared in the Hamilton Youth Court Thursday afternoon charged with burglary and unlawfully using a motor vehicle.
Police continue to make enquiries to identify the second offender involved.
Broadcaster Paul Henry has been appointed to the TVNZ Board, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“Mr Henry has spent nearly his entire career involved in the broadcasting industry, producing news, current affairs, and entertainment programming both here in New Zealand and overseas.
“He was integral in the establishment of the successful multi-platform Paul Henry breakfast show, established and sold a radio station in the Wairarapa, and was heavily involved in the launch of the former radio network Today FM.
“He has a deep and passionate understanding of the sector and will enhance the board’s insight and strategic decision making.
“I am aware Mr Henry is set to host The Chase New Zealand. However, I am advised any perceived conflict can be effectively managed.
“I am also reappointing John Quirk, who has served on the TVNZ Board since 2023.
“Mr Quirk brings over 20 years of governance, strategic leadership, investment, and corporate advisory experience, with a particular focus on technology, digital transformation, and high-growth companies.”
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is today announcing it will no longer use the informal name of Te Puna Aonui and will adopt its legal name: the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence.
“This decision reflects the reality that all people are potentially victims of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, as well as the wishes of disgruntled former advisory board members who have asked for the gifted Te Reo name to be returned,” says Mrs Chhour.
“They have raised their concerns with me around my decision to not extend their tenure as the Ministerial Advisory Board, as well as concerns around my decision to include other communities in a new, multi-cultural advisory board which will replace the current Māori-only one.
“I need an advisory board that can advise on all issues victim-survivors face, and one that reflects the diversity of our nation, not just the seventeen per cent of New Zealanders who identify as Māori.
“Yes, I am Māori, and proud of this. I am also a mother, a wife, and a survivor of both family and sexual violence. The idea that one part of my being is somehow more important than any other is something I don’t accept, and I don’t believe that the majority of New Zealanders would accept this either.
“It is also Government policy that Government departments, with the exception of those focused on Māori, will have their main names in English.
“By continuing with a Te Reo name I believe we risk potentially making non-Māori victim-survivors feel like their lived experiences do not matter. I can assure them that they do and will continue to.
“This is the right thing to do, it reflects our national values of equality.
“The important work of the agency will be strengthened by the incorporating Pasifika, Asian communities, and other groups who were deliberately excluded by the scope of the previous Ministerial Advisory Board for this portfolio.
“While Te Puna Aonui is an informal name, not a legal one, it will take time to update the agency’s branding and letterhead.
“This is a positive step forward for the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence and for our national response to these hugely important issues.”
After a four-year wait, the Kākāpō Recovery team is thrilled that breeding will return in 2026. Together with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy, we’re preparing for what could be the biggest boom in kākāpō chicks yet!
Kākāpō advocacy lead Andie Gentle breaks down the excitement, the science, the challenges, and how the measures of success for the recovery of this taonga species are changing.
Kākāpō chicks | DOC.
Why all the hype?
Admittedly, we always get super excited about breeding seasons – and for good reason.
Kākāpō are a taonga species to Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi of southern New Zealand. The world’s only, flightless, nocturnal parrot is critically endangered with just 242 alive today. The breeding populations are only found on three very remote, rugged predator-free islands in the deep south of Aotearoa New Zealand; Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, Pukenui/Anchor Island and Te Kāhaku/Chalky Island.
We estimate kākāpō can live between 60-90 years. Most don’t successfully breed until their teens (males) or tweens (females). Even then, they only breed when rimu trees mast (mass fruit) once every 2-4 years. Female kākāpō, who feed their chicks rimu fruit, lay between 1-5 eggs but will usually fledge one chick per season.
Alice and chick Rupi | Jake Osborne/DOC.
Once widespread across the country, kākāpō populations plummeted after humans arrived due to hunting, habitat loss, and introduced predators. Since 1995, we’ve worked to rebuild the population from just 51 birds – 31 males, 20 females; and we’ve supported them through 12 breeding seasons, reaching a top population in 2022 of 252.
Many of the earlier seasons produced fewer than a handful of chicks, but as the population has slowly grown, breeding seasons have grown too! In terms of numbers, 2019 has been our biggest breeding season yet, with management initiatives helping produce a record 73 fledglings.
So yes, we do get hyped – because the mahi is intensive and every chick is so precious!
The art of prediction
Using summer temperature patterns, we can predict rimu mast events (and therefore breeding seasons) up to two years in advance. Closer to the season, we collect sample rimu branches from the islands and count the tips to estimate fruiting levels.
Image 1: Kākāpō Recovery’s Technical Advisor Daryl Eason counting rimu tips | DOC. Images 2 & 3: rimu fruit | DOC.
We know some kākāpō will breed if more than 10 percent of rimu tips bear fruit and that a greater number of kākāpō breed as the percentage of fruit increases.
The latest data for 2026 shows record-high predictions of around 50–60 percent fruiting across all three breeding islands. If this happens there could be potential for nearly all of the 87 breeding-age females to nest in 2026.
What the lek?
Kākāpō are the only lek-breeding parrot in the world. A lek is a mating system where males gather in a communal area, called a lek, to display to females. Male kākāpō spend months preparing ‘track and bowl’ systems (networks of cleared paths and depressions that help resonate sound) where they perform booming and chinging courtship calls. These nightly displays to attract females from across the island can last for weeks or even months on end. Once mating is done, the female takes on all parenting duties – nesting, incubating, and raising the chick’s solo.
VIDEO: Kākāpō Sinbad booming | DOC. (Tip: headphones in to hear this one!)
Our mahi behind the scenes
Just like male kākāpō preparing for breeding season, we’ve been busy getting ready.
From recruiting and training staff, to ensuring island infrastructure and data networks are running smoothly, it’s all hands-on deck.
Our National Partner, Meridian Energy, plays a vital role in maintaining generators and power systems on the remote breeding islands to support the seasonal influx of people and power critical equipment like chick incubators.
Meridian Energy engineers Mark (left) and Joe (right), at work maintaining the power systems on the kākāpō breeding islands.
Ahead of each season, we strategically transferred some birds between islands, based on their history and genetics, to give them all the best chance of success. Around October we start providing supplementary food to help some birds reach optimal breeding condition.
Each kākāpō wears a radio transmitter that tracks their activity and location year-round. These allow us to learn remotely when matings occur (Dec-Jan), who mated with who, and when females are nesting.
During nesting and hatching (Jan–March), we locate nests, ensure their safety, and set up nearby camps to keep an eye on things. Vulnerable eggs or chicks may need incubators, hand-rearing or taken to the mainland for specialist care.
Through April and May, we continue to monitor chick growth and ensure they fledge safely.
Every breeding season is a chance to grow the kākāpō population, however success goes beyond numbers alone.
Image 1: Kākāpō Recovery Technical Advisor Daryl Eason weighing chick. Image 2: Operations Manager Deidre Vercoe assess fertility and development of kākāpō egg. Image 3: Kākāpō eating from feeding hopper | Jake Osborne/DOC
Redefining the measures of success
Kākāpō are among the most intensively managed species on Earth but as the population grows, the same level of on the ground management isn’t sustainable.
After 30 years of managing each bird individually, breeding season success is now less about fledging numbers, and more about working towards establishing self-sustaining populations.
When the population numbered less than 200 birds, it was essential that every single chick made it through. In recent seasons we’ve been stepping back, phasing out nightly nest checks by using genetic ranking to prioritise eggs and chicks, and trialling low-intervention on Te Kākahu / Chalky Island.
The population is still critically endangered, so we’ll keep working hard to increase numbers, but as the population grows, we need to shift the balance towards understanding and supporting a more natural level of survival.
This season, we’ll step back further with:
Fewer egg and chick checks
More eggs hatching in nests rather than the safety of incubators
Allowing mothers to raise multiple chicks
Reduced supplementary feeding in some areas
Expanding the low-management trial to parts of Pukenui / Anchor Island
Inevitably, this reduced management approach could result in a higher, more natural number of egg and chick deaths however this move toward minimal intervention is key to a more natural, efficient, and sustainable future for kākāpō recovery.
Mother Makorea and chick Willans together in a nest cavity | Jake Osborne/DOC.
The habitat challenge
While the potential of a record-breaking season is great news, kākāpō still face big challenges. Ongoing research on genetics and disease are helping us learn as much as possible to support a healthy population, but the most pressing challenge is finding more suitable habitat. We are trialling new small islands and a fenced sanctuary site, but what this species really needs is large scale habitat. As a former natural home to kākāpō, Rakiura/Stewart Island is the perfect contender, but introduced predators need to be removed to make it safer for kākāpō to return. You can learn more about why Predator Free Rakiura could be a game changer for kākāpō in this new blog post.
Solstice in nest | DOC.
Let’s make history, together
The 2026 breeding season could mark a significant turning point for kākāpō, not just in numbers, but in how we support the future of this taonga species.
You can support the mahi, and follow along as we bring kākāpō stories from the remote islands of Southern New Zealand to the world.
Volunteer: This breeding season there will only be a very limited number of volunteer roles available. These will be advertised here in August.
Donate or Adopt a kākāpō to support Kākāpō Recovery via the Mauri Ora Kākāpō Trust
Our mahi is achieved with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy which provides funding as well as electrical infrastructure, technology and volunteering support to the programme.
Kākāpō receiving medical care at Dunedin Wildlife Hospital (left) and Auckland Zoo (right) | DOC.
Invaluable to the programme too, is the expertise from vet supporters Auckland Zoo and Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, and the transportation of threatened species through the DOC and Air New Zealand national partnership.
With 100 percent of our operational costs covered externally, work to help restore the mauri (lifeforce) of kākāpō is also made possible thanks to the generosity of hundreds of volunteers, supporters and donors.
The kākāpō are ready. We’re ready. Let’s make history, together!
The Government’s work to deliver better public services for New Zealanders is paying dividends for people working to gain their driver licence, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
“National average wait times are now just four days for a full licence test and seven days for a restricted licence test, down from a peak of up to 90 days in some regions,” Mr Bishop says.
“At one point in 2024, we saw wait times get as high as 90 days in some regions, with a backlog of over 80,000 people applying to sit their licence tests at one point.
“These unacceptable wait times were the result of the previous government’s decision to remove re-sit fees for theory and practical tests in 2023. This led to people not preparing properly for their tests, no shows, and people failing. These people simply went back in line to re-sit their test again and again.
“The Government took decisive action to reduce wait times. We introduced a limit of one free re-sit for Class 1 driver licence tests, removed free re-sits for overseas licence conversions, and temporarily extended the amount of time people can drive on their overseas licence from 12 months to 18 months.
“NZTA and VTNZ have also recruited and trained more than 70 new Driver Testing Officers, introduced new temporary testing sites, and extended testing site hours in some regions. Text alerts were also introduced to remind people of their driving test and ensure they turn up on the day.
“Wait times are continuing to be monitored closely, and if they increase at individual testing sites NZTA will work with testing agents to bring them down.
“We have delivered on our promise to bring wait times down, creating a more efficient licensing system that contributes to road safety.
“I also encourage anyone preparing for their test to check out the free resources available on the Drivewebsite. Developed by NZTA and ACC, Drive is an official resource designed to help learner drivers and those teaching others how to drive.
“A driver licence can unlock many opportunities for a person and improve access to employment. We want to make sure we’re removing barriers and keeping people safe on our roads.”
With a bumper breeding season forecast for kākāpō in 2026, we explain why eradicating introduced predators from Rakiura/Stewart Island is critical, so this iconic parrot has space to grow along with other threatened species.
Kākāpō used to thrive here on Rakiura. We want to make it safe for them to return. Photo by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
Predator Free Rakiura (PFR) is preparing for its first large-scale attempt to eradicate introduced predators in a trial at the southern tip of the island next year.
The project has been in development for nearly 30 years, and the aim is to remove rats, possums, feral cats and hedgehogs from the island and prevent them from reinvading.
The stakes just got higher with the announcement that next year could be the biggest kākāpō breeding season on record. These rare parrots desperately need more space to breed and grow, and Rakiura contains the ideal habitat for them, however, predators need to be eradicated first to ensure their safety.
Huge ambition behind PFR partnership
PFR is being led by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), with input from the Rakiura community.
ZIP is planning and delivering the project, building off its successful predator elimination project in South Westland. Priorities this year include ongoing engagement with the Rakiura and Bluff communities and research on the effectiveness of tools and techniques that will be used in the eradication trial.
Solstice was the last kākāpō to be found on Rakiura in 1997. She currently lives on Whenua Hou. Photo by DOC.
Te Puka Rakiura Trust is developing a biosecurity system to prevent predators from returning to Rakiura after they are eradicated.
It’s the largest, most complex predator eradication ever attempted, and there are important conservation, social and economic outcomes at stake:
Protecting vulnerable native species on the island, returning threatened wildlife and improving forest health.
Developing tools and techniques to eradicate predators on the mainland.
On-the-ground results to help generate further funding and public support to make New Zealand Predator Free by 2050.
Social and economic benefits for Rakiura and Southland communities and industries.
Imagining a predator-free future
The forecast for a bumper kākāpō breeding season next year is a huge deal because there are less than 250 kākāpō remaining and they only breed every few years when rimu trees have mass fruiting.
The problem is there’s not enough habitat to safely home these chicks in the long run, with predator free islands including nearby Whenua Hou/Codfish Island close to maximum capacity.
Tāne Davis, who is a Ngāi Tahu representative on the Kākāpō Recovery Group and a long-time advocate for PFR, says kākāpō need to return home.
“Rakiura is the original hou kainga for these birds, as many of them or their parents came from here. The pressure is on for us to make it possible for them to return.”
Imagine a future where Rakiura is free of predators and kākāpō become so abundant again that children can hear their booming calls on bush walks.
“The lifeforce of kākāpō and our people will be enhanced through this connection,” Tāne says.
Rakiura can save kākāpō again
In 1977, a small population of kākāpō were discovered on Southern Rakiura. Before this, people thought that kākāpō would become extinct because female kākāpō had not been found for decades. It was quickly discovered that kākāpō were not safe on Rakiura due to predation by feral cats.
Over the next few decades, kākāpō were transferred to predator-free islands, and with a founding population of 50 birds, the Kākāpō Recovery Programme was established. The Operations Manager for the programme, Deidre Vercoe, says Rakiura can save kākāpō again.
“With the population growing, our biggest challenge is finding safe habitat for kākāpō to thrive in. By creating new predator free sites, we can continue to restore this taonga. Rakiura saved the kākāpō in the past, and a predator-free Rakiura is key for the future of the species.”
Deidre Vercoe, DOC Operations Manager, Kākāpō Recovery Programme, with Sinbad.
Extinction prevention part of our DNA
In 1997, Rakiura DOC Ranger Phred Dobbins helped find the last kākāpō, named Solstice. Phred has spent much of his 40-year conservation career removing predators from smaller offshore islands, including about 3,000 possums from Whenua Hou with traps.
We can’t afford not to try and make Rakiura predator free, Phred says.
“The longer predators are here, the poorer the environment and we are becoming. We have the ability, motivation, and duty to make change, and we need to take calculated risks.”
Rakiura DOC Ranger, Phred Dobbins in Oban. Photo by DOC.
This vision of a healthier, more harmonious ecosystem holds huge potential for many other native species, including those that still exist on the island like pukunui/southern New Zealand dotterel and other endangered species that could return like mohua/yellowhead and tīeke/South Island saddleback.
Recent flock counts show pukunui is one of the most critically endangered native birds in New Zealand. There are only 105 left largely because of predation by feral cats, down from 173 in 2020.
Pukunui were once widespread in the lower part of Te Waipounamu, but now only breed on Rakiura mountain tops. We’re aiming to increase the population to at least 300 birds by 2035 by increasing predator control. However, if we can get rid of predators permanently, the population could expand well beyond this target.
“Extinction prevention is part of our DNA here at DOC. Imagine if we still had huia and moa and then let them disappear,” Phred says.
The anchor stone for Predator Free 2050
Predator Free Rakiura is the anchor-stone for Predator Free 2050. Photo by Greg Lind.
The vision for PFR expands further when we consider how critical this project is for New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal.
Rakiura is the missing link in the chain of islands south of Bluff that have already been made predator-free including Codfish Island/Whenua Hou, Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara, Bench Island/Waitaua and most of the Tītī/Muttonbird Islands and the Sub-Antarctic Islands.
In Māori tradition, Māui fished up Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island), Te Waipounamu (the South Island) was his waka, and Rakiura was the anchor stone.
Metaphorically, Predator Free Rakiura is the anchor stone project for Predator Free 2050, says Brent Beaven, Predator Free 2050 Manager.
“Rakiura will help to expand our foundation of knowledge so other eradication projects can be implemented across the country. For example, we are learning more about how to work across large, complex environments that are inhabited and utilised by people and a diverse array of native and introduced species.
“It’s a vital test of our capabilities. It’s the anchor stone project right now in the bid to make New Zealand predator-free.”
Find out more
Learn more about the critical role DOC has in this project alongside Ngāi Tahu, Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), and Te Puka Rakiura Trust.
Last updated 18 February 2025
Last updated 18 February 2025
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This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (TEO-led WLN) delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (TEO-led WLN) delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
For information about Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) reporting and monitoring, see Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) Fund.
Reporting
If you receive TEO-led WLN funding, you must submit:
a progress report for the period 1 January to 31 May no later than 10 working days after 31 May; and
a progress report for the period 1 January to 30 September no later than 10 working days after 30 September; and
a final report for the period 1 January to 31 December no later than 31 January of the following year.
Each progress report and the final report must:
be submitted in accordance with the template that we will provide to you; and
relate to the specific delivery commitments outlined in your Investment Plan.
For details about the information we require you to report, please refer to Other Fund Actuals.
Templates for the two progress reports and one final report are available for TEOs to complete and submit by the due dates on DXP Ngā Kete.
Monitoring
We monitor TEO performance and practices to understand their performance in the sector, and to inform our decisions about future funding they may receive.
We monitor a TEO’s:
achievement of mix of provision (MoP) delivery commitments
compliance with TEO-led WLN funding conditions for the relevant year
compliance with legislative requirements, and
achievement of other expectations that we communicate to TEOs.
Last updated 18 February 2025
Last updated 18 February 2025
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This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on English Language Teaching Refugee English Fund (Refugee English) Fund delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on English Language Teaching Refugee English Fund (Refugee English) Fund delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
Reporting
If you receive Refugee English funding, you must submit:
a progress report for the period 1 January to 31 May no later than 10 working days after 31 May;
a progress report for the period 1 January to 30 September no later than 10 working days after 30 September; and
a final report for the period 1 January to 31 December no later than 31 January of the following year.
Each progress report and the final report must:
be submitted in accordance with the template that we will provide to you; and
relate to the specific outcomes in your Investment Plan.
For details about the information we require you to report, please refer to Other Fund Actuals.
Templates for the two progress reports and one final report are available for TEOs to complete and submit by the due dates on DXP Ngā Kete.
The reports relate to the specific delivery commitments outlined in your Investment Plan. The reports cover the funded calendar year; they are cumulative and build on the information supplied in the previous reporting period for the funding year. After you have submitted a progress report, we will release it back to you for further data entry (ie, the cumulative information).
Monitoring
We monitor TEO performance and practices to understand their performance in the sector, and to inform our decisions about future funding they may receive.
We monitor a TEO’s:
achievement of mix of provision (MoP) delivery commitments
compliance with Refugee English funding conditions for the relevant year
compliance with legislative requirements, and
achievement of other expectations that we communicate to TEOs.
Last updated 18 February 2025
Last updated 18 February 2025
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This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ILN) delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ILN) delivery, and our monitoring of their performance.
TEOs with an indicative allocation of ILN funding submit a completed Mix of Provision (MoP) template to us via DXP Ngā Kete.
We approve the MoP through the Investment Plan approval process.
We monitor TEOs’ reported delivery against these commitments and other requirements and expectations that we set.
Reporting
If you receive ILN funding, you must submit:
a progress report for the period 1 January to 31 May no later than 10 working days after 31 May; and
a progress report for the period 1 January to 30 September no later than 10 working days after 30 September; and
a final report for the period 1 January to 31 December no later than 31 January of the following year.
Each progress report and the final report must:
be submitted in accordance with the template that we will provide to you; and
relate to the specific delivery commitments outlined in your Investment Plan.
For details about the information we require you to report please refer to Other Fund Actuals.
Templates for the two progress reports and one final report are available for TEOs to complete and submit by the due dates on DXP Ngā Kete.
Monitoring
We monitor TEO performance and practices to understand their performance in the sector, and to inform our decisions about future funding they may receive.
We monitor a TEO’s:
achievement of MoP delivery commitments
compliance with ILN funding conditions for the relevant year
compliance with legislative requirements
hours and intensity of delivery, and
achievement of other expectations that we communicate to TEOs.
Last updated 18 February 2025
Last updated 18 February 2025
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This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on English Language Teaching – Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ELT ILN) delivery, and how we monitor their performance.
This page provides information about tertiary education organisations’ (TEOs’) reporting on English Language Teaching – Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ELT ILN) delivery, and how we monitor their performance.
TEOs with an indicative allocation of ELT ILN funding submit a completed mix of provision (MoP) template to us via DXP Ngā Kete.
We approve the MoP through the Investment Plan (Plan) approval process.
We monitor TEOs’ reported delivery against these commitments and other requirements and expectations that we set TEOs.
Reporting
If you receive ELT ILN funding, you must submit:
a progress report for the period 1 January to 31 May no later than 10 working days after 31 May; and
a progress report for the period 1 January to 30 September no later than 10 working days after 30 September; and
a final report for the period 1 January to 31 December no later than 31 January of the following year.
Each progress report and the final report must:
be submitted in accordance with the template that we will provide to you; and
relate to the specific outcomes outlined in your Investment Plan.
For details about the information we require you to report, please refer to Other Fund Actuals.
Templates for the two progress reports and one final report are available for TEOs to complete and submit by the due dates on DXP Ngā Kete.
Monitoring
We monitor TEO performance and practices to understand their performance in the sector, and to inform our decisions about future funding they may receive.
We monitor a TEO’s:
achievement of MoP delivery commitments
compliance with ELT funding conditions for the relevant year
compliance with legislative requirements
hours and intensity of delivery, and
achievement of other expectations that we communicate to TEOs.
