Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge of Christchurch Police:

Police will be deploying a drone in central Christchurch tomorrow as part of ongoing efforts to locate missing woman Elisabeth ‘Lis’ Nicholls.

The drone will be flying over the Riccarton and Hagley Park areas between 8am and midday, Thursday 19 June.

Lis was last seen at the Chateau on the Park in Riccarton, on the evening of Wednesday 4 June, and Police and her family are desperate to locate her.

Searchers and Police have gone door to door, reviewed CCTV footage and made extensive enquiries, “but we have not been able to find Lis,” DSS Aldridge says.

“We do not know where she travelled to after the Chateau and have not been able to locate any items that would lead us closer to her.

“We have grave concerns for Lis, and sincerely hope the use of a drone will help us find her,” she says.

Police continue to appeal to the public for help in locating Lis, and urge people to continue checking your backyards, sheds and sleepouts, and look under anything where a person could seek shelter.

For anyone with CCTV or video footage, we would ask you to please review any footage you have from 6.40pm on Wednesday 4 June to 8am on Thursday 5 June.

While Lis went missing in the Riccarton area, she is physically strong, and may have walked some distance.

Anyone who sees Lis should ring 111 immediately and use the reference number 250604/5465. Non-urgent information can be provided online at 105.police.govt.nz, using “Update Report,” quoting the same reference number.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

It’s my pleasure to be here today amongst some of the strongest guardians of our native biodiversity in the country. 
Wouldn’t we rather have more carrot than stick if we work for nature on our land? 
That’s what my announcement about expanding a voluntary nature credits market in New Zealand was about last week at Fieldays. 
We are backing the expansion of a market that will be durable, measurable and transparent. An enduring legacy of commitment to the land.
The market will hopefully help you and other landowners and conservation groups unlock new income streams for looking after nature on your land. 
Now I say ‘hopefully’ because I haven’t yet fully transitioned into being a politician. I’m still a pragmatist. I still prefer to under promise and over deliver, and 28 years of farming makes me a firm believer in Murphy’s Law. But the only way to find out if this will work is to give it a crack, do some trials, see what works and doesn’t, and then take the lessons on board and move forward. 
So, assuming Murphy gives us a break, how do I envision these nature credit markets could work?
Nature and carbon credit markets connect investors looking for reputable nature and climate opportunities with landowners, farmers and community groups who are actively restoring and repairing nature by adding biodiversity value to their land. 
At a high-level nature and carbon projects are developed, according to established evidence-based standards, to produce voluntary credits that can be issued for sale on a marketplace for purchasers to buy. 
Purchasers can then either use the credits, claiming support for the project and retiring the credits, or they can hold onto the credits (without claim) for resale or use down the track.

I’m often asked who would buy these credits? 
International and domestic investors—including corporates, banks, and philanthropists—are seeking high-quality nature and carbon credits that meet global standards. 
They are looking for reputable nature and climate action projects undertaken by landowners, farmers, and community groups. This allows investors to demonstrate their environmental commitment to their customers. 
In 2024 New Zealand investors spent over $20 million on voluntary nature and carbon credits; mostly on offshore projects due to the lack of suitable New Zealand projects. 
But with the right framework, we can keep more of that investment at home and restore and protect New Zealand’s unique native species.
I’m told there’s interest from international investors in New Zealand credits with overseas companies and international investment funds purchasing them.  

Expanding the nature credit market is both important to investors and New Zealand’s reputation.  We all know how heavily New Zealand’s economy is dependent on the natural environment to support our exports and economy. 
Our exports rely on our ‘clean green’ environmental image. 80% of our exports ( $59.6 billion) go to markets where environmental, social, and governance reporting is required.
Voluntary carbon and nature credits can help companies demonstrate commitment to addressing nature loss and climate change while satisfying regulation, trade agreements, and supply chain requirements of international markets and customers. 
A successful voluntary nature credits market can enable the many private and public agencies, individuals, and councils that already do great work, but lack the networks, expertise and resources to connect, to do more.  This approach has worked well in nature markets in the United Kingdom and Australia.
And it’s worth it financially.  A 2024 report from the Worldwide Fund for Nature and EY suggests that halting and reversing biodiversity loss could save New Zealand more than $270 billion over the next 50 years.
Many New Zealand carbon and nature credits projects use international standards to develop credits. However, the high costs and stringent reporting requirements often make this impractical for smaller landowners and projects. This results in untapped potential. Consequently, smaller-scale New Zealand carbon and nature credits projects are effectively excluded from the market due to these prohibitive costs and requirements.
Market participants say formal arrangements and support from the New Zealand Government are necessary to create trust, growth and investment in the New Zealand market.

Privately funded pilot projects are underway to test how nature credits markets can work in the New Zealand context. As part of these pilots, we will test the role for Government which may include a government endorsed qual mark for project standards and measures to assure participants that market conduct is fair, honest and transparent.
The pilots represent different land conditions – including many farms – locations, types of market participants, and activities. This real-life experience will provide valuable insights as we move to the next stage of market design. 

Before I close – you’re probably wanting to know what’s next. 
We’ll be announcing further details on the Government’s role and the design of the expanded market in the coming months. 
In the meantime, we’re looking forward to working alongside groups and individuals involved in the pilots, and others interested in this project. Please get in touch with the Ministry for the Environment if you’re interested.  
It is also my pleasure to announce the Ministry for the Environment’s sponsorship of the biodiversity award which recognizes work done to protect our native flora and fauna. Our government believes in celebrating the fantastic work that you and many other farmers are doing and this is a tangible example of how we will support those who are investing in sustainable agriculture.
Thank you for your time today – and I hope you enjoy the National Sustainability Showcase; I look forward to catching up with you later this evening.
 

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can advise the teenage girl subject of an earlier missing person’s appeal has been located.

The 17-year-old girl, reported missing from Takapuna, is safe.

We appreciate the community’s assistance in sharing our appeal today.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

International investors have left New Zealand excited about the opportunities created at the first Investor Summit held in Auckland over the past two days, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

“Many millions of dollars is now under discussion and when those deals come to fruition, New Zealanders will not only see their roads, hospitals and schools built faster but they will see jobs created and businesses thrive around the new infrastructure.

“Over the past few days, our growth agenda has been turbo-charged, and I am very excited about the prospects,” says Mr Luxon.

Investors at the Summit from all over the world share that excitement.

Plenary, which is a long-term investor in infrastructure, and holds more than $98 billion worth of assets across the world, has identified New Zealand as a global priority for public private partnerships (PPP) and will launch a New Zealand office in the next 18 months. Patrick Lauren said: “Particularly for a company that’s entering a market, we like to see that it’s not chop and change. We’re going to be bringing over people, we’re going to be bringing over capital here.”

Webuild, which has committed to pursuing at least five PPP opportunities over a five-year timeframe and establishing an office in New Zealand within the next 18 months. Of the Northern Expressway Guido Cacciaguerra said: “It’s the first PPP, of course, which is very important because if the Government gets this right, it’s the most powerful marketing tool to attract more investors in the future.”

Chairman and CEO of Spanish investor Acciona Jose Manuel Entrecanales said the Government was to be congratulated for bringing the investors together at the Summit and indicated his company’s interest in both the Northland Expressway and the second Harbour crossing. “I congratulate the Government and the Opposition for this, it’s a well-worth effort by the Government to bring to international infrastructure investors a mindshare of what opportunities your country has.”

Paul Newfield of Morrison said the Government’s message that New Zealand is
a great place to invest because it is a safe haven in an uncertain world, is a good one. He says stability of institutions and an adherence to the rule of law is an important factor for companies looking to invest.

Global investment group CDPQ from Quebec is also encouraged by the messages at the Summit. Sydney based Managing Director Jean-Étienne Leroux said they have a $9 billion fund available for Australia and New Zealand. “We are looking for predictability and stability. I have been covering this region for more than 10 years and we are now very happy to feel our capital is so welcome in this country.”

“This is just the beginning,” Mr Luxon says.

“We have sent a clear message that New Zealand is open for business and, that message has been received.

“This is a huge boost to our growth agenda, and we will be pursuing these opportunities with every tool we have.

“Because growth is good for New Zealand.”

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died after a single vehicle incident in Redwoodtown, Blenheim.

At around 10:45am Emergency services received reports of the incident on Lewis Street.

The Serious Crash Unit is in attendance.

The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

Lewis Street will remain closed until a scene examination has been carried out.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre.

Source: New Zealand Government

Associate Health Minister David Seymour says the Government is delivering on its promise to cut red tape and give Kiwis greater access to more treatments, starting with melatonin and medicinal psilocybin.

“Many New Zealanders have asked me why people can buy melatonin overseas but they can’t buy it from their local pharmacy. Medsafe has assessed this and decided there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available on pharmacy shelves right here at home,” says Mr Seymour. 

Melatonin, a medicine used to treat insomnia and jet lag, has previously been tightly restricted in New Zealand. Right now, only a few melatonin products are approved for people aged over 55.

“In time, adults will be able to buy melatonin directly from a pharmacy with no prescription needed. This is a commonsense decision that will make melatonin more accessible in New Zealand than in many other countries and encourage suppliers bring more products to our shelves.

Melatonin will remain prescription-only for children and adolescents, following expert clinical advice to ensure proper oversight when used by younger patients.

“In another win for patients, Medsafe has also approved the prescription of medicinal psilocybin outside of clinical trials for the first time in New Zealand,” says Mr Seymour.

“Psilocybin remains an unapproved medicine, but a highly experienced psychiatrist has been granted authority to prescribe it to patients with treatment-resistant depression.

“This is huge for people with depression who’ve tried everything else and are still suffering. If a doctor believes psilocybin can help, they should have the tools to try.

“The psychiatrist involved has previously prescribed psilocybin in clinical trials and will operate under strict reporting and record-keeping requirements.

“New Zealand is now in line with Australia, where authorised prescribers have been using psilocybin in clinical settings for some time.

“Kiwis shouldn’t be left counting sheep or desperate for options when other countries are already using these medicines. The Government is committed to putting patients first.”

Source: New Zealand Police

Due to the extent of the spill from the single vehicle crash today at about 11.20am, all four lanes of traffic will be closed for some time.

Motorists should expect significant delays.

Police would like to thank motorists for their understanding and patience.

Traffic management is at the scene and emergency services continue to clear the road.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Inspector Caroline Martin Hawke’s Bay Area Prevention Manager.

Police have made one arrest for the burglary of the Life Pharmacy on Monday 16 June.

Two alleged offenders entered the Emerson Street premises around 2.30am using a weapon to break through a glass door.

They took several items from the store before fleeing the area.

A short time later, Police located one of the vehicles on Venables Avenue and found items believed to be from the store. 

After making enquiries, Police identified and located a youth, who was spoken to by Police. The youth has been referred to Youth Aid and the items have been returned to the store.

It is unacceptable to see young people committing these types of offences, but we are pleased that the public and Police working together resulted in one apprehension so far and recovery of the stolen items.

We understand the harm and concern this causes for those in our community, especially our retailers.

We hope these results are a reminder to the Napier community that we are taking offending of this nature seriously, and we will continue to take action.

Police are continuing to follow positive lines of inquiry and are appealing to the public for any information that may assist in our investigation.

Please contact Police through 105, either online or via phone and quote the reference number 250616/1867.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is delivering on its commitment to improve healthcare access across the country, with expanded orthopaedic services now reaching more patients in Northland, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“New Zealanders deserve timely, high-quality healthcare no matter where they live – and that’s exactly what we’re delivering for both urban and rural Northlanders,” Mr Brown says.

In a major boost to orthopaedic services, Health New Zealand has welcomed three new orthopaedic surgeons to the Northland region. Their arrival has significantly increased the capacity to see and treat more patients, including through outreach clinics in rural areas.

“These additional surgeons mean around 160 more people can be seen every month, including through specialist clinics, follow-ups and first specialist assessments.

“This will help to reduce wait times and improve access to care – particularly for people in more remote areas.”

One of the new surgeons is also running a weekly diabetic foot clinic, with plans to expand this into a multidisciplinary service aimed at improving outcomes, preventing amputations, and reducing hospital admissions.

Meanwhile, Kaitaia Hospital has achieved a significant milestone with the completion of its first total knee replacement surgery – bringing advanced orthopaedic care even closer to home for Far North residents.

“This is a fantastic result for patients in the Far North. Kaitaia is over two and a half hours from Whangārei and being able to access this level of care locally means people can recover in their own community, supported by family and familiar surroundings.”

“These developments reflect our Government’s clear focus on improving access to health services, reducing pressure on the system, and ensuring better outcomes for all New Zealanders.

“We’re backing our health workforce, investing in regional capacity, and ensuring care is delivered where it’s needed most.

“This is about delivering practical, meaningful improvements to healthcare in the regions – and making sure Northlanders get the care they need, closer to home,” Mr Brown says.

Source: New Zealand Labour Party