Source: New Zealand Police
Police can advise a man previously subject of a warrant to arrest, after he failed to return to custody, has been located.
A media release was issued on 21 November.
We can advise the 56-year-old man was arrested in Waterview this afternoon.
He is expected in the Auckland District Court tomorrow.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police
Police have arrested a man after he allegedly forced an elderly man out of his vehicle and stole it.
Just before lunchtime, a man arrived at a house on Wyllie Road in Papatoetoe and attempted to open the front door.
Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey, Counties Manukau West Response Manager, says he was unsuccessful and left.
“He walked towards a neighbouring driveway where a woman was driving out in her vehicle.
“The man allegedly pointed a spear gun at the woman but fortunately she locked her doors and quickly drove away from the scene.”
Police were soon called.
Meanwhile, the unknown man continued to nearby Hillcrest Road.
Senior Sergeant Albrey says he approached another member of the public’s car.
“The driver was demanded to hand over his keys, which escalated when the spear gun was allegedly pointed at the frightened man.”
The offender fled in the victim’s vehicle towards Manukau.
“Our staff arrived on scene and began taking details of what occurred, which was in turn relayed to other Police staff,” Senior Sergeant Albrey says.
“The Police Eagle helicopter responded and soon located the freshly stolen vehicle on Cavendish Drive.”
Police continued observing the vehicle’s movements.
“Eagle was watching overhead when the spear gun was thrown from the vehicle, and directed another unit to retrieve it,” Senior Sergeant Albrey says.
Police brought the man’s travels to a halt when spikes were deployed on Beatty Avenue in Manurewa.
He was immediately taken into custody.
“I acknowledge our staff for their work today, preventing any further harm being inflicted on the public by this man’s actions.”
The 42-year-old man will appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow, facing charges of aggravated robbery and attempts aggravated robbery.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Government
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced appointments to the Health Workforce Committee, which provides advice to ensure New Zealand has a health workforce that can meet the needs of communities now and into the future.
Dr David Gow has been appointed Chair, and is joined by new members Dr Jeremy Dryden, Dr Ruth Large, and Dr Allan Moffitt. Dr Gary Hopgood will continue as a member.
The Committee provides long-term advice and recommendations on health workforce matters, including strategic direction, and emerging issues and risks.
“These members bring strong clinical experience and a clear understanding of the workforce opportunities and challenges across our health system,” Mr Brown says.
“This Government is focused on ensuring all New Zealanders can access timely, quality care, and our health professionals are central to achieving that. The Committee’s advice will support our ongoing investment in strengthening the frontline.
“I look forward to working with the Committee to help build the capability and capacity our health system needs.
“I also want to acknowledge the contributions of Dr Bryan Betty and Dr Andrew Connolly to the Committee. They will continue this important work in their new roles, with Dr Betty serving as Chair of the Primary Care Advisory Group and Dr Connolly as Deputy Chair of the Health New Zealand Board.”
Members have been appointed for three years, beginning 1 December 2025.
Source: New Zealand Government
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced appointments to the Public Health Advisory Committee, which provides independent advice on public health issues and the promotion of public health.
Existing committee member Dr Caroline McElnay has been appointed Chair, with Professor Peter Crampton appointed Deputy Chair. They are joined by newly appointed members Professor Paula Lorgelly, Associate Professor Kaaren Mathias, and Professor Matire Harwood.
The Committee advises the Government on a wide range of public health matters, including the factors that influence the health and wellbeing of people, families, and communities.
“These members bring a wealth of public health expertise and will play a vital role in guiding work to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.
“This Government is committed to ensuring people can access timely, quality public health services. Strengthening prevention and focusing on what keeps people well is critical to a resilient health system.”
“I look forward to working with the Committee to improve the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders and help communities stay well.”
Members have been appointed for two or three years, beginning 1 December 2025.
Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway 36 (Pyes Pa Road) near Tauranga is blocked following a crash earlier this afternoon.
At around 3.10pm Police received a report that a car had collided with a power pole on SH 36, between Taumata Road and Oropi Road.
Fortunately the driver did not sustain serious injuries, however the power pole and lines are completely blocking the road.
It may take at least another hour to clear the road and motorists are asked to take alternative routes where possible.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre.
Source: New Zealand Government
The deployment of a New Zealand Defence Force liaison officer to Israel has been extended, Defence Minister Judith Collins says.
“This deployment is about improving our understanding of coordination efforts on the ground, so we can better assess potential future options in support of sustained peace in Gaza,” Ms Collins says.
“The Government has agreed the deployment should be extended for a further eight weeks so we can continue to gather information as the situation evolves.
“The liaison officer has been doing excellent work in a dynamic environment in recent weeks. Their role will continue to be based in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre.
“No decisions have been made beyond this deployment.”
Source: Worksafe New Zealand
WorkSafe’s Annual report has been published, which highlights key achievements for 2024/25.
It tracks our progress delivering on our strategic objectives to influence businesses and workers to meet their health and safety duties.
It sets out our actions over the year to reduce acute, chronic and catastrophic harm through our engaging, enforcement, and permitting activities.
“We focus on where WorkSafe’s input will make the biggest difference for New Zealand businesses and workers,” says WorkSafe Chief Executive, Sharon Thompson. “Alongside others in the system, WorkSafe’s activities are contributing to reducing the risks of harm, to keep people across New Zealand healthy and safe at work.
“WorkSafe has made purposeful progress over the year in our role influencing businesses and workers to meet their health and safety responsibilities.”
We also introduced several new performance measures to measure the success of our new strategy.
In March, we implemented a new organisational structure to support our new strategy and increase frontline capability, and throughout the year have boosted inspector numbers and training.
We also developed priority sector plans to deliver on the strategy. These plans set out how we target our engagement and enforcement activity, focusing on sectors where there is a higher risk of harm: agriculture, construction, forestry, and manufacturing.
Over the past 12 months we have triaged over 10,000 notifications and completed over 13,000 workplace assessments across high-risk sectors and high-risk work activities, to help businesses understand their critical risks.
We improved our permit processes and issued over 1,000 licences and certificates of competence, supporting safer high-risk work.
We started a work programme to bring our guidance up to date and make it more useful for businesses. Guidance was prioritised in the high-risk sectors of construction, forestry, agriculture and manufacturing, and we also produced new guidance for quarrying and mining, pesticides, and asbestos surveyors.
A survey of businesses visited by our inspectors found that 73% identified work health and safety improvements due to their interactions with WorkSafe, and 68% reported better understanding of health and safety requirements. 95% of people made a change after interacting with WorkSafe.
Looking ahead, we have developed our Statement of Intent 2025–29 which details a shift to clearer expectations, practical guidance, and proportionate regulation. This will be published on our website in December.
Source: New Zealand Government
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says the Government and a range of experts have come up with a new strategy to take on the harmful exotic Caulerpa seaweed.
“Caulerpa seaweed is a pest. The new strategy focusses on five things: prevention, detection, removal, research, and coordination of resources. Getting this right is key to protecting our coastlines.
“In developing the strategy, we worked closely with a national advisory group, made up of affected iwi, regional councils, fishers, and local communities. This ensured all the relevant interests were considered.
“$31.7 million has been spent or allocated to combatting exotic Caulerpa. This includes the development of removal tools, research, and raising public awareness.
“We have already seen some success from that investment. For example, including irradiating Caulerpa with ultraviolet light, and the use of special enclosures which concentrate chlorine onto Caulerpa have been effective.
“The good news is that we’ve seen up to 90 per cent reductions in exotic Caulerpa biomass at key sites including Omakiwi Cove in the Bay of islands, and in Okupe Bay at Aotea/Great Barrier Island. We want to better understand why those reductions are happening and are conducting further research.
“Over the next year, we will further refine Caulerpa removal tools, undertake elimination trials at key sites, continue researching the impacts of Caulerpa, and strengthen national co-ordination and surveillance.
“The response to Caulerpa will require national buy in. The support of councils, local communities, and iwi, is vital in the response to Caulerpa.
“I want to acknowledge the work of everyone involved. It has been a mammoth effort against this challenging pest.
“Our coastlines are some of, if not, the best in the world. They need protecting.”
The strategy can be found on MPI’s website here.
Source: New Zealand Government
Ratepayers across New Zealand will be better off under new national wastewater environmental performance standards, which will significantly cut consenting costs for councils and help reduce pressure on rates, Local Government Minister Simon Watts says.
“These changes are about saving money for communities. By streamlining the consenting process, councils and ratepayers stand up to save up to $830 million over the next 35 years. That’s nearly a billion dollars that would have come from the pockets of ratepayers that is now freed up to be spent on more essential services, or not out of their pockets at all,” Mr Watts says.
“At a time when rising rates are a major cost-of-living concern for households, this is a practical step the Government is taking to ease that pressure.”
For the first time, councils will have a nationally consistent and practical framework for renewing wastewater consents. The standards apply to over 330 publicly owned treatment plants across the country and will immediately reduce the need for expensive, duplicated technical assessments.
“This is a major step forward. By cutting red tape and providing clarity, we’re reducing consenting costs by up to 40 percent per plant, that’s a potential saving of $300,000 to $600,000, and up to 60 percent for smaller plants. Those savings flow directly through to councils’ bottom lines and ultimately to ratepayers,” Mr Watts says.
The standards cover discharges to land and water, rules for biosolids reuse, and the monitoring and reporting of overflows and bypasses. They take a risk-based approach, ensuring stricter limits where the environment is most sensitive while enabling more cost-effective solutions in low-risk areas.
“With 60 percent of treatment plants needing new consents within the next decade and many already operating on expired consents this change removes unnecessary delays and costly over-engineering. Councils can now get on with upgrading ageing infrastructure without driving up costs to ratepayers,” Mr Watts says.
“These standards aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re flexible, practical and backed by technical expertise. They deliver strong environmental outcomes without unnecessary bureaucracy.”
The standards were shaped through extensive engagement, including more than 150 submissions from councils, industry, iwi and hapū, and the public. The changes take effect in December 2025.
“Much of our wastewater infrastructure is 30 to 40 years old. These standards make sure consenting keeps pace with the need for upgrades, avoids wasteful spending, and reduces the risk of wastewater overflows into rivers, lakes and the sea, protecting the places Kiwis swim, gather food and enjoy,” Mr Watts says.
“This is a sensible, future-focused reform that supports better environmental outcomes, greater transparency, and real, immediate cost savings for local government – and ultimately, for ratepayers.”
Link to New Zealand’s Wastewater Standards: https://www.taumataarowai.govt.nz/wastewater-sector/wastewater-standards
Source: New Zealand Government
The upgraded Auckland public transport network with City Rail Link (CRL) at its heart will open to passengers in the second half of 2026.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson confirmed the project is on track to open in 2026, but that significant important work still needs to happen to ensure a safe, reliable service at opening.
“The finish line for the City Rail Link is getting closer,” Minister Bishop says.
“CRL is a massive multi-billion-dollar investment for the Government and Auckland Council. New Zealand can look forward to the benefits this project will deliver next year.
“World-class new stations have taken shape, while streets and public spaces affected by construction are now reopening to Aucklanders. Work is moving from construction to systems testing and commissioning.
“Aucklanders continue to show patience and understanding as this massive construction project begins to see light at the end of the tunnel, and we want to thank them for that. It won’t be too much longer.
“Opening an underground rail line is complex. There is a thorough programme of tests to make sure the CRL is safe, and that the new train timetable is reliable from day one.”
“This announcement gives Aucklanders confidence that the City Rail Link is firmly on track to open in 2026. This is the largest transport infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history,” Minister Brown says.
“City Rail Link will transform the way Aucklanders move around their city. It will reduce travel times, increase train frequency and unlock the potential of our CBD.
“CRL is going to bring thousands more people into the city every day – supporting businesses, growing the economy, and ensuring Auckland is a world-class city.”
“The good news is Aucklanders and visitors will finally be able to use the CRL in the second half of 2026. We know this is by far the most complex project undertaken in New Zealand and it takes time to get things right,” says Mayor Brown.
“As an engineer, I appreciate there are more than 16,000 tests across every part of the project to prepare for handover and gain the safety approvals needed to open to the public.
“Every part of the station buildings and each piece of technology in them need to work as planned. This is crucial to deliver a good experience for passengers and for safety in the event of emergencies.
“What’s positive is the streets are more open with less cones, Albert St is reopening over the weekend and works around the stations will be completed early next year, bringing people back into the city.”
“The City Rail Link completion is in sight and our city centre is being rejuvenated into a greener, more vibrant and better-connected place. With other projects being finished, and new businesses and residents moving into town, the city is getting its sparkle back” says Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson.
Being ready to open involves a significant, integrated programme of work across City Rail Link Ltd, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail. City Rail Link Ltd, created to oversee building of the CRL tunnels and new and upgraded stations, expects to complete construction and testing by the end of June 2026. This will enable Auckland Transport and KiwiRail to complete preparations to open in the second half of the year.
The organisations involved are working closely together up to handover. After City Rail Link Ltd completes its work, Auckland Transport, KiwiRail and operators will need some time for the final steps to be ready for passengers, including final notifications to crews and staff whose rosters will change.
Rail Network Rebuild update
Getting the track infrastructure on the Auckland rail network ready is integral to the opening of CRL. Projects like the Henderson Station upgrade are underway now and the Rail Network Rebuild programme to renew priority areas of track, is in the final stretch ahead of CRL.
“The Rail Network Rebuild programme is making good progress, replacing foundations and upgrading drainage on the Auckland network. Once complete, this will reduce delays and allow more frequent trains in the future. There is more to do before CRL can open, including significant work during a four-week closure after Christmas,” Mr Bishop says.
Auckland Transport readiness
Auckland Transport is responsible for operating the CRL as part of the Auckland train network and is getting ready alongside its rail operator, maintenance providers and suppliers. Delivery of 23 new trains, and training of new drivers, crews, customer service staff and maintenance staff are well underway.
With new stations and routes, we need AT to update customer information along our network – timetables, ticketing and digital displays. This is a mammoth undertaking to make sure people can find their way on the new network.