Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister for Rail Winston Peters says new appointments to the KiwiRail board bring commercial, freight and rail experience and a ‘can do’ attitude.

“We want railways to be successful for New Zealand and have every expectation that a focus on lower cost, higher reliability, increased volumes, improved safety and better performance will be delivered on,” Mr Peters says.

Sue Tindal has been appointed Chair of KiwiRail and the New Zealand Railways Corporation, and Jeff Kendrew has been appointed Deputy Chair of KiwiRail. Their terms will commence on 1 July 2025.

“Ms Tindal has been a Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer and was on the Mainfreight and New Zealand Post boards. Ms Tindal is currently Deputy Chair of the Infrastructure Commission and Quotable Value boards. She understands construction, freight and infrastructure, and how to get an efficient outcome from an asset-intensive company.

“Mr Kendrew is the Chair of Port Taranaki, and previously chaired Western Australia’s bulk rail freight company Arc Infrastructure. He brings real world experience of rail infrastructure, engineering and freight.

“KiwiRail director Rob Jager has been Acting Chair since June 2024, and we thank him for his service.

“We have also reappointed Liz Ward as a KiwiRail director, reflecting her experience as a former CEO of CentrePort, Gough Group and Kennards Hire and her current role as a senior executive in Sydney’s passenger rail system.

“A reappointment decision has also been taken for Nicola Greer as a director on the New Zealand Railways Corporation given her financial and property expertise,” Mr Peters says.

Biographies of new directors:

Sue Tindal is an experienced C-suite executive having held a number of roles at Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Auckland Council and WEL Group. Having worked in Australia, Asia and New Zealand she has extensive knowledge of domestic and global markets, including structuring large multi-currency infrastructure financing programmes. She has 10 years governance experience as a director and chair across both the public and private sectors, currently as Deputy Chair of the Infrastructure Commission and Quotable Value Ltd, previously on the board of NZ Post, and Chair of a large privately owned construction company She has proven experience and knowledge in government, financial services, technology, energy, transport and logistics sectors across both regulated and non-regulated environments. Ms Tindal has led and delivered large infrastructure and technology projects in New Zealand, Australia and Asia, which required complex internal and external stakeholder management. She is a Fellow, Certified Practising Accountants of Australia (FCPA), a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors NZ (CFInstD) and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).

Jeff Kendrew is currently the Chair of Port Taranaki. He has extensive experience in engineering, infrastructure, project management and supply chains. His past governance roles include the boards of Powerco Ltd, GeelongPort and Patrick Terminals. Notably, he was the former Chair of Arc Infrastructure, which owns and operates Western Australia’s bulk rail network, and Chair of Linx Cargo Care Group which owns C3 Logistics. He is a member of both the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Directors, and also a member of the New Zealand Institute of Engineers.

KiwiRail directors and terms from 1 July 2025:

• Chair Sue Tindal, 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028
• Deputy Chair Jeff Kendrew, 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028
• Rob Jager, 20 December 2022 to 31 October 2027 (Acting Chair to 1 July)
• Dr Sina Cotter Tait, 1 October 2024 to 30 June 2026
• Liz Ward, 20 December 2022 to 31 May 2028
• Bruce Wattie, 23 March 2020 to 31 October 2025

New Zealand Railways Corporation directors and terms from 1 July 2025:

• Sue Tindal, 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028
• Nicola Greer, 15 July 2019 to 31 May 2028
• Angela Edwards, 1 June 2020 to 30 April 2026

Source: New Zealand Government

Thank you to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs for organising this event, and for your efforts to foster New Zealand’s understanding of international affairs. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak here today.

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Source: New Zealand Privacy Commissioner – Blog

Two factor authentication (sometimes called multi-factor authentication) is a good way to keep your information safe and secure.

This security requires two separate forms of identification to access an account, device, or system. Often this involves entering a password then confirming a code by a second message to your phone or email. This is designed allow you safer access to your systems. It provides an additional step of verification and greater security.

We encourage all agencies (businesses and organisations) to use two-factor authentication to protect the information they hold. 

When a cyber security privacy breach occurs, the question compliance officers will ask is “have you taken reasonable cyber security steps to protect the personal data you hold?” Not taking reasonable steps is a breach of the Privacy Act and the trust that your customers or clients have placed in you to keep their information safe.

What is reasonable depends on the size of the organisation and the scale and sensitivity of the personal information they hold.  

Two factor authentication is like an extra wall between you and people who would steal your data.

Two-factor authentication is a bare minimum we would expect for small businesses or organisations that hold or share personal information digitally.  If you are a small business that has a cyber-related privacy breach and don’t have at least two factor-authentication in place expect to be found in breach of the Privacy Act.

The small business Insights Report showed agencies’ confidence that they understood what privacy meant didn’t translate into having relevant privacy policies and procedures in place.

Back

Source: Maritime New Zealand

Maritime NZ has been working with the commercial and recreational fishing sectors to develop safety information for recreational tuna fishers on the West Coast, where large commercial vessels fish for Hoki.

Source: Auckland Council

This June, Aucklanders are invited to roll up their sleeves and dig in by planting a free native seedling in their backyard, and be part of a region-wide movement to increase Auckland’s ngahere (forest) canopy, bringing birdsong back to our neighbourhoods, along with numerous other benefits.

Auckland Council’s Plant More Natives seedlings campaign is partnering with community nurseries across Tāmaki Makaurau to give away thousands of native seedlings throughout the month of June.

The goal?

To help achieve Auckland’s Ngahere Strategy of increasing the regions tree canopy cover from 18 to 30 per cent by enabling Aucklanders to plant a native in their own backyard.

Auckland Council’s General Manager of Environmental Services Samantha Hill says the work to increase Auckland’s canopy cover is already underway with thousands of natives being planted in the region’s parks and public spaces.

Now Aucklanders can help restore our city’s biodiversity and enjoy the birdsong native plants attract by picking up a free native plant during June and planting it on their property.

“By supporting the work of community nurseries and having native plants freely available for a period of time, we’re empowering Aucklanders to take action, connect with nature and make a difference,” says Ms Hill.

Native plants play a vital role in the health of our local ecosystems. They provide shelter and food for native birds, lizards and insects, help stabilise soil and filter rainwater before it reaches our waterways.

Studies show that increasing native vegetation also helps reduce urban heat, clean the air and makes cities more resilient in the face of climate change.

And beyond their environmental benefits, these plants bring beauty, quality and birdsong to the places we live; birds like tūī, kereru and piwakawaka are drawn to native plants.

“We want to make sure everyone has the chance to connect with nature, no matter where they live or how much space they have,” says Hill.

“Whether you have room to plant a kōwhai tree in your front yard or a native grass in a small patch, every plant counts.”

Councillor Richard Hills adds the Plant More Native seedlings campaign also aims to connect Aucklanders with their local community nurseries.

“Our community nurseries, funded by Auckland Council, do amazing work for the biodiversity of the Auckland region,” Councillor Hills says.

“These nurseries don’t just grow plants, they nurture knowledge, build relationships and drive local action for the environment.” 

This June, participating nurseries will open their doors to the public, offering not only free plants but also advice, inspiration and connection.

Many are hosting Saturday events where people can meet local experts, learn how to care for native seedlings and discover how native planting fits into broader nature restoration work in their area.

Planting more native plant species in your garden is a small action that can collectively have a big impact supporting native wildlife, improving environmental health, and building stronger connections to nature.

Aucklanders can find their nearest participating nursery using an online map at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/birdsong [link to come] and are encouraged to collect their free native plant in June, while stocks last.

Let’s get growing for a better future.

Source: Green Party

The Green Party echoes the call from health professionals, medical bodies, and community organisations for Te Whatu Ora to urgently release the guidelines for gender affirming care.

“It’s inexplicable that the release of these guidelines was abruptly halted without justification,” says Green Party spokesperson for Takatāpui and Rainbow Communities, Benjamin Doyle (they/them).

“Aotearoa can be a place where takatāpui, trans and non-binary whānau live with dignity, equity, and bodily integrity – where their mana is upheld.

“Right now, takatāpui, trans and non-binary people’s lives are at risk while this Government continues to erode fundamental rights to access safe, accessible, and evidence-based healthcare.

“Further delays in releasing these guidelines hold back much needed progress in improving healthcare and outcomes for takatāpui, trans and non-binary people. Young members of this community in particular experience some of the worst levels of mental health distress, which is worsened by a lack of access to effective healthcare.

“The Government must listen to the calls from those most affected by these decisions, as well as clinicians and experts, to immediately publish these guidelines.

“The Greens are committed to ensuring healthcare is tailored to the specific and unique needs of diverse communities. Our hauora for all policy means hauora for all, putting the health of takatāpui, trans and non-binary whānau front and centre,” says Benjamin Doyle.

Source: New Zealand Government

The Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (the Fund) has been refreshed to better support New Zealand’s businesses in transitioning to a more resilient and efficient supply chain, Energy Minister Simon Watts says.
“Heavy freight represents a high-impact opportunity to reduce emissions and enhance energy efficiency on our roads.
“Globally, clean heavy freight is reshaping modern, competitive supply chains. We want to keep working on getting the market going here, so New Zealand businesses have more choices.
“Since we introduced the Fund, the landscape of clean heavy freight has evolved. In addition to battery electric trucks, which we see gaining traction in the market, hydrogen fuel cell trucks are now operating – particularly for heavier loads and longer distances. 
“Reducing emissions for heavy freight is part of the Government’s second Emissions Reduction Plan and this initiative will accelerate uptake.
“For New Zealand to keep pace, coordinated action between government, industry, and infrastructure providers is essential. We need to show speed, and smart execution.
“By embracing these clean technologies, we can ensure the seamless movement of goods across the country, securing a sustainable transport future for New Zealand.”
Key improvements include:

Expanded Vehicle Categories: the medium and heavy vehicle categories now start at 12 tonnes gross vehicle mass, allowing a broader range of vehicles to qualify for higher support levels.
Broadened Eligibility for Conversions: Vehicles registered in New Zealand within the past five years are now eligible for grants covering up to 25 percent of the cost to convert existing internal combustion engine vehicles to low or zero-emissions technologies.
Increased Grant Levels: To further encourage uptake, grant levels for zero-emission conversions, new hybrid vehicles, and hybrid conversions have been increased.

“In line with these changes to the Fund, the Government is also rewarding businesses who make new investments by reducing their tax bills in the year they purchase new assets. Investment Boost will support investment in projects and the uptake of low emissions technology – including hydrogen,” Mr Watts says.
The Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund is administered by EECA. The changes follow a planned review undertaken earlier this year to assess the fund’s performance against its original objectives. EECA made a range of recommendations which are now in place as part of the Fund’s refresh.  

Source: New Zealand Police

Police believe information from the public will help identify an offender involved in a violent assault in Papatoetoe.

An investigation has been underway this month into the incident where a woman suffered a head injury in the early hours of 9 May on Sutton Crescent.

Counties Manukau West CIB is releasing footage of a man sought in connection with the assault.

“At around midnight, the victim and the offender had been walking along Sutton Crescent when an argument broke out between them,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward says.

“We do not know why this argument began but it has continued as the pair moved towards Kolmar Road.”

The female victim attempted to walk away from the male offender but was assaulted.

Detective Senior Sergeant Hayward says: “The force of the assault has caused the victim to fall to the ground.

“The offender has continued the violent assault and used extreme force on the woman.”

Police have since obtained CCTV footage of the assault, which shows the male offender walking away from the scene a short time later.

The female victim was transported to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries and is continuing to recover from her ordeal.

Detective Senior Sergeant Hayward says despite a thorough area canvass, no witnesses to the violent incident have been identified.

Police are now releasing images to the public.

“We have obtained good CCTV footage of the man we want to speak with in this investigation,” he says.

“There is no place for this extreme violence in the community, and I’m confident someone will know who this man is.

“We need to hear from you.”

If you have information, please update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 250509/4414.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police