Source: New Zealand Police
Police can now release the name of the man that died following a crash on State Highway 2, Matamau on 5 December.
He was 45-year-old Toby Dale Broomhall of Hawera.
Our condolences are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
A dedicated retail crime team set up in Waikato District to disrupt and target prolific retail crime is netting results.
Waikato District launched a new retail crime model last month, setting up bespoke area-based Retail Crime Teams dedicated to tackling retail-related offending and targeted enforcement of our most active offenders.
Retail crime is one of Police’s priorities, and Waikato District is focused on identifying top offenders who cause harm, pose risk to the public and financial losses to stores in the district.
By boosting our retail crime response, Waikato Police are targeting those hotspot areas and stopping our most prolific retail offenders.
Since the introduction of the dedicated teams on 10 November, a total of 172 charges have been laid, 38 adults are facing charges and one youth is before the courts.
Police in Waikato West recently responded to two male shoplifters fleeing from a retail store in the main street of Cambridge. Both were promptly arrested and charged with shoplifting offences.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ian Foster of Waikato West Investigations says: “With 10 and 17 previous shoplifting charges each in the past respectively, it was great to see these recidivist offenders identified by the retail staff and a swift response from police meant they could be apprehended.”
A couple of hours later, Cambridge staff and retail crime unit responded to another priority shoplifter, and have charged the woman with six shoplifting charges – in addition to the previous nine she was already facing.
This follows on from the first day on the job, when the Hamilton-based Retail Crime Team arrested two of the district’s top offenders for shoplifting. The two men, aged 25 and 32, had allegedly been targeting power tools from large retailers across Waikato, Rotorua and Tauranga regions.
Both are now facing multiple charges of shoplifting both under $500 and over $1000. They have also been trespassed from all stores nationwide of two major hardware retailers.
Detective Inspector Stephen Ambler, Field Crime Manager, says these are just some examples of the work being undertaken by the Retail Crime Teams in the past month.
In Huntly, the West team have connected with members of a local retail association and are working with them to support increased reporting and cooperation to hold offenders to account.
The teams are focused to following up on reported offending and identifying those involved, who are often already known to police or can be identified on CCTV.
By taking a tailored specific area approach, we will have the right resources working in their own communities to get the best outcomes.
The model includes a dedicated Hamilton Central Retail Crime Team and area-based teams in Waikato East and West focused on priority retail offenders while also working with local retailers to enhance security and environmental factors to prevent offending, and support workgroups in response to retail crime.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
Attributable to Detective Inspector Gerard Bouterey, Field Crime Manager, Central District CIB:
Police searching for Mitchell Cole are asking anyone heading into the bush in Ruatiti to stay alert and report any unusual findings.
Twenty-nine-year-old Cole is still being sought by Police in relation to a double homicide in Ruatiti on Saturday 13 December.
Enquiries are ongoing, and Police staff remain on the ground in the area.
Our investigation has established that Cole has a dog with him, described as a black/blue bull mastiff.
We ask anyone going into the bush in the wider Ruatiti area to please be on the lookout and report any sightings of Cole, the dog, or anything unusual they may come across.
Please remember – if you see Cole, do not approach him, and instead call 111 immediately.
If you have any information that could assist Police, please contact us via 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 251213/6207.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
A previous release stated Seadown Road was closed between Arowhenua Station Road and State Highway 1.
State Highway 1 remains open in the area.
Seadown Road between Arawhenua Station Road and Opihi River is closed following the crash.
Please avoid the area if possible.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
If you’re planning on dropping a line or gathering shellfish from the ocean during the festive season download the free New Zealand Fishing Rules app and have all the rules at your fingertips.
“You wouldn’t go fishing without your rod, hooks or other gear, so make sure you have the app on your phone too. It’s an important part of your fishing kit that will give you peace of mind that you’re fishing within the rules in place to make sure our fisheries remain sustainable,” says Fisheries New Zealand director of fisheries compliance, Steve Ham.
The app has all the rules in one place – daily bag limits, minimum legal sizes, any closures, gear restrictions, and even biotoxin alerts.
“These rules vary by species and area and do change from time to time, so it’s important to stay up to date. Once downloaded, the fishing app will also work in areas where you don’t have cell phone coverage,” says Steve Ham.
Along with the fishing rules app, recreational fishers are encouraged to ask their local fishery officer or pop into their local office.
“Fishery officers and honorary fishery officers will be patrolling the coasts, boat ramps, and at sea throughout the summer period. They’re there to help you. We want your fishing experience to be something to remember for all the right reasons, not because you hooked a fine.
“By following the rules you’ll also be doing your part in keeping our shared fisheries sustainable so that future generations can also enjoy catching a feed of kaimoana,” says Steve Ham.
The NZ Fishing Rules app can be downloaded from wherever you get your apps.
MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry’s 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 476 224)
For more information email: FisheriesNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz
For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Ho! Ho! Uh-oh! New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle busts some food safety myths to help you avoid food poisoning this Christmas.
Wrong. Although many germs cause spoilage that affects the look, texture, smell, and taste of food, most of the ones that make you sick are undetectable by your senses. So, it’s important to get all Christmas leftovers into the fridge or freezer, in a sealed container, within 2 hours of serving – or sooner if it’s a warm day.
Here’s how long you can keep different leftovers in the fridge:
More information about reducing food waste
It’s not. Leaving your frozen food to defrost on the bench gives bacteria on the surface of the food (which defrosts first) time to grow in a nice, warm environment before the centre of the food thaws. Bacteria grow in temperatures of between 5°C and 60°C, so, to decrease the likelihood of them multiplying – and your food spoiling and making you sick – defrost food in the fridge or microwave.
More information about preparing, cooking, and storing food safely at home
Although cooking kaimoana you have gathered yourself will kill bacteria, it won’t destroy biotoxins that can build up in shellfish during naturally occurring toxic algal blooms. New Zealand Food Safety monitors 42 recreational and 54 commercial shellfish harvesting areas for biotoxins that can make you sick or even be fatal. When our testing shows levels of biotoxins beyond the safe limit, we issue a public health warning for people not to gather and eat shellfish from these areas, and nearby aquaculture farms temporarily close.
Find up-to-date alerts on our shellfish biotoxin alert webpage, where you can sign up for our warnings. We also post signs at the relevant beaches, and MPI’s free NZ Fishing Rules mobile app includes information on current warnings.
More information about toxic shellfish poisoning
Unfortunately, different life stages bring new vulnerabilities to food poisoning. As you age, and particularly over 65, your immune system gets weaker, making it harder to fight off harmful foodborne bacteria like Listeria. This means foods you safely ate in the past may no longer be safe for you to eat – and the consequences of listeriosis can be life-threatening. Foods that pose a higher Listeria risk include deli meats and pates, soft cheeses, cold-smoked seafood, and leafy greens. To keep enjoying the foods you love, reduce your risk of contracting listeriosis by cooking food thoroughly; only eating fruit and vegetables that have been washed and dried well; only eating food that was recently prepared; and cooking and reheating food to piping hot (more than 75°C) before eating. Listeriosis symptoms in older and immunocompromised people usually take 2 to 3 weeks to appear and typically include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures.
More information about Listeria
The Health Star Ratings you see on packaged foods in the supermarket are designed to compare similar foods – the stars are not a rating of the overall healthiness of a food. We know you’re busy, so the stars are there to help you make healthier choices when shopping by comparing similar packaged foods at a glance. So, use them to choose between 2 breakfast cereals, rather than a breakfast cereal and a yogurt. The more stars, the healthier the choice.
More information on how Health Star Ratings work
Nope. Skip the wash. Although Campylobacter, Salmonella, and other illness-causing bacteria can live on raw chicken, it’s not a good idea to rinse or wash it at home because this spreads bacteria to other areas of your kitchen. If you’re worried about excess chicken juices, pat your chicken dry with a clean paper towel, throw it away, and wash your hands. For the same reason, it’s not okay to use the same chopping board, utensils, or plate for both raw and cooked chicken. Anything that’s touched raw chicken needs to be washed in hot, soapy water before being used for any other food – and, again, that includes your hands. Handy tip: Prepare ready-to-eat foods before food that needs cooking, like raw chicken.
More information about handling chicken safely
We know few people can afford to throw away food, but if a packaged product in your fridge or pantry is past its use-by date, say “goodbye”. It is not safe to eat. In fact, it’s illegal to sell food past its use-by date. On the other hand, packaged food should still be safe to eat after its best-before date, but it’s likely to have lost, or be about to lose, some quality. If it looks and smells okay, it probably is. Check it, sniff it, taste it – don’t waste it. Stores can sell food beyond a best-before date, as long as it’s still fit for human consumption. So, make sure to check the date on your food labels to make the right call about chowing down or chucking out.
More information about food labels
Actually, hand sanitisers are not as effective as soap and water for removing germs and harmful chemicals, making handwashing one of the best ways to prevent foodborne illness. Washing hands before making or eating food helps prevent germs spreading to your food. But if hand sanitiser is all you have available, make sure it has at least 60 percent alcohol, and rub it into your hands, fingers and nails until they are dry.
More information on hand washing
Many sing the praises of raw milk, but it’s important to know the risks. Raw milk is not pasteurised, meaning it misses out on an important process that kills harmful bacteria such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Campylobacter, and Salmonella. Raw milk is especially risky for the very young, elderly, pregnant, or anyone with a weakened immune system. If you choose to drink raw milk, make sure to you buy it only from a registered raw milk supplier, keep it chilled while transporting it home, and store it at 4°C or less in your fridge. Throw it out if it’s been left out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. To ensure raw milk is safe to drink, heat it at 70°C for 1 minute. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the raw milk until near boiling.
More information on raw milk products
Even if the packet says it’s washed, we recommend rinsing any bagged lettuce, salad, or other greens you intend to eat without cooking – particularly if you have vulnerable people in the house. Infections from Listeria, for example, can be serious or even life-threatening for the very young, elderly, pregnant, or anyone with a weakened immune system. Washing with cold running water in a clean colander or sieve in the sink removes dirt containing bacteria and chemical residues. The same rule goes for vegetables you’re going to peel. Wash them before peeling so any contaminants or microorganisms don’t get transferred to the parts of the veges you’re going to eat without cooking.
More information about Listeria
Sorry, the “5-second rule” is a myth. Whether it’s 1 second or 10, all that bacteria and viruses need to get onto your food – and into your gut – is any contact at all. The moisture and stickiness of the food will affect the number of microorganisms that will attach to the food but, to be safe, if you’ve dropped it on the way to your mouth, best to bin it, and wash your hands. If you’ve dropped it during food preparation and it can be salvaged (we’re not talking spilt milk and broken eggs), rinse it and make sure it’s cooked thoroughly to kill unwanted nasties.
More information about food poisoning
That spot of mould you scrape off your bread, or the one you cut off your cheese, is the tip of the iceberg. Mould produces spores and filaments that go into the food, which you often can’t see. They can also produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that can make you really ill, so throw away mouldy food. Of course, not all moulds are bad. Some make life-saving medicine (penicillin) and delicious cheeses, but they are carefully selected by the manufacturers because they are safe.
More information about food poisoning
Download your free ‘Food safety at home’ booklet [PDF, 1.1 MB]
For more information, email: media@mpi.govt.nz
Source: New Zealand Police
Police received a report around 9:10am today from someone who had come across a crashed car on Seadown Road, north of Timaru.
The vehicle had collided with a power pole, and the sole occupant of the vehicle was located deceased.
The Serious Crash Unit has been advised, and Seadown Road is currently closed between Arowhenua Station Road and State Highway 1.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
The Rural Health Roadshow Insights Report presents findings from visits to 13 rural locations across New Zealand in 2025.
These events provided an opportunity to engage with rural communities, check what is working well and identify areas for improvement.
The report is structured into several sections:
This report offers a comprehensive overview of rural health priorities and current initiatives. Insights from this report will be used to guide future health policy and delivery, ensuring that rural voices continue to shape health priorities in New Zealand.
Source: New Zealand Police
Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash in Māngere on 3 December
He was Jagpreet Singh, 20, of Auckland.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Biosecurity New Zealand is encouraging Kiwis to continue to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) over the holiday season.
“We’ve had a great response from the public so far, with more than 6,870 notifications and our team will be working over the holiday season as we continue to track and eradicate the hornet,” says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.
To date, we have found 38 queen hornets, and 25 of those hornets have been found with nests.
“Our intensive ground surveillance work and operations across Auckland’s North Shore to find hornet nests has been working well with more than 6,540 ground surveys completed, and that will continue as we move through summer.
“Based on overseas experience, the science tells us that we may find more hornets over in the next few months and we’re prepared for that,” says Mr Inglis.
“We now have more than 780 traps in place out to 11km from where the hornets were found in Glenfield and Birkdale. The international experts guiding our response are providing the most up-to-date advice and information about the hornet and that is feeding into our work.”
Mr Inglis said next month, with the help of visiting hornet experts from the United Kingdom, Biosecurity New Zealand will look to attach advanced trackers to hornets so they can be traced back to nests. Short footage of the trackers being trialled can be seen here.
Video: Hornet tracking trial (0.40) – Youtube
“As the weather continues to warm, hornets can start to make bigger nests high up in trees and this technology from the Netherlands will help us find and destroy them alongside our continuing surveillance work on the ground.
“If the public can continue to keep an eye while they are enjoying their Christmas break, that will help the work we are doing,” says Mr Inglis.
“We’ll continue to adapt our work to what we see over the summer in line with our Technical Advisory Group’s advice. The TAG draws on the expertise from New Zealand scientists and our overseas colleagues with extensive first-hand experience of the hornet.”
Biosecurity New Zealand wants to hear from anyone who has a suspected hornet specimen, has located a possible nest, or has taken a clear photo.
You can report sightings:
These detections have given us a good indication of where the hornets may be, so give your location when making reports.
Further information and updates on hornet finds
For more information, email: BiosecurityNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz
For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.