Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are in attendance at a serious crash between a truck and car in Favona this morning.

The crash, at the intersection of Harania Avenue and Favona Road, was reported to Police at about 10.20am.

Early indications suggest one person has been seriously injured.

Diversions are in place and motorists are being advised to expect delays.

The Serious Crash Unit has been notified.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Good morning. Namaskar. 

• The Chair and General Manager of the India New Zealand Business Council
• Prime Minister Luxon and Minister of State Margherita
• Indian High Commissioner Bhushan
• Distinguished Guests
• Ladies and Gentlemen

It’s a privilege to be with you today to offer some very brief reflections on the India-New Zealand relationship. 

These reflections follow detailed speeches by Prime Minister Luxon and Minister of State Margherita. So, we won’t seek to repeat what you have already heard. Rather, we will make just three fundamental and summarising observations.

Observation one: New Zealand wants closer, stronger relations with India. 

New Zealand’s Coalition Government has made clear over the past 18 months, through our actions and policies, that we intend to seriously lift our relations with India.

As Foreign Minister, we have spent much of this Parliamentary term travelling around the world advancing New Zealand’s interests. But our very first visit outside Australia and the Pacific since returning as Foreign Minister was to India.

This selection of Gujarat and New Delhi as early visit destinations was very deliberate. Our government wanted to send an unambiguous signal to the people and Government of India that New Zealand wishes for our countries to draw ever closer – united by shared interests and a mutual desire to build deeper, mutually beneficial cooperation.

India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, is one of the world’s most impressive and astute statesmen. We have been pleased to work closely with him on this project of drawing our countries closer together. 

And we are looking forward to meeting this afternoon with Minister of State Margherita, to discuss our building bilateral relationship. 

This meeting will also provide an opportunity for us to exchange views on the heinous terrorist attack in Kashmir last month, developments between India and Pakistan in the last few days, and New Zealand’s wish to help support a seriously rapid de-escalation of the situation. 

Observation two: India’s rise over the past generation has been seriously impressive. 

There are few countries in the world that have been so dramatically transformed over the past 35 years as has India. 

We have seen hundreds of millions of Indians lifted out of poverty; huge improvements in education, health and life expectancy; and a breathtaking economic expansion. 

And all of this has been achieved while maintaining India’s proud democratic tradition of settling the inevitable differences that emerge in a country of such immense scale and diversity at the ballot box.

When in Delhi last year, we visited the new Indian Parliament – whose carpets feature New Zealand wool – and got a first-hand sense of the scale and magnificence of Indian democracy. 

India’s rise has been a force for good in our region and for our world. 

Observation three: New Zealand wants a broad-based relationship with India, as the Prime Minister said. 

We want to draw closer with India not in one domain, but in many domains. 

New Zealand and India are two of the world’s great, long-standing democracies – and we have a shared objective of an open, free, democratic and peaceful Indo-Pacific region. To achieve that, we need to be cooperating in as many areas as possible. 

We need to be working across the Indo-Pacific, including with Pacific Island countries.

We need to be helping to manage our increasingly contested and disordered strategic environment via more regular, intensive high-level dialogue. 

We need to be addressing shared security and defence challenges, by embedding deeper engagement in these areas. 

And the Prime Minister is right.  We will be seriously boosting our diplomatic presence in India. We should have done so 40 years ago. 

We need to be pursuing shared trade and economic opportunities, including in tourism and education. 

And we need to be making the most of our intensifying people, sporting and cultural connections. 

This audience will know well that, through the painstaking work of the governments, peoples and indeed businesses of India and New Zealand, a great foundation has been laid over the past 18 months. 

There is so much potential in the relationship between New Zealand and India. Given the serious progress our two countries have made in the last 18 months, now is the time to work to realise that potential. 

Thank you, and best of luck for the remaining conversations at this event today. 

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour, and Health Minister Simeon Brown welcome Pharmac’s decision to fund or widen access to three treatments, including for skin cancer, from 1 June 2025.  
“Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” Mr Seymour says.    
“Today represents another step forward for cancer patients as the $604 million uplift from the government continues to facilitate access to new treatments. 
“Pharmac continues to show what it is capable of when given the support it needs.   
Pharmac has made decisions to:

Widen access to pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda)
Fund dabrafenib (branded as Tafinlar) and trametinib (branded as Mekinist) for the first time. Dabrafenib and trametinib are used as a combination treatment. 

“About 285 people with melanoma will benefit from these medicines, funded for people with stage 3B to 4 skin cancers, in the first year of funding,” Mr Seymour says.   
“The early signs of Pharmac’s redirection remain positive, as expanding opportunities and access for patients and their families continue to be prioritised.
“Through consultation feedback, Pharmac heard of people experiencing side effects from receiving treatments with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This is due to funding more access and use of these medicines as part of the budget increase. As a result, Pharmac is widening access to infliximab and tocilizumab to treat side effects from having immune checkpoint inhibitors. 
Mr Brown says delivering better and faster access to cancer care in New Zealand has been a focus of this Government, which is why it is one of our five key health targets.    
“As Minister of Health, I am focused on ensuring better access to more cancer medicines, better cancer management driven by our faster cancer treatment target, and earlier detection of cancers through screening programmes,” Mr Brown says.  
“One of the important reasons why Kiwis elected this Government was because they knew we could keep our promises to fund more cancer medicines. This announcement from Pharmac means more New Zealanders will get the care they need.
“Today is a good day for cancer patients. We campaigned on boosting Pharmac’s funding so that it could cover 13 additional cancer treatments, and from 1 June 2025, Pharmac will fund treatments for all those cancer types.”
“I’m pleased to see Pharmac’s responsiveness to the voices of patients and their families by expanding access to more medicines for more groups. This decision reflects our commitment to a more adaptable and patient-centered approach,” Mr Seymour says. 
 

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

A $6.3 million Auckland Council investment to renew the Ōrewa public library has finished ahead of schedule, with new doors set to glide open from 19 May.

Throughout 2024, as the Ōrewa library team maintained services from the nearby Ōrewa Community Centre, they’ve watched the old library building gradually transform into a modern, more resilient community hub.

Now, they’re back at 12 Moana Avenue and busy setting up a range of enticing spaces to suit the new, more spacious layout.  

Ōrewa Library Manager Carolyn Hickey says the addition of an entirely new mezzanine floor will provide a lot more options for community use in two meeting rooms and additional study space.

“The rooms are perfect for book groups, language classes and all sorts of other community needs that we weren’t able to offer space to before. In addition, the mezzanine upstairs floor space will provide the perfect zone for students to study,” says Carolyn. 

In keeping with the concept of building knowledge, local iwi artist Hokimai Rosieur has designed an entry panel called Te Kete Mātauranga, which flows along the front entrance of the building and represents Māori concepts of learning.

The lower ground floor will provide more practical options for visitors with new seating arranged to cater for reading, relaxing and working on a device. Staff will be readily available to help with library support and council services offered from the library, like rates payments, dog registrations and environmental concerns.

“We can’t wait to welcome back our customers of all ages, with more space and refreshed collections. There are so many different people that use our local library community hub and this space will allow us to provide many, many more options.”

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum says the local board is thrilled that the library upgrade has been completed ahead of time.

“The library is a real favourite among locals – it’s always buzzing with activity and is a much-loved hub where the community comes together in the heart of town.

“This was absolutely a worthwhile investment. As the population grows and more people rely on library services, it’s essential to have a space that can grow and adapt alongside the community.

“The revamped library is now brighter and more open, with improved visibility throughout. One of the standout features is the new mezzanine level — it’s a fantastic, flexible space that can be used in all sorts of ways to meet the needs of our community.

“A big thank you goes out to our incredible library staff and to the community for your patience during construction. It’s already clear to see the big difference that the upgrade has made.”

Throughout the 12-month rebuild, three-quarters of the old library was deconstructed and removed. A section used for office space has been refreshed to match the new areas, providing significant costs savings for the rebuild.

The architecturally-designed internal space reflects its coastal setting – through natural wood features and a soft blue-grey colour scheme in the flooring. A panel of historic Ōrewa photographs, including the original library, is on display to celebrate the past. 

Elaborate lighting, designed to highlight book displays and encourage reading, has been installed throughout the building. The interior itself will provide a warm, dry and more environmentally-friendly space through all seasons with double glazing, insulated roof panels to reduce energy costs, and solar-powered energy generation.

Join the library team for a Family Fun Day 

On Saturday 28 June, this free event will be packed with activities for all ages, running from 10.30am to 12.30pm. There will be plenty of fun both inside the library and out in the car park, including bouncy castles, face painting, kids’ activities, a sausage sizzle and ice cream!

Come by the new library, grab a book, and discover all the exciting events, activities, clubs, and daily happenings that make this place such a fun hub all week long – from Monday to Sunday.

Due to limited parking, if you live nearby, it may be easier to walk or cycle to the event.

More detail

• Hibiscus and Bays Local Board contributed $5.5million towards the $6.3 million extensive upgrade.

• The rebuild is anticipated to help support an increase in visitors to more than 235,000 a year.

• The new library features a lift that meets accessibility requirements for access to the mezzanine floor and upstairs meeting rooms.

• There is a fun, architecturally-designed children’s area downstairs, providing more space for activities and collections.

• The new building is made of robust concrete panels with a steel frame.

• The library at 12 Moana Avenue will open from Monday 19 May.

• An official community celebration to mark the opening is planned on 28 June.

Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment MBIE (2)

The government has a goal of doubling the size of New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors by 2030, as laid out in the New Zealand Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy 2024 to 2030.

The Innovation for Growth, Charting the Space and Advanced Aviation sectors shows the space sector has grown by 53% since a 2019 report, and contributed nearly $2.5 billion to New Zealand’s economy in 2023-24.

The advanced aviation sector overlaps with the space sector and, measured for the first time, contributed close to $500 million in the same period.

The report outlines the current and future state of the sectors, along with the market size and composition, economic contributions, and barriers and enablers of growth.

The report and an infographic can be read on the MBIE website:

New Zealand Space and Advanced Aviation Sector – Economic Survey

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Health Coalition Aotearoa strongly supports Dr Ayesha Verrall’s new Tobacco Transparency Bill, launched this week, which – if supported by a majority of MPs – will help protect public health policy from tobacco industry interference and honour New Zealand’s international commitments.

Source: Brainchild for RealEstate.co.nz

• Supply of rental properties the highest for any April since 2016 
• Weekly rent softens by an average of $14/week nationally  
• Cost of living crisis keeps would-be renters at home while investors retain properties 

Friday 9 May, 2025 – Renters have more money in their pocket and more properties to choose from as latest data from realestate.co.nz shows the supply of rental properties in New Zealand reaches the highest level for any April in almost a decade.  

April abundance: market awash with rentals

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey will mark the official start of peer support specialists in Waikato Hospital’s Emergency Department in Hamilton today. It makes Waikato Hospital the fifth major hospital to implement the service since September last year.

“We know that this service is making a real difference for people presenting in mental health distress or crisis at busy emergency departments. We are moving quickly to rollout this important service around New Zealand, and it has been incredibly humbling to hear how it’s making a genuine impact for vulnerable Kiwis in a time of need,” Mr Doocey says.

“Having a peer support specialist available to listen and understand what someone is going through, share their story, and reassure them there is a way forward can provide enormous comfort when people need it most. Importantly, they can also better connect people with community mental health services, if needed, and help with a better outcome for the individual. 

“I believe the peer support workforce has been underutilised for too long in New Zealand. There is a big opportunity to better utilise it as we also roll out Crisis Cafes around New Zealand and look to refresh the eating disorders strategy.”

The initiative was first launched at Middlemore Hospital in September 2024, since then services have got underway at Auckland City Hospital, Wellington Hospital and Christchurch Hospital. A further three emergency departments will be added in the near future.

“I’ve been clear that one of the biggest barriers to people accessing timely mental health and addiction support is workforce shortages. While this Government is focused on significantly growing the clinical workforce, we need to make sure we are also looking to innovative ideas, like peers in ED, to make sure we are doing everything we can help New Zealanders access quality support when and where they need it,” Mr Doocey says.

Note to editors: 

• In March 2024, the Government announced that eight Peer Support Specialist services would be stood up across two years using uncommitted funding. Each Peer Support Specialist service is estimated to cost between $300,000 and $500,000 per hospital.
• A $1 million workforce fund has also been set up by the Government to provide Level 4 NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) training and specific training for working in emergency departments

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey says people in hard-to-reach and remote communities stand to benefit from an expanded offering of online support following the latest Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund announcement. 
“Today I’m delighted to announce that matched funding has been awarded to digital provider Just a Thought to expand and enhance their online courses to support people facing mental health and addiction challenges,” Mr Doocey says.
“Just a Thought offer 17 digitally delivered, evidence-based therapy courses and have supported over 75,000 New Zealanders since they launched in 2019. These online courses offer free and quick access to anyone seeking mental health and addiction support, providing an additional support option alongside face-to-face services.
“Hard-to-reach and remote communities can face barriers accessing the help they need and have unmet need. Initiatives like this are exactly what the Innovation Fund was designed to support, and I look forward to seeing this service scale-up and reach more Kiwis in their time of need.”
The funding will allow Just a Thought to develop new wellbeing courses helping with things like manage stress, wellbeing and promoting mindfulness. The courses are free and available to anyone. While round one of the fund has almost wrapped up, round two with a Request for Proposal is scheduled to be released soon.
“For round two applications, we’ve lowered the minimum matched investment from $250,000 to $100,000 to open access to a wider range of providers. This is another example of the Government’s commitment to exploring new ways to fund and grow mental health support, including through coinvestment,” Mr Doocey says. 
“As Minister for Mental Health, I am focused on increasing access to mental health and addiction support. The Innovation Fund is one of the ways we are partnering with Non-Government Organisations to deliver innovative projects and initiatives that bring faster access to better mental health and addiction support for communities right across the country.”