Category: MIL-OSI

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Name release: Fatal crash, Tirau

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the woman who died following a crash in Tirau on 10 April.

She was 79-year-old Nancy Ruth Smith, of Hastings.

We extend our condolences to her loved ones.

The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Delays following fire

Source: New Zealand Police

Motorists are advised to expect delays in Glen Innes due to a building fire in Mayfair Place around 7am.

Mayfair Place is cordoned off and emergency services are in attendance.

Taniwha Street and Apirana Avenue are currently closed although motorists can still use the roundabout.

The fire is contained and there are no reports of injury.

Motorists are advised to expect delays.

ENDS.

Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

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Oamaru Police seek public’s help after violent incidents

Source: New Zealand Police

A man has been arrested as Oamaru Police investigate three serious, violent incidents in 24 hours.

Sergeant Tony Woodbridge says members of the public have played a crucial role in the arrest, and while enquiries are ongoing, those involved are believed to be known to each other.

Two of the incidents involved individuals entering residential addresses. The first occurred on Queens Crescent at 11.45pm on Tuesday, where one person was assaulted. The second incident occurred at a Thames Highway address at 4am on Wednesday, where another person was assaulted.

Both victims were taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

At 4.20pm on Wednesday, Police were called to a serious assault at Centennial Park in Oamaru, where a woman was knocked unconscious. A white station wagon then drove at the offender, before ramming a black Subaru Legacy.

After the offender left in the Subaru, the victim got into the station wagon and the vehicle left the scene.

“The third incident occurred in a busy area, in the vicinity of a number of people, and with hockey games being played nearby,” Sergeant Woodbridge says.

“We would like to hear from anyone who was near the Centennial Park carpark, who saw or filmed the assault, or the vehicles leaving.”

Yesterday (7 May), Police arrested a 27-year-old Oamaru man in relation to the incidents.

He has been charged with breaching release conditions; four counts of assault with intent to injure; wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm; and two counts of burglary.

“Such serious violent incidents are always of concern, and we know this will be unsettling. I want to assure the Oamaru community that these were not random acts of violence, and we are doing everything we can to hold those responsible to account.

“We are still working to determine why this offending took place, and enquiries are ongoing to locate other people who may have been involved.

“Police want to thank the members of the public who have assisted us with information so far. We still need to hear from anyone who may have witnessed these events, or anyone who has information that can assist us.”

You can update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 250507/6833.

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

ENDS

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Name release: Fatal crash, Leithfield

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash on SH1, Leithfield on 15 April.

He was 49-year-old Ndafunzwa Musesengwa, of Amberley.

Police send our condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.

The circumstances of the crash are under investigation.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Climate change: A third of 5-year-olds will be spared unprecedented lifetime exposure to dangerous heat if world meets 1.5°C temperature goal – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

BRUSSELS, 7 May 2025 – Almost a third of today’s five-year-olds – about 38 million children – will be spared a lifetime’s “unprecedented” exposure to extreme heat if the world meets the 1.5°C warming target by 2100, Save the Children said. 
Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, research released by Save the Children and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) found that under current climate commitments – which will likely see a global temperature rise of 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels – about 100 million of the estimated 120 million children born in 2020, or 83%, will face “unprecedented” lifetime exposure to extreme heat. 
However, if the world limits warming to the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target, this would reduce the number of five-year-olds impacted to 62 million – a difference of 38 million – highlighting the urgency to protect children through rapidly phasing out the use and subsidy of fossil fuels. Dangerous heat is deadly for children, taking an immense toll on their physical and mental health, disrupting access to food and clean water and forcing schools to close . 
Researchers defined an “unprecedented” life as an exposure to climate extremes that someone would have less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of experiencing during their life in a world without human-induced climate change. The research, published in the report Born into the Climate Crisis 2. An Unprecedented Life: Protecting Children’s Rights in a Changing Climate also found that meeting the 1.5°C target would protect millions of children born in 2020 from the severest impacts of other climate related disasters such as crop failures, floods, tropical cyclones, droughts and wildfires.
The report found that, for children born in 2020, if global temperature rise is limited to 1.5°C rather than reaching 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels:
  • About 38 million would be spared from facing unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves;
  • About 8 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to crop failures;
  • About 5 million would be spared from unprecedented lifetime exposure to river floods;
  • About 5 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to tropical cyclones;
  • About 2 million would avoid unprecedented lifetime exposure to droughts;
  • About 1.5 million children would be spared unprecedented lifetime exposure to wildfires.
Climate extremes – which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change – are increasingly harming children, forcing them from their homes, putting food out of reach, damaging schools and increasing risks like child marriage as they are forced out of education and into poverty and food shortages.
Denise-, 16, and her family were forced from their home in Brazil when the country’s worst floods in 80 years devastated their community last year. Their home, including Denise’s bedroom, was severely damaged, and she was out of school for nearly two months. 
She said: “It really affected me mentally, and academically too. Catching up on all my grades to pass secondary school was really tough, especially at a state school. It massively impacted my schoolwork. My grades dropped significantly after the floods.” 
Children impacted by inequality and discrimination and those in lower-and middle-income countries, are often worst affected . Meanwhile they have fewer resources to cope with climate shocks and are already at far greater risk from vector and waterborne diseases, hunger, and malnutrition, and their homes are often more vulnerable to increased risks from floods, cyclones and other extreme weather events.  
Haruka, 16, whose poem is featured in the report, is from Vanuatu, which recently experienced three of the most severe types of cyclone in just a year.  
She said: “Cyclones are scary. For me, they continue to destroy my home, every year – we don’t even bother trying to fix the ceiling anymore. “The past few years, I’ve seen ceaseless destruction and constant rebuilding. This seemingly never-ending cycle has become our reality, and most people aren’t even aware that it’s not just nature doing its thing, but it’s us bearing the brunt of a crisis that we did not cause.”  
As well as comparing conditions under 1.5°C and 2.7°C scenarios, the report also examines a scenario in which global temperatures rise to 3.5°C by 2100, which will lead to about 92% of children born in 2020 – about 111 million children [5] – living with unprecedented heatwave exposure over their lifetime. While we need a rapid phase-out of the use and subsidy of fossil fuels to stick to the 1.5°C target, we must not lose sight of solutions, Save the Children said. 
The report highlights initiatives like increased climate finance, child-centred and locally led adaptation and increasing the participation of children in shaping climate action. 
Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International, said: “Across the world, children are forced to bear the brunt of a crisis they are not responsible for. Dangerous heat that puts their health and learning at risk; cyclones that batter their homes and schools; creeping droughts that shrivel up crops and shrink what’s on their plates. “Amid this daily drumbeat of disasters, children plead with us not to switch off. This new research shows there is still hope, but only if we act urgently and ambitiously to rapidly limit warming temperatures to 1.5°C , and truly put children front and centre of our response to climate change at every level.”  
As the world’s leading independent child rights organisation, Save the Children works in about 110 countries, tackling climate across everything we do. 
Save the Children supports children and their communities globally in preventing, preparing for, adapting to, and recovering from climate disasters and gradual climate change. We have set up floating schools, rebuilt destroyed homes and provided cash grants to families hit by disasters. We also work to influence governments and other key stakeholders on climate policies, including at the UNFCCC COP summits, giving children a platform for their voices to be heard. 
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Property Market Analysis – NZ’s regional property markets diverge since peak – Cotality

Source: Cotality – Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist for Cotality NZ (formerly CoreLogic)

In this Pulse article, Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist for Cotality NZ (formerly CoreLogic), explores the significant regional divergences that have emerged since the post-COVID peaks.

Following the dramatic growth in property values during the COVID-era boom, New Zealand’s housing market has entered a more fragmented phase. While national indicators suggest a stabilisation in values, the underlying regional picture tells a far more complex story — one marked by stark divergences in performance, resilience, and recovery.

New analysis from Cotality reveals that while some regional markets have already surged past previous highs, others — particularly in parts of Auckland and Wellington — remain well below their cyclical peaks.
In fact, over a dozen areas are still more than 20% off their highs, highlighting how uneven the past few years have been across the country.
As mortgage rates ease and affordability improves in select locations, this Pulse takes a closer look at the forces shaping these regional variations — shedding light on affordability trends, economic drivers, and standout performers such as Hamilton, Queenstown, and much of Canterbury.Some areas are back to peak, others languishing
Cotality’s latest hedonic Home Value Index shows there were three areas that set their own new record highs for property values in April – New Plymouth at $711,699, Westland at $493,500, and Kaikoura at $775,443. While the early signs of growth have recently re-emerged in many other parts of the country – driven by lower mortgage rates – the gap compared to where property values were at the peak remains significant.Indeed, 13 areas still have property values more than 20% below the peak, all of them either in the Auckland or Wellington regions, apart from Wairoa (-21%).

Both Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt sit at -24% compared to the peak, with Wellington City at -23% and Porirua -22%. Waitakere is -23%, with Papakura and Manukau at -22% apiece. ‘Rural’ areas of Wellington Region such as South Wairarapa and Carterton sit at -21%.

A story of South Island affordability?

Another distinct trend that stands out is the north-south split – with the South emerging as a clear winner when it comes to affordability.

Take areas such as Grey, Buller, Clutha, and Gore, where the current figure for mortgage payments as a percentage of gross median household income is less than 30% (versus 46% nationally).

By contrast, Tauranga’s mortgage affordability measure is still 54% and Kapiti Coast sits at the same level.

“Affordability remains a key pillar of housing demand, and in many South Island regions we’re seeing that balance become a little more favourable for buyers,” said Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist at Cotality NZ.

Areas of interest

Hamilton’s recent strength. Compared to the other main centres in the North Island, Hamilton hasn’t fallen as far (-10% from the peak) in the past three years or so and has been showing stronger signs of growth more recently too.

Since January, values are up by +2.1% in Hamilton, matching Christchurch’s figure, and ahead of Auckland at +0.9% and Tauranga (which has edged down by -0.4%). The buoyancy of the surrounding rural economy at present may be supporting Hamilton’s market, with other factors potentially including the increased connectivity to Auckland via improved roading.

Queenstown’s continued prominence. Despite an elevated median value of $1.66m, well ahead of second-placed North Shore (Auckland) at $1.31m, Queenstown has remained a reasonably buoyant market – ‘only’ down by 5% from the peak – still appealing to overseas buyers who can navigate the rules and also wealthy domestic investors.

Canterbury’s resilience. Of the 17 areas that are back within 5% of their peak, eight are in Canterbury, including Christchurch, Waimakariri, Ashburton, and Timaru. This comes even though new housing supply volumes have been high across large parts of the Region and signals that property demand has been rising to match construction.

Looking ahead

While some of New Zealand’s largest urban centres remain well below their recent market peaks, a return to strong growth is not guaranteed. Structural factors—such as Auckland’s substantial pipeline of new townhouse developments and ongoing fiscal tightening in Wellington—may continue to weigh on short-term performance.

Nevertheless, improved mortgage affordability and early signs of broader economic recovery are likely to support renewed value growth across many parts of the country in 2025, including Auckland and Wellington. As market fundamentals continue to evolve, buyers and investors alike will be watching closely for signs of renewed momentum.
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Fresh Start for EIT’s Supported Learners as New Programme and Purpose-Built Facility Open

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 minutes ago

Students in EIT’s supported learning programme are celebrating a new beginning, returning to the Hawke’s Bay campus with a refreshed curriculum, a custom-designed learning space, and a teaching team made up entirely of EIT graduates.

The newly renamed New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Learning and Working (Level 1) replaces a previous qualification and reflects a significant shift in both content and delivery.

EIT graduates Mel Gregory, Pete McLachlan, Georgia Blair and Kelly Dickson are now working as Learning Facilitators for the New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Learning and Working (Level 1), while fellow graduate Janine Blamey is a lecturer on the programme.

Programme Coordinator Les Blair says it is a fresh start in every sense.

“It is a new programme, new space and new team – new, new, new.”

The return to EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale comes after more than two years based at Equippers Church Napier, where staff and students took refuge following Cyclone Gabrielle.

Students marked the end of their time at Equippers Church by crafting a commemorative tile plaque.

“We made great relationships in the community, but it’s good to be home,” Les said.

“We’re just so grateful that people took our advice about what the space needed. It’s a welcoming place for the students to be in,” Blair said.

“There’s now a real sense that we’re EIT students again.”

The new facility includes a homeroom and a flexible classroom setup, with digital tools that support collaborative learning – improving accessibility and allowing students to move more freely.

The transition from temporary facilities to a permanent home marks more than just a change of address. For Les and her team, it signals a reconnection with the wider EIT community — and a chance to reset expectations for students.

“That’s a really positive shift.”

The newly assembled teaching team includes five graduates from EIT’s School of Health and Sport Science, several of whom have transitioned from student placements to staff roles.

“They’ve brought not just their own journey but the skills and technologies from their training. It’s exciting to see former students come full circle.”

Dr Andrew Garrett, Head of School, Health and Sport Science, said: “Les and her team do an excellent job on the skills for living programme”.

“Providing a really valuable contribution to the community. It’s great to see they now have purpose built facilities on the campus with their students joining the vibrant student community.”

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Fatal crash, Norton Road, Hamilton

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a serious crash in Hamilton this afternoon.

Police received a report of the two-vehicle crash at around 4.30pm.

Sadly, despite best efforts of emergency services, one person died at the scene.

The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination and the road is now clear.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Poice Media Centre

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Energy – Methanex gas sale – a short-term fix for a systemic problem

Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes the pragmatic deal announced by Methanex today of an agreement with Contact Energy to sell ~2.8 PJ of gas over an eight-week period, starting immediately.
Chief Executive John Carnegie says, while it is good to see industry players once again broker a solution to security of the supply issues, this is like a band-aid on a gaping wound. 
“Methanex is again propping up our electricity system and forgoing production and export earnings to do so, harming New Zealand’s GDP and terms of trade.”
Contact Energy says the deal has been struck against the backdrop of the record-lowest first-quarter national hydro inflows and continued dwindling upstream gas supplies.
Carnegie says the Government needs to act urgently to stimulate investment in our upstream gas industry so the manufacturing industry can survive, and plan to expand and thrive.
“Where is the plan to encourage investment in this sector, which has underpinned growth and employment in the regions for decades, particularly in Taranaki?
This is yet another winter where security of supply issues in the electricity system have seen Methanex forgo production to bolster generation.
Does this mean we will look to other industries in winter 2026 to curtail production again to ensure the lights stay on? Or do we all start praying for rain?” says Carnegie.
“New Zealand needs a longer-term vision to return to prosperity rather than short-term fixes as we lurch from electricity supply crisis to crisis every winter.
The Government needs to demonstrate a vision for growth and prosperity by enabling a positive investment environment that delivers more gas into the system, which means that our generators and industries don’t have to keep reaching for the first aid kit.”
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Woman charged with murder in Manurewa homicide investigation

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have made an arrest over the death of a man in Manurewa yesterday morning.

A homicide investigation was launched on 6 May after emergency services were called to a Mahia Road property just before 10am following a report of a person seriously injured.

Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, from Counties Manukau CIB, says a man was located in a critical condition but despite the best efforts from first-aid responders, he died at the scene.

“Our enquiries have progressed in identifying a person of interest in this case, and a woman presented at the Manukau Police Station this morning,” he says.

“This woman has been spoken to and has now been charged with murder.”

Detective Inspector Vickers says Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the death.

The 32-year-old woman will appear in the Manukau District Court tomorrow on the murder charge.

Detective Inspector Vickers says the investigation team are still completing some enquiries as part of the investigation.

“A scene examination has been completed and a post mortem has also been completed.

“This in no doubt an upsetting incident for all involved and we are pleased to have been able to bring a quick resolution to this investigation.”

As the matter is now before the Court, Police is unable to comment further.

ENDS.

Jarred WIlliamson/NZ Police