Source: New Zealand Police
A pedestrian who was seriously injured after being struck by a car in Christchurch last week has died.
The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by the car in Halswell Road at around 10.45am on 23 May. Sadly he passed away in hospital on 24 May.
Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
[Remarks during press engagement in Kathmandu with the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr Rana Deuba, Kathmandu, Nepal]
Thank you Foreign Minister Deuba for the warm welcome to Nepal.
We are very pleased to be here on this historic occasion; the first visit by a New Zealand Foreign Minister to Nepal and, tomorrow, the 72nd anniversary of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary’s summit of Mount Everest Sagarmāthā.
Norgay and Hillary’s achievement in 1953 was a watershed moment in the histories of both of our countries, and a formative event in the bilateral relations between our countries.
The legacy of that shared history continues today, and is reflected in our long-standing, warm relationship.
With Minister Deuba, we discussed New Zealand’s support for over 70 years to the Himalayan Trust established by Hillary to support development and education in the Everest region.
We also discussed our long-standing development and education ties. Beginning with assistance under the Colombo Plan and supported under a number of different scholarship initiatives since, Nepalese students have been studying in New Zealand for more than 70 years. Education cooperation is a strong strand of our bilateral relationship, and one which we will continue to nurture.
We were pleased to confirm that New Zealand will continue this support by contributing NZ$2.5 million to development projects and scholarships in Nepal over the next three years.
We acknowledged Nepal’s positive contribution to climate action and noted that Nepal is able to draw on New Zealand’s NZ$15 million contribution to the Global Green Growth Institute.
Earlier today we were pleased to also meet President Paudel and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.
In these meetings we reiterated our shared interests in regional and global security and acknowledged Nepal’s significant troop contribution to UN peacekeeping.
We discussed New Zealand’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the importance of working together to uphold the rules-based international system.
We also discussed the multiple pressures on the global trade and economic system, and ways we can strengthen bilateral cooperation.
We spoke of our ambition to have an Air Services Agreement between New Zealand and Nepal in place in the near future to support the growth of tourism and trade.
The New Zealand Government is committed to bringing more energy to our relationships in South and Southeast Asia, and we are pleased to count Nepal amongst our most long-standing relationships in the region.
Thank you once again to Foreign Minister Deuba, the government, and the people of Nepal for your generous hosting of our delegation, and for continuing our friendly and constructive relationship.
Thank you.
Source: Green Party
The Government’s latest move to unwind the ‘pay parity’ regime carefully negotiated between government and the sector is a kick in the teeth for already undervalued and underpaid kaiako.
“Make no mistake, this is a move by the Government to ensure that pay increases for teachers stay low, while cutting costs to employers,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Early Childhood Education, Benjamin Doyle (they/them).
“Today, the Ministry of Education announced that, following a decision by Minister Seymour, centres in the pay parity scheme don’t have to offer new teachers pay parity rates. So while they can’t cut the pay of their existing workers, they don’t have to maintain these rates for new employees – meaning reduction in wages over time.
“This is another blow to kaiako – already undervalued and let down by this government by the pay equity debacle. Slashing pay sends a clear message that teachers don’t matter.
“Driving down wages means more teachers walking away, and it’s our tamariki and their whānau who will pay the price. We can’t gamble with their futures by short-changing the very people who shape them.
“This news comes less than a fortnight after we learned the dire state of sector’s confidence in the direction the Government is taking ECE, with 82 per cent of those at the coalface saying it’s going in the wrong direction.
“Every child in Aotearoa deserves the best start in life. That demands an ECE system that places tamariki at its core by supporting and valuing the important work of teachers and educators.
“Our Green Budget has shown that we can pay every ECE teacher fairly—if we make the sector not-for-profit, public, and community-led.
“Take out the corporate greed and put every dollar into tamariki and kaiako – that’s how we can lower costs for parents and pay teachers what they deserve,” says Benjamin Doyle.
Source: New Zealand Police
Northland Police investigating the death of Horeke man Daniel Hepehi are continuing to build a picture about events that led up to an incident at his property.
Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, of Northland CIB, says the investigation team are working on fresh lines of enquiry following an appeal for information yesterday.
“We have a motivated team building a picture of what happened to Mr Hepehi and we continue to ask people with information to come forward,” he says.
Police are appealing for sightings of the 77-year-old, who was also known as Danny Whitson, on Wednesday, May 21.
“We’d like to hear from anyone who saw or interacted with Mr Hepehi on May 21,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.
“We know he shopped for groceries in Kaikohe around 10.30am last Wednesday.”
Police are continuing an appeal for sightings of a green and gold 4-wheel-drive with the number plate LCP129 on May 21.
“Police are investigating a connection between the vehicle and Daniel Hepehi,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.
Anyone with information is asked to update Police online or call 105.
Please quote the reference number 250522/0155. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Nicole Bremner/NZ Police
Source: Worksafe New Zealand
Welcome to the seventh WorkSafe High Hazards newsletter. In this issue we cover:
Source: Press Release Service
Headline: Invercargill to Consider Ethical Procurement
Invercargill City Council has requested a staff report on a proposal to amend its procurement policy to exclude companies involved in illegal Israeli settlements, following a motion from local residents and the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. If adopted, Invercargill would join other New Zealand councils aligning with international law and UN Resolution 2334, aiming to ensure ratepayer funds are spent ethically. The council vote will be scheduled once the report is complete.
The post Invercargill to Consider Ethical Procurement first appeared on PR.co.nz.
Source: Press Release Service
Headline: Fieldays Forestry Hub: ‘Biochar fixes carbon’
Biochar Network New Zealand is delighted to be part of the Forestry Hub again at Fieldays 2025. In New Zealand and internationally, biochar made from forestry residues is used for a variety of regenerative agriculture applications, saving farmers money, and increasing productivity. BNNZ will be demonstrating the principles of pyrolysis & gasification for biochar production over the four days. The BNNZ team will also be presenting in the Forestry Hub main stage on biochar production and its applications to agriculture and the natural environment.
The post Fieldays Forestry Hub: ‘Biochar fixes carbon’ first appeared on PR.co.nz.
Source: Press Release Service
Headline: R&D Tax Credit Software
TaxTrex is one of the most advanced AI language models platform developed by Swanson Reed, designed to assist New Zealand businesses in efficiently claiming the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI).
The post R&D Tax Credit Software first appeared on PR.co.nz.
Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway 5, Tarawera has reopened following an earlier crash.
The crash occurred at about 8.50am and had closed the road in both directions.
The crash involves a car and a truck.
The road reopened at around 3:45pm.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Work has begun on the next stage of installation of the weigh-in-motion scales for the new Taupō hi-tech weigh station.
Five sites on the roads leading to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre at the State Highway 1/ State Highway 5 intersection are having in-road weighing technology installed. The affected lanes have been coned off for the past month while new asphalt cures. Work installing the communication systems continued in the meantime.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says now the asphalt has hardened it can be cut for the scales to be installed.
“While it may have looked like nothing was happening beyond the cones, it was essential to give the asphalt time to cure and be ready for cutting and carrying traffic,” says Waikato/Bay of Plenty Regional Manager for Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter.
“We couldn’t remove the traffic management and run traffic over it because the soft asphalt would’ve resulted in an uneven compaction. The new asphalt either side of the scales has been laid to precise levels to allow the scales to read truck weights correctly.
The scales are being installed on 5 of the roads heading towards the safety centre.
The locations are:
Temporary lanes on the road shoulders allow traffic to pass around the work areas and minimise the use of stop/go or temporary detours. Speed restrictions are in place.
This work will run through to mid-to-late June when all traffic management can be removed.
Cutting asphalt in preparation to install the in-road scale on Napier Road.
The Taupō weigh station is one of 12 facilities NZTA is building on high-volume freight routes around the country for NZ Police to operate. The safety centres are part of the national Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme.
This technology will screen passing traffic and number-plate recognition and electronic signage will direct any suspected non-compliant heavy vehicles into the safety centre. Police officers on site will check vehicle weights, road user charges, certificates of fitness, logbooks and driver impairment.
Read more about the Commercial Vehicle Safety Centres: