Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

1 day ago

Laureen Kelly (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) enrolled at EIT to keep her son from quitting his Māori studies and to learn the language she wasn’t able to learn growing up.

Six years later, the 55-year-old has just graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Māori from EIT’s Tairāwhiti Campus.

The journey began in 2019 when her son Joshua, then in Year 12 at Gisborne Boys’ High School, told her he wanted to quit his Māori studies.

“I said, if I go back to school and learn, we could support each other, and that gave him the incentive to carry on,” she says.

At the time, Laureen was also grieving the loss of her husband, while her brother had recently begun learning te reo Māori.

With her daughter urging her to get out of the house and do something, enrolling at EIT felt like the right step for the mother of six.

“I thought I needed to pick myself up and help my children. I couldn’t keep wallowing. I had to come out of it, or else my children would have suffered more,” she says.

While Joshua, now 23, went on to complete his studies through to Year 13, Laureen continued her own journey after completing the NZ Certificate in Te Reo Māori (Level 3).

“I haven’t stopped.”

Growing up in Tairāwhiti, Laureen did not speak te reo Māori. Her mother was fluent but, like many of her generation, had been punished for speaking Māori at school and did not pass the language on to her children.

“When I first started at EIT, I knew Monday, Tuesday in Māori and how to count to 10, but that was about it,” she says.

Through her studies, Laureen developed a deeper understanding of the suppression and colonisation her tīpuna had experienced and began to untangle the shame she had carried for years.

“From knowing nothing about being Māori to what I know today, I knew nothing, but now I know just enough to understand being Māori and not being ashamed of being Māori,” she says.

Laureen credits the support of EIT’s Tairāwhiti Campus and the tutors at Te Whatukura with helping her through her journey.

“The tutors were fantastic. Not just Te Whatukura, but the whole campus.”

Having completed her honours degree, Laureen is now looking ahead to postgraduate study and, in time, plans to write a series of whakapapa books to help others reconnect with their ancestry.

“Hopefully anybody who cannot find their whakapapa can actually look in the book and say, ‘oh, here’s my line’,” she says.

Her message to others who feel disconnected from their language or culture is simple: “You’re never too old to learn”.

“You’re never too old to go back to school. It may awaken what you have been missing.”
Angela Tibble, Programme Co-ordinator and Lecturer, Te Uranga Waka, says Laureen’s journey embodies resilience, whānau commitment, and the power of lifelong learning.

“We are immensely proud of her perseverance through grief, study, and growth. Her success honours her tīpuna, inspires our tauira, and shows that reclaiming te reo Māori is transformative at any stage of life. Tuwhitia te hopo! Feel the fear and do it anyway. Ka mutu pea Laureen!”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

1 day ago

After more than two decades away from te reo Māori, Antony Ruru returned to study at EIT Tairāwhiti and rediscovered his language and culture.

Antony (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Nga Ariki Kaiputahi, Ngāti Porou), who works as a Senior Advisor Community Readiness and Recovery in Gisborne, says returning to study at EIT helped him reconnect with te reo Māori.

Although he grew up speaking te reo Māori at home, the 40-year-old spent more than two decades after leaving school focused on trades and music, with little time for te reo Māori.

“I had done nothing for like 20 plus years. And then I just decided one day that I wanted to get back into that side.”

Encouraged by a friend already studying at EIT and his whānau, he decided to visit Te Whatukura.

Though he was initially hesitant to walk through the door.

“Just as I grabbed the door handle, I said, ‘oh nah’, and walked back to the car. I walked back again and went to grab the door and walked back to the car. Just as I went back the third time, the door opened from the inside and Kaiako Angela Tibble said, ‘oh kia ora, do you want to come in?’”

Antony began with the NZ Certificate in Te Reo me ōna Tikanga (Level 4) before quickly progressing through the Bachelor of Arts (Māori), completing the degree between 2015 and 2017.

“Studying at Te Whatukura was one of the best journeys I’ve had—truly one of the highlights of my life.”

Returning to study gave him the space to build on the foundation he had carried with him since childhood.

“It had been a long break, but coming into the whare and seeing the smiling faces, it just really uplifted me. Also, for myself as a student, I found how easy and approachable the lecturers were.”

Following his studies, Antony went on to teach te reo Māori me ōna Tikanga at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for five years before moving into Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

In his current role, he works with communities, schools, hapū, iwi, and marae to educate and support fire safety and emergency preparedness.

He says the values he learned through his studies at Te Whatukura sit alongside the teachings he received from his nanny and papa, forming a strong foundation that continues to guide his work today.

“It is still about utilising our tikanga and te reo kaupapa and instilling those values into the work we do.”

He adds that Te Whatukura provided a space where students could grow in confidence and deepen their connection to te ao Māori.

“The safe space created at Te Whatukura and EIT enabled that to flourish.”
Eight years on from graduating, Antony still returns each year for hākari with former classmates and lecturers.

“You make lifelong friends. Even if you do not have whānau here or you are studying alone, the relationships always find you.”

For those wanting to learn te reo Māori and tikanga in a safe and supportive environment, Antony often shares a whakataukī from his lecturer Joe Pihema: “Me patua te taniwha o whakamā ki waho!”

“Kick shyness out the door and come along to Te Whatukura today.”
Angela Tibble, Programme Co-ordinator and Lecturer, Te Uranga Waka, says Antony’s journey shows the ripple effect of Māori education.

“When one tauira reclaims te reo and tikanga, that knowledge flows back into whānau, workplaces and communities. As a programme, our greatest measure of success is seeing graduates use what they’ve learned to serve others with confidence, purpose and aroha. Ka nui te mihi ki a koe Ants, e rere!”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

2 days ago

Enrolments at EIT have reached their highest level since the institute’s 2011 merger with Tairāwhiti, with early 2026 figures tracking ahead of the same time last year.

So far this year, 4,637 learners have enrolled, around two percent ahead of the same time in 2025 and at 61 percent of the institute’s Equivalent Full-Time Student (EFTS) target.

This follows a record 2025, when EIT enrolled 11,038 learners across the year, representing 5,125 EFTS.

EIT Chief Executive Lucy Laitinen says the continued growth reflects renewed confidence in the institute and strong demand from industry for skilled graduates.

“We are seeing more learners choosing EIT as we re-establish ourselves, and that is closely linked to the needs of our regional industries. Our focus is on ensuring learners are gaining the skills and experience that employers are looking for, and that those pathways remain strong.”

EIT’s 2025 EFTS total reached 5,125, made up of 3,585 domestic EFTS, 675 international onshore EFTS, and 866 EFTS from other revenue sources, reflecting a diverse learner base across multiple delivery modes and funding streams.

Lucy says the result marks a significant achievement given the ongoing impacts of Covid 19, severe weather events, and sustained disruption across the tertiary education sector and the wider regions EIT serves.

International education continues to play an important role at EIT. In 2025, international students made up about 16 percent of the onshore student body, with 675 international EFTS representing just over 1,000 students from 38 countries.

Lucy says this diversity contributes to the learning environment and the wider social and economic vitality of the region.

Māori participation at EIT remains a key strength, continuing to sit well above regional population demographics and the national sector average.

However, EIT acknowledges the significant impact of major regional events between 2021 and 2023, including Covid 19, the 2023 cyclone, and a series of less visible but highly disruptive weather events in Tairāwhiti.

These events led to a decline in priority learner engagement, including a drop in Māori learner participation during that period.

“It is therefore particularly encouraging to see participation rates increase in 2025, moving back toward pre disruption levels and signalling renewed learner confidence and engagement across EIT’s communities.”

Higher-level qualifications remain a core part of EIT’s academic portfolio. In 2025, Level 7 (degree level) programmes account for 26 percent of total enrolments, up from 24 percent in 2024.

“This growth highlights sustained demand for degree study and reinforces EIT’s role in supporting advanced skills development and workforce readiness across the region.”

Lucy says the continued growth reflects both the resilience of learners and staff and the institute’s continued commitment to accessible, high quality education.

“As communities recover from recent challenges, EIT remains focused on supporting learner success, strengthening regional pathways, and contributing to long term social and economic recovery.

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

1 day ago

A Hawke’s Bay music graduate is working behind the scenes of major live events across the region after completing her Bachelor of Creative Practice (Music) at EIT.

Brooke Rowe (Ngāti Kahungunu), 24, completed the degree at the end of last year after returning home from Wellington, where she had been working as a barista.

“I was living in Wellington, and I was missing home, so I decided to come back to Hawke’s Bay.”

Having grown up playing guitar and taking singing lessons, Brooke says music was one of the only things she had ever been truly interested in pursuing.

“I’ve always loved music. It was really one of the only things I was actually ever interested in.”
During her studies, Brooke was drawn to the performance side of the programme, which offered regular opportunities to perform at local venues.

“I’ve always loved performing, so the music degree was great because there were lots of opportunities for live performance.”

Highlights included performing at venues such as The Cabana and Paisley Stage, as well as a performance at Ōtātara Pā.

Through the degree, Brooke also gained an internship working behind the scenes at local events, including Outfield Festival and the setup for a UB40 concert.

“Those opportunities have come through my tutors and EIT.”

The experience helped her discover a passion for the production side of live music she had not expected.

“Through EIT, they have really helped me realise that I do like stage management and the detail work that goes into putting on live performance.”

“You can see the crowd and how they are enjoying it right away. There is more connection to your audience. When you are putting on a show, you get to see all the details come together in an instant. There is always a certain energy at live events which I love.”

Brooke says the support of tutors and the close-knit class environment made a significant difference to her experience.

“All our tutors were on the ball. They were really patient and helped us through everything. The class sizes were quite small, which was really helpful, especially in a degree like music where you are working closely with each other and forming bands.”

She graduates next month and is keen to keep building her experience in the live events sector.

Music Lecturer Svetlana Eliason said: “Brooke is a passionate and enthusiastic performer who brings both creativity and care to everything she does”.

“Sometimes she would step confidently into the spotlight with an acoustic guitar; at other times, she was the driving force behind beautifully choreographed theatrical performances. Her final student performance showcased her growth as a songwriter and performer, as well as her professionalism as stage manager for the entire event.”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

1 day ago

An EIT graduate who rebuilt his life after a serious spinal injury is one step closer to becoming the physiotherapist he never had, following a study pathway through sport and exercise programmes.

Mason Moeke (Ngāi Takoto, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) began studying at EIT in 2024, first with the NZ Certificate in Exercise (Level 4) before completing the NZ Diploma in Sport, Recreation and Exercise last year.

Mason, who had been working as a truck driver, said his decision to study came after a spinal injury in 2021 left him struggling both physically and mentally.

“It left me in quite a bad state. I went through chronic depression and feeling like I didn’t belong,” he says.

“I was talking to my friend one day, and I changed my mindset. I made a conscious choice that right then and there, I was going to change my life and my way of living.”

With no formal background in exercise, he began slowly reintroducing movement into his daily routine, rebuilding his strength consistently over time.

“Honestly, it took me probably about a good year of being consistent, implementing small changes into my daily life to get off my crutches and onto a walking stick, and then off the walking stick. When I got to that point, I felt really accomplished. But I felt like, why stop here? I’ve got so much more to look forward to.”

That realisation led him to EIT, where Lecturer Ormond Heather played a key role in reassuring him that, despite his injury, a career in health and fitness was within reach.

“The way he explained it to me, it lit that spark of reassurance back in me.”

He and a friend turned up expecting an information session and ended up staying for the first day of class. “We were surrounded by good people and had a great support team.”

Alongside his studies, Mason also worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Strength Room in Havelock North.

It was during this time that his ambition grew beyond personal training, inspired by Physiotherapist and EIT PASM Lecturer Lee-Anne Taylor.

“She was amazing at what she did. I really looked up to her and wanted to follow the same path. She helped guide me.”

Mason has since been accepted into the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Wintec in Hamilton, where he began his four-year degree last month.

He can’t speak highly enough of EIT.

“There’s a great support system at EIT. If you give 100 per cent, those lecturers will give you 1000. I can’t thank those who were involved with my learning enough; they’ve been a huge part of my growth. I highly recommend EIT to anybody wanting to further their studies. No matter what it is.”

His long-term goal is to return to Hawke’s Bay and establish a physiotherapy business deeply rooted in Māori and Pasifika culture, and accessible, affordable and welcoming to those who might not otherwise seek help.

“I want to be the physio that I didn’t have. The person to help bring that light back into people’s lives and actually feel like they belong.”

Throughout the journey, his mother and three sisters have been his greatest source of support.

“My mum and my three sisters have been my backbone through everything, from my injury all the way up until now.”

Reflecting on his journey, Mason says what once felt like his darkest moment has ultimately shaped his purpose.

“At that point in time when I had my injury, it was really dark. But now I look at it, it is sort of a blessing because without the injury happening, or EIT, I would not be in the position I am today.”

Lecturer Lee-Anne Taylor says: “We all noticed in the level 5 qualification that Mason was bright and keen, but probably didn’t believe that.

As he worked through the year, the more belief he had in himself, the greater he excelled.

“It was so heartwarming to see his growth, the culture and connection he brought to the classroom and overall, how far he journeyed. We are looking forward to watching him grow further and look forward to seeing what he will accomplish.”

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Taylor:

Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Daniel James Work in the Whanganui High Court today.

The 39-year-old has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non parole period of 10 years, 6 months after pleading guilty to the murder of Albert Coe in Ohingaiti on 21 January 2024. 

No sentence will bring back Albie or lessen the deep hurt his loved ones have felt since his death, but this a positive outcome for the community.

Police would like to thank everyone that assisted throughout the case, and to bring this matter to justice.

Police will not be making further comment.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

A late-night drive-thru run has foiled one offender, after allegedly committing an aggravated robbery at another fast food outlet earlier in the night.

Auckland City Police responded to a pizza restaurant on Sandringham Road at around 10.15pm on Tuesday.

“A person has entered the store, armed with a machete, threatening the staff working and forcing them into a cooler room,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ian Lambarth says.

“The store’s till was stolen before the offender left the store.

“Police were contacted a short time later and a Police camera operator identified a stolen VW Golf leaving the area.”

Fortunately, no one at the store suffered any physical injuries.

A Police unit later sighted this VW sitting in a drive-thru in Māngere.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Lambarth says the vehicle was successfully spiked as it exited the drive-thru.

“The Golf has taken off at speed towards State Highway 1, and the vehicle has travelled south towards Papakura.”

The Golf was spiked a second time as it exited the motorway network.

“It came to a stop on Beach Road as all four tyres had been spiked, and both occupants were arrested without incident.”

The 21-year-old man driving the vehicle has been charged with aggravated robbery, failing to stop and receiving stolen property.

He will appear in the Auckland District Court today.

The 17-year-old male passenger will be referred to Youth Aid over the incident.

“I’d like to acknowledge all the staff involved in responding to last night’s aggravated robbery, and our colleagues in Counties Manukau who sighted our wanted vehicle,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Lambarth says.

ENDS. 

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

An Auckland man’s elaborate getaway plan changing his appearance was just a case of the emperor’s new clothes.

The offender’s efforts resulted in further offences being committed, all playing out on camera, and ending in a trip to court today.

Police had been responding to a burglary at a Birkenhead venue just after 4pm on Tuesday.

“The venue was closed to the public at the time, but a man allegedly entered, taking money from a till and a knife,” acting Detective Inspector Megan Goldie says.

“A staff member was allegedly threatened with the knife as the offender exited.”

The man continued walking on Recreation Drive, allegedly entering another business nearby.

“He soon emerged wearing an orthopaedic boot and removing items of clothing to change his appearance.

“But Police were watching, and units soon caught up with him at a nearby bus stop,” acting Detective Inspector Goldie says.

The 30-year-old man was arrested and faces two burglary charges and a charge of aggravated assault.

He will appear in the North Shore District Court today. Police will oppose the man’s bail at this appearance.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute the following to Detective Senior Sergeant David Thompson:

Police have arrested a man over stabbing two people in Fielding last month.

A 20-year-old man will appear in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday 7 April with two charges of wounding.

The arrest follows the investigation into an incident when two groups came across each other in Stafford Street. What was peaceful at the start soon disintegrated into several people fighting on the street.

It was during this those two men received stab wounds. Both have since been discharged from hospital.

It is unclear what has started this incident, but a search warrant executed at a Feilding address proved helpful to the investigation.

Detective Senior Sergeant Thompson says that today’s quick arrest was a great outcome for the Feilding community and the desire to keep their streets safe.

“It was clear when CCTV was looked at that certain elements in the two groups were hell bent on one thing, to fight each other.

“There were many members of the public nearby so it only luck that no one else was seriously injured,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Thompson.

As the matter is before the court, Police will not be making further comment.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

A dangerous driver is headed to court after he drove on the wrong side of State Highway 1 at excessive speeds before crashing in Auckland overnight.

At around 3.15am, Police received multiple reports of a northbound vehicle travelling the wrong way on the Northern Motorway near Northcote.

Senior Sergeant Carl Fowlie, Waitematā North Area Response Manager, says motorway cameras observed the vehicle driving at high speeds near Oteha Valley Road, Albany.

“Police units were deployed to the area, but with the vehicle reaching speeds upwards of 160kmh, officers did not pursue.

“Units followed the vehicle at a safe distance from the correct side of the motorway,” Senior Sergeant Fowlie says.

The vehicle continued travelling north in the southbound lane on SH1, before it struck a barrier near the Puhoi on-ramp and crashed down a bank.

“Police promptly arrived on the scene and located the driver uninjured, and he was taken into custody.”

Senior Sergeant Fowlie says this incident could have ended in tragedy.

“It is extremely lucky no one was injured or killed as a result of the driver’s dangerous actions.”

A 53-year-old man has been summonsed to appear in North Shore District Court on 13 May for recklessly operating a motor vehicle.

ENDS

Frankie Le Roy/NZ Police