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Category: MIL-OSI

  • 5 big wins from DOC’s National Predator Control Programme |

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    Learn how bats, Fiordland tokoeka kiwi, and kākā are all benefiting from our landscape-scale predator control programme using 1080 to protect public conservation land.

    Fiordland tokoeka kiwi chick. Image: Belle Gwilliam

    Our National Predator Control Programme

    DOC’s National Predator Control Programme protects native wildlife and forests at important conservation sites across New Zealand.

    Currently, we control predators on a sustained, rotational basis over about 1.8 million hectares, which is nearly 20% of public conservation land.

    It’s critical that rats, stoats, and possums are regularly controlled so that populations of threatened native species can survive and grow.

    We use the most effective tools available, such as 1080 toxin and large-scale trapping, to protect vulnerable native species and forests. 

    While the tools and strategies are being developed to achieve Predator Free 2050, our National Predator Control Programme is holding the line for threatened native species by regularly controlling introduced predators across large forest areas. 

    We recently published our 2024 National Predator Control Programme report which shows we had some big wins for our native species last year.

    You can read the full report here: National Predator Control Programme Annual Report 2024

    Here’s our top five highlights of 2024 – from bustling bat roosts to turning the tide for one of our rarest kiwi species:

    1️⃣ We’ve turned the tide for Fiordland tokoeka kiwi

    Before predator control, every single kiwi chick we monitored in Shy Lake died, meaning the species was facing extinction. 

    After predator control and eight years of research, last year’s kiwi chick survival rate climbed to 60%. 

    Ranger Chris Dodd with ‘Spanners’, one of the first monitored tokoeka chicks to survive during the programme, now fully grown. Image: Monty Williams.

    2️⃣ Thanks to our science advice, we’ve improved timing for operations and achieved our best results yet

    Our scientists carefully reviewed the results of how we time our operations around beech masts. With their advice, we changed tactics and targeted rats either before beech seed was produced or after it had germinated. 

    It paid off big time – all our operations suppressed rats effectively, in most cases down to undetectable levels. 

    Predator plague cycle. Image: DOC

    3️⃣ Pīwauwau rock wren thriving with predator control

    There are an average of twice as many rock wrens at predator control sites compared to sites with no control.

    Every year our team surveys alpine rock wren populations. Research across our 25 sites shows that aerial operations help rock wren populations recover and grow. 

    Tuke/pīwauwau/rock wren calling in the alpine tops of Fiordland. Photo: Sabine Bernert ©

    4️⃣ We found a record-breaking pekapeka bat roost while monitoring the results of predator control

    We discovered 275 bats in one tree roost in Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation park where we undertake regular predator control operations. That’s a lot of bats! 

    Pekapeka/short-tailed bat. Image: Maddy Brennan

    5️⃣ Thanks to predator control, kākā in Waipapa have the most balanced sex ratio ever recorded

    Female kākā are more vulnerable to predation, especially when they’re confined to nest cavities during breeding season. Studying the ratio of kākā males to females can help us understand the health of a population and its predation pressures. 

    This year, kākā monitoring in Pureora Forest (an ongoing predator control site) revealed a 1:1 sex ratio – the most balanced we’ve ever recorded.  

    Kākā eating rātā flower. Photo: Sarah Stirrup

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    Kākā eating some delcious rātā flower. Image: Sarah Stirrup

    Learn more about DOC’s National Predator Control Programme and read the full report here: National Predator Control Programme

  • Off-leash dogs on sports fields pose serious risk to children and players

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

    A recent dog attack during a football training session at Tahurangi / Crum Park has highlighted the serious risk off-leash dogs pose to our communities.

    A young girl, watching the football training with family members, was attacked by an uncontrolled dog. She will be left with a large scar and a life-long traumatic memory because of this preventable incident.

    Auckland Council’s General Manager for Licensing and Compliance, Robert Irvine says this is not an isolated incident and off-leash dog attacks on sports fields are on the rise.

    “Similar situations have occurred at other sports grounds where off-leash dogs have rushed at junior players during training,” Mr Irvine says.

    “Week after week, dogs are walked off-leash across Auckland’s sports fields while children train, play, and compete; an attack can and does happen so quickly when there are kids running around and a dog is off leash,” he adds.

    “This behaviour not only puts children and adults at risk of injury, but it also degrades the quality of our fields. Dog fouling on sports grounds is a persistent problem — one that poses health risks and ruins the experience for players.

    Chair of the Regulatory and Safety Committee Councillor Josephine Bartley, herself a dog lover and owner, says it’s unacceptable to have dogs running uncontrolled across our playing fields.

    “No parent wants to see their child land face-first in dog excrement while playing soccer or rugby. 

    “And not only children, but adults too, deserve a safe, clean environment to train and play,” Councillor Bartley says.

    “Dogs must be always kept under control near playing fields. This sort of thoughtless behaviour has serious consequences; let’s keep our sports grounds safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone.”

    Auckland Council’s regional rule states that dogs are not on most sports playing surfaces at any time. This includes marked football pitches. These areas are for organised sport and recreation — not dog exercise. Dogs may still be allowed away from playing surfaces, including on a leash on the sidelines when sport is being played. Alternative off-leash dog parks and spaces are provided away from playing surfaces.

    To find out where your dog can be exercised off-leash click here

  • One before the courts following operation targeting drug dealers in Queenstown

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A 39-year-old man is before the courts following an operation targeting illicit drug dealing in Queenstown, alongside the seizure of multiple illicit drugs and around $45,000 cash.

    Following an investigation into the distribution of illicit drugs in the community, Police executed a search warrant at a Queenstown property yesterday morning.

    The man was arrested and charged in relation to the operation.

    Following the arrest, a search of the residence located varying amounts of ketamine, cocaine, MDMA, LSD, cannabis, and psilocybin.

    Digital scales were also located, alongside $45,000 cash.

    Detective Sergeant Miriam Chittenden says Police is pleased with the result from this operation.

    “We work hard to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs within our community as we see first-hand the serious impacts and harm from these illicit drugs every day.

    Police will continue to target those who supply illicit drugs, which cause extreme harm and damage to our communities. However, we cannot do this alone, and we ask that anyone with information about the supply of illicit drugs contacts us through 105, either online or via phone.

    Information can also be reported to your local Police station or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.

    We encourage anyone affected by drug addiction to seek help through Alcohol and Drug helpline on 0800 787 797, or free text 8681.

    The 39-year-old man is due to appear in Queenstown District Court on Monday 12 May, charged with multiple charges including offers to supply LSD, offers to supply psilocybin, possession of cocaine, and possession of MDMA.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

  • Appeal for information following Hei Hei crash

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Canterbury Police are investigating a crash in Hei Hei last month and are appealing for witnesses.

    At around 4:15pm on Saturday 12 April, a vehicle collided with a pedestrian at the corner of Buchanans Road and Carmen Road.

    The pedestrian sustained serious injuries however these are not believed to be life threatening.

    Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash, or saw a dark-coloured Mazda people mover in the Hei Hei area between 4pm and 4:30pm on 12 April.

    The vehicle travelled towards the airport along Carmen Road following the collision and was last seen at around 4:25pm turning into Roydvale Ave from Memorial Ave.

    If you have any information that could assist, including dashcam or CCTV footage, please get in touch via 105, either over the phone or online.

    You can reference file number 250413/9097.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

  • 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

  • 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 

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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. 

  • 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.