Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Police

As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.

Te Tari Pureke – Firearms Safety Authority, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.

Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.

“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.

“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”

Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.

The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”

Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:

• Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
• Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
• How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have?

“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.

ENDS

Background information

What is the ‘Roar’?

It is the breeding season of New Zealand’s red deer species. The roar runs from mid-March through April. The roar lasts approximately four weeks, with stags being the most vocal attracting mates in the middle two weeks.

Who are the Recreational Firearms Users Group?

The Recreational Firearms Users Group was formed to help align the important messaging of the various stakeholder groups involved in recreational hunting in New Zealand.

This group consists of Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Fish & Game NZ, Game Animal Council, Mountain Safety Council, NZ Deerstalkers Association, Department of Conservation and Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority.

Useful sources:

Game Animal Council: https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/the-roar/

Department of Conservation: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/deer/red-deer/

Te Tari Pureke – Hunter Safety: https://www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/hunter-safety

The 7 rules of firearms safety: https://www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/7-rules-firearm-safety

Data on hunter injury numbers: https://www.mountainsafety.org.nz/explore/research-and-insights/a-hunters-tale

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Paula Drewery, Taranaki Area Investigations Manager:

Police investigating a serious assault in King Edward Park in Stratford on Friday evening have arrested one person.

A 23-year-old man will appear in the Hawera District Court today on wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Police previously asked the public for assistance to locate the offender, following a person being found seriously assaulted by an unknown man at the park.

They were transported to hospital with serious injuries and are thankfully recovering.

Police are grateful for the community’s assistance. It has been a fantastic response to be provided with information that helped investigative staff to quickly apprehend the offender.

Police want to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing risk to the public.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  23 March 2026

Rangitahi/Molesworth is New Zealand’s largest farm and has a long history of high-country farming.

It’s also a nationally important drylands ecosystem with a deep cultural significance to Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kurī, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Rangitāne o Wairau, and significant biodiversity and recreation values.

DOC South Marlborough Operations Manager Stacey Wrenn says DOC received five applications.

“We’re really pleased with the response we’ve had here. Given the scale of the reserve and the specialised type of farming, we think this is a good level of interest,” Stacey says.

“We appreciate the effort that has gone into preparing the applications.”

Stacey says the applications will now be carefully assessed against set criteria and DOC aims to select a preferred operator by the end of May.

“Assessment criteria includes the operator’s experience, skills and resources, how biodiversity and heritage values will be protected, how cultural values will be upheld, and how public access will be improved and facilitated.

“Details of this process are available in the tender document on the DOC website.

“Once a preferred operator is chosen, they will be invited to apply for a concession, which will be publicly notified so people can have their say on the proposal.”

The existing lease with Pāmu (Landcorp Farming), expires 30 June 2026. DOC and Pāmu are working together to ensure operations continue smoothly while the preferred operator is selected and new concession processed, and to work through the change of operators, if necessary.

“As the incumbent, Pāmu continues to engage closely with the Department of Conservation regarding the future of the Molesworth lease, and we’re committed to working constructively through their process,” says a Pāmu spokesperson.

At 180,787 ha, Molesworth Recreation Reserve is slightly larger than Rakiura/Stewart Island and larger than 10 of New Zealand’s National Parks.

More details about the competitive allocation process can be found on the DOC website.

Contact

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  23 March 2026

Rangitahi/Molesworth is New Zealand’s largest farm and has a long history of high-country farming.

It’s also a nationally important drylands ecosystem with a deep cultural significance to Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kurī, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Rangitāne o Wairau, and significant biodiversity and recreation values.

DOC South Marlborough Operations Manager Stacey Wrenn says DOC received five applications.

“We’re really pleased with the response we’ve had here. Given the scale of the reserve and the specialised type of farming, we think this is a good level of interest,” Stacey says.

“We appreciate the effort that has gone into preparing the applications.”

Stacey says the applications will now be carefully assessed against set criteria and DOC aims to select a preferred operator by the end of May.

“Assessment criteria includes the operator’s experience, skills and resources, how biodiversity and heritage values will be protected, how cultural values will be upheld, and how public access will be improved and facilitated.

“Details of this process are available in the tender document on the DOC website.

“Once a preferred operator is chosen, they will be invited to apply for a concession, which will be publicly notified so people can have their say on the proposal.”

The existing lease with Pāmu (Landcorp Farming), expires 30 June 2026. DOC and Pāmu are working together to ensure operations continue smoothly while the preferred operator is selected and new concession processed, and to work through the change of operators, if necessary.

“As the incumbent, Pāmu continues to engage closely with the Department of Conservation regarding the future of the Molesworth lease, and we’re committed to working constructively through their process,” says a Pāmu spokesperson.

At 180,787 ha, Molesworth Recreation Reserve is slightly larger than Rakiura/Stewart Island and larger than 10 of New Zealand’s National Parks.

More details about the competitive allocation process can be found on the DOC website.

Contact

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  23 March 2026

DOC Waikato Operations Manager Niwha Jones says his staff have been working hard to reopen and assess tracks, and the latest to be made available to the public is Mangakara Nature Walk.

The Mangakara Nature Walk is a family friendly short walk and easily accessible from Grey Road. It has a range of educational information signs about the various specimen trees and plants found there.

Niwha says the storm destroyed two footbridges on the track – meaning the loop of the walk cannot be completed.

“It’s going to take us several months to arrange replacement of those bridges, so until that work is done the Mangakara Nature Walk is a ‘there and back’ experience to two end points,” he says.

Niwha discourages inexperienced visitors from crossing streams on the track while bridges remain unavailable, and to comply with all DOC signage and website alerts for all tracks.

“We want people to have a safe and enjoyable experience, so please enjoy the walk in its current configuration.”

Meanwhile, DOC staff have used a drone to capture footage of some of the landslips further up Pirongia maunga. The footage shows two large landslips near the Mahaukura Track, which includes a helicopter pad used by DOC for various operations.

“The drone footage the team has captured reinforces our view this track is not safe for naturing and we do not want people using it. The slip hazards are considered significant and further assessment is needed.”

Niwha says his team still has a lot of work to do in the wake of the February storm and urged the public to respect closures and ensure they make sensible decisions to have safe experiences on the maunga.

“If it’s closed, there’s a very good reason it’s off-limits to the public – and we ask people to respect those closures.”

People can visit the DOC website pages for individual tracks for the latest updates. Website pages carry alerts on closures, detours or other information people need to be aware of.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

A woman nosing through North Shore mailboxes has been diverted to court after fleeing from Police.

At 3am, Police detected a stolen Nissan hatchback travelling through Wairau Valley.

Acting Inspector Andrew Hawkins, Relieving Waitematā East Area Prevention Manager, says the Police Eagle helicopter had been in the area and deployed to the report.

“Eagle was quickly overhead and picked up the vehicle travelling on East Coast Road in the Sunnynook area,” he says.

“While overhead, the vehicle has been seen stopping in several driveways along the road and the woman driving has been seen searching through mailboxes.”

Information was relayed to Police staff on the ground and a unit moved in to pull the vehicle over.

Acting Inspector Hawkins says the vehicle was signalled to stop on East Coast Road.

“The driver failed to stop and took off from the unit at high speed, and was not pursued at the time,” he says.

“With Eagle overhead, the driver had nowhere to go, and the vehicle was tracked heading onto Sycamore Drive.

“The woman abandoned the vehicle on the road and unsuccessfully attempted to hide from Police nearby.”

The 34-year-old Glenfield woman was soon arrested.

Police have since recovered the Nissan hatchback, which was confirmed stolen earlier this month from the Forrest Hill area.

“We have searched the vehicle and fortunately have not located any stolen mail inside,” acting Inspector Hawkins says.

The woman is expected in the North Shore District Court later this month, facing charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and failing to stop.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are attending a multi-vehicle crash on Auckland’s Southern Motorway near Ōtāhuhu.

The crash, on State Highway 1 near the northbound Princes Street off-ramp, was reported to Police at around 9.30am. 

Multiple people have been transported to hospital with moderate injuries.

The Princes Street on-ramp is currently closed.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and avoid the area if possible.

ENDS

Frankie Le Roy/NZ Police

Source: Green Party

The Green Party is offering its votes to the National Party to get on with passing a sensible and urgent fossil fuel crisis relief package. With the Greens’ and National’s combined 63 votes, no other political party’s support is necessary.

The Green’s proposed package includes:

• Making public transport free for users;
• A Relief Payment for low income people or people who live rurally to help meet additional transport costs;
• A Windfall Profits Tax to prevent corporate price gouging;
• Reversing changes to school bus eligibility and routes, and temporary expansion of eligibility for school buses;
• Reversing the Government’s intended reduction in Total Mobility Support for disabled people; and
• Increase mileage rates to the 23,000 care and support workers to meet their actual travel costs.

“We agree with the Prime Minister that hope is not a plan. That’s why the Green Party is presenting our plan to support our country through the fossil fuel crisis, targeting support to those who need it most, and reducing demand for petrol,” said Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

“New Zealanders expect politicians to do everything we can to support people through this immediate crisis, and to minimise future vulnerability by reducing fossil fuel dependence. That’s why we have written to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance offering our votes to make these obvious solutions a reality, urgently.

“Free public transport is a no-brainer. We remove the barriers to access, reduce congestion, and free up fuel supply for those who don’t have a public transport option.

“If the Government means what it says about ‘preparing for the worst’, now is the time to pull the plug on exorbitantly expensive, low-value projects like the Roads of National Significance and LNG import facility. The Green Party is ready, willing and able to provide the support necessary to invest in building real resilience through renewable energy generation.

“The Green Party’s Fossil Fuel Crisis Relief Payment would be targeted at adults earning under the median income and also people living rurally, where public transport is not available,” said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.

“The Fossil Fuel Crisis Relief Payment will put money in the pockets of those being squeezed the hardest and those with few other transport options, easing stretched household budgets right now.”

“Petrol companies shouldn’t be unreasonably profiting from this or any economic crisis. A windfall tax would mean any exorbitant profits are redirected to our communities.”

“We need to ensure that corporations aren’t profiting while people in our communities who are struggling or have no alternative transport options pay the price. The Green’s package will provide immediate help for those who need it, reduce demand for petrol, and keep a check on corporate greed,” said Davidson.

Read the letter here.

Source: New Zealand Government

The number of electric vehicle (EV) public chargers around New Zealand will more than double thanks to $52.7 million in zero-interest loans from the Government and co-investment from ChargeNet and Meridian, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Energy & Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say.

“Many New Zealanders have thought about getting an EV, even before the fuel challenges we’re currently facing. But research shows that the lack of public chargers is holding many back from making the switch to an EV,” Mr Bishop says.

“The private sector is reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there’s sufficient demand, but demand won’t grow until the lack of public chargers stops putting buyers off. Just as the previous National-led Government did with the ultrafast broadband network rollout, we’re taking action to break that deadlock.”

ChargeNet and Meridian Energy were selected through a contestable, value-for-money bid process. Both companies are co-investing a combined $60 million of their own capital alongside the Government loans, taking the total investment to over $110 million.

“Concessionary loans bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital, while keeping the taxpayer’s contribution to a minimum,” Mr Bishop says.

“In this case, the average loan per charge point is $20,000, but once repayments are factored in, the net cost to the Crown is around $10,000 per charger, roughly a quarter of what a direct grant would cost.

“We’re also changing our planning rules to make the installation of public EV chargers a permitted activity under the RMA, meaning in most cases no consent is required – another factor that will help to speed up delivery.”

The 2,574 new charge points include 1,374 DC fast chargers and 1,200 AC chargers. DC fast chargers deliver power directly to the battery and can charge a car in 20 to 60 minutes, making them suited to highways and destinations where people stop briefly. AC chargers are slower and better suited to places where cars are parked for longer periods, like shopping centres, workplaces, and residential areas.

“About half the new chargers will be spread across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, the Wellington region, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with the other half throughout the regions, so drivers outside the main centres will benefit too,” Mr Bishop says.

“New Zealand currently has a bit over 1,800 public charge points, which is among the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD. Another 161 charge points are also in progress. Combined with the investment being announced today, the national total will be around 4,550. The Government is working towards 10,000 charge points by 2030, roughly one for every 40 EVs.”

“Owning an EV in New Zealand already makes strong financial sense. Electricity is cheaper than petrol and almost entirely generated from renewable sources like wind, geothermal, solar, and hydro,” Mr Watts says. 

“Kiwis are already making the shift to electric vehicles as a cost-of-living choice, and we have seen uptake grow. In February 2026, EV sales were up 10.5 per cent on the same month last year – and anecdotal evidence suggests even greater interest over the past couple of weeks as conflict in the Middle East has seen fuel prices increase.

“At a time when global fuel markets are volatile, that matters. 

“A better charging network means more New Zealanders can take advantage of it, and that’s good for household budgets and our emissions profile alike. EVs produce at least 60 percent fewer lifecycle emissions than petrol vehicles.”

Notes to editor: 

• Concessionary loans are loans at below-market interest rates (in this case, zero-interest) which incentivise charge point operators to invest in charging infrastructure ahead of demand. The repaid capital can be used for new loans if co-investment is still required or allocated to other initiatives.
• The loans are administered by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFFCo), the successor organisation to Crown Infrastructure Partners (which delivered Ultra-Fast Broadband). EECA will provide assistance as required.
• The Government has allocated $66.145m of capital funding for concessionary loans.
• The concessionary loans will fund up to 50 percent of project capital costs, have a zero percent interest rate, and a maximum tenure of 13 years. The loans have been awarded through a contestable co-investment bid process.
• Applications were assessed against value-for-money criteria to ensure loans are awarded to projects of greatest benefit and that New Zealand’s EV charging network grows at pace.
• Consumer monitoring by EECA consistently shows that some of the main perceived disadvantages of EVs include that the driving range is not suitable for long distance travel, and that there are not enough public chargers available. Increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure gives drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle. See EECA’s EV Charging research October 2025 update – EV Charging Research 

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

12 March 2026 – Blake Hornblow

During my first night on Auckland Island, I wake to the sound of my tent fly trying to take flight, 50 knot winds battering it in relentless gusts. As the flapping subsides, I hear a loud cry somewhere in the dark outside the tent—a female sea lion calling for her pup. Still half-asleep, I reach for my headtorch—only for my hand to plunge straight into a pool of water surrounding my sleeping mat.

Naturally. It appears that some of the 40 mm of rain overnight has decided to drain directly into my tent.

In that moment I realise one thing: Auckland Island doesn’t do gentle introductions.

As I emerge from the tent and stand amongst the wind beaten rātā trees I think to our mission here for the next six weeks. I have been dreaming of working on this island for years, driven by the chance to contribute to the Maukahuka Auckland Island Restoration programme — an ambitious effort to remove feral pigs, feral cats, and mice from this wild subantarctic island, so that the multitude of endemic flora and fauna can once again thrive. Now I’m finally here.

While here, our team of four will be living some 500 km south of New Zealand’s mainland at a remote field base called Camp Cove, tucked into the bottom of Auckland Island. Camp Cove has hosted people before: first, on 7 February 1905, it was here that the castaways of the Anjou found shelter after their ship struck rocks on the western cliffs two days before.

When we first arrived on the SV Evohe we worked not far from where the Anjou wrecked at Bristow Point on the western cliffs. The scale of these cliffs is immense. While looking at them I found it hard to imagine, not only surviving a shipwreck here but also the challenge that lies ahead to remove feral pigs, feral cats and mice that hunt for seabirds and megaherbs there. These cliffs hold some spectacular seabird species and some of the only albatross that still manage to breed on the main Auckland Island. Predation from feral pigs is a major problem so most of the remaining nests are now on steep, inaccessible ledges. White-capped mollymawk / Toroa and Light-mantled sooty albatross / Toroa pango still breed in a colony at South-west Cape.

I had the privilege of mapping the extent of the colony using a drone. Flying from nearby cliffs it was breathtaking to see the island alive with such impressive birds. Once the island is pest-free we hope to see a return of these birds to other parts of the island.

The team saw a few lone Gibson’s Albatross sitting on failed nests, tucked among the tall, wind-swept tussocks. Nearby, the ground was torn up by feral pig rooting. Here on Auckland Island, feral pigs and feral cats make it almost impossible for these birds to successfully breed. These albatrosses are made for the open ocean — they spend most of the year gliding over the Southern Ocean, sometimes circling the globe — but they still need a safe refuge to return to when it’s time to nest. This subantarctic island, just a speck in the South Pacific, could once again become that haven for them and so many other species.

For those of us without a three-metre wingspan, getting to the Auckland Islands isn’t quite so simple. With no airport within hundreds of kilometres, our only option was the sea — a 48-hour voyage from Bluff aboard the 25-metre sailing yacht Evohe. She and her crew know these waters better than most, having ferried conservationists south for nearly three decades. Rolling over five-metre waves for two days gives you plenty of time to appreciate just how remote this place is, and just how determined you must be to reach it.

Now the boat has left us, and my flooded tent is a stark reminder of how far I am from home. I start to ferry my damp sleeping bag into the shelter of our base tent and reflect how Maukahuka is more than just a project — it’s a world-first effort by DOC and Ngāi Tahu to remove feral pigs, feral cats, and mice from Auckland Island and restore the mana of this subantarctic World Heritage site. By returning 46,000 ha of wilderness to its natural state, we’re safeguarding habitat for more than 500 native species. One of Earth’s last truly wild places. Maybe that’s worth a flooded tent or two.

What species would you love to see return to Auckland Island once it’s pest-free? To hear more from the field follow DOC’s Conservation Blog over the next six weeks. To learn more about the programme or to be part of this incredible endeavour follow the link below to donate.

Auckland Island/ Maukahuka | NZ Nature Fund