A group of alleged burglars on the hunt for booze instead ended up in custody in Clarks Beach on Monday morning.
Senior Sergeant Jeremy Steedman, Counties Manukau South Response Manager, says at about 1.30am Police received a report of an attempted break in at a liquor store on Seaway Road.
“A group of four males tried to enter the store by kicking the front door and hitting the glass with a hammer,” he says.
“However they were unsuccessful in gaining entry and fled the area after drawing attention from neighbouring properties with all the noise.”
The group left in a vehicle and headed onto the motorway, passing a Police unit on the way.
“Due to the manner of driving Police did not follow the vehicle as it sped north towards Takanini,” Senior Sergeant Steedman says.
“Eagle was quickly in the air and was able to monitor from a distance.”
The vehicle exited at Takanini and one alleged offender got out, before the car sped off again back onto the motorway.
“The vehicle continued on to East Tāmaki where it was dumped at a bus stop in the Ōtara town centre,” Senior Sergeant Steedman says.
“Three occupants ran into the township where they were quickly located by the dog unit, Delta and taken into custody.”
Senior Sergeant Steedman says subsequent enquiries discovered the vehicle had been stolen from Flat Bush the night before.
“We are pleased we have apprehended these alleged offenders and that they will answer for their actions,” he says.
“Police have zero tolerance for this type of offending.”
Four males aged between 15 and 17 have been referred to Youth Aid.
Attributable to Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood, West Coast Search and Rescue:
Police’s search in Greymouth continues after a report of a person who had been swept out to sea this weekend.
At around 6pm Saturday, Police were notified the person had been swept to sea.
The search resumed this morning where Police, with the assistance of Precision Helicopters, conducted aerial searches of the shoreline between Ross and Charleston.
At this stage, the person has not yet been located, with rough sea conditions and white caps making the search difficult.
Police continue to make enquiries to identify the person swept out to sea, and if the kayak is linked to the person.
29 years of planting leaves a legacy for Buller High School and retired school teacher Janet Pottinger.
Late in 2025, DOC staff in the Buller Kawatiri office headed out to Tauranga Bay to take part in a planting day which both marked the retirement of a local schoolteacher, Janet Pottinger, who spearheaded work to restore native vegetation in the Bay and the adjoining Cape Foulwind with the mahi of the Buller High School Year 9 environmental programme since 1997.
Janet Pottinger at the final planting in November 2025
Four times a year since 1997, these students have planted native shrubs and trees along a walkway, sea front and car parks. Originally, the walkway was through windswept open paddocks that have since been transformed into a dramatic environment of native vegetation.
The main plant chosen for the project has been harakeke, which grows quickly, is very hardy in a coastal environment and creates a great habitat and a food source for native birds and other animals. Other native plants can grow in the shelter of the harakeke.
Planting in 2004 and another picture taken in 2015 (left), this area is now totally covered in flax and vegetation (right).
Birds, attracted to its summer flowering bring seeds with them to speed this process. The revegetated areas support sooty shearwaters, blue penguins, fairy prions, weka, seals and many other native birds, lizards and invertebrates. The aesthetic values of the area have been greatly enhanced.
A roadside area pre-planting in 2010 (left), and just six years later in 2016 (right).
At the final planting, Janet remarked that the timing of the final planting had worked out pretty well, as she was retiring and there was nowhere left to plant! If you are naturing at Tauranga Bay and Cape Foulwind, it’s hard to believe that 29 years ago, the place was bare pasture and grassland.
Ex DOC Ranger John Green, who attended the final planting says that when the area came into DOC management in 1987, they were finding dead penguins from dog attacks “all the time”, and cattle were collapsing shearwater burrows. The view at the Bay is now picturesque, with flaxes and native vegetation framing the bay and headland, where thousands of visitors go to visit seals and walk one of DOC’s most popular tracks in the area: Cape Foulwind Walkway
Before and after on the track – this change came quickly, the first photo was taken in 2004 (left), the second in 2008 (right).
John says the plantings haven’t just made the place look good, they’ve helped all the species that live there, who benefit from the shelter and enriched habitat the plantings provide.
On the statistics side of things, Janet says 12,425 plants have gone in the ground, approximately 2800 students have been involved and over the 29 years there have been 108 planting trips.
Buller High Students in a previously grassed area which has been planted by successive Year 9 environmental class students.
“Over the years I have found that the students were always very enthusiastic about the trees they planted and many of them were proud to show their whanau years later how much their plants had grown.
“The school should be really proud, it’s been an amazing partnership with DOC, and we’ve even had a second generation of students planting, following on from their parents before them.”
The work of Buller High students over 29 years shows the value of doing a little, often. Just four plantings a year have transformed windswept grasses into a rich native habitat.
Through the years the project has been awarded a West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Award, a Trustpower West Coast Supreme Award, and a Plant Conservation Network Award. Well done Janet and Buller High School and thankyou for bringing back nature to this place.
Janet is happy to help or give advice to any other schools or groups who want to do something similar, so if you are in that category, get in touch via info@doc.govt.nz, referencing this blog.
Introducing our Consumer Relations team – responsible for ensuring Pharmac works meaningfully with consumers.
“Good engagement really matters because it helps Pharmac make decisions that genuinely reflect people’s needs,” says External Engagement team Manager, Ryan Perica.
“When we engage openly, people can see that their views matter and really do help shape what we do.”
The need for improved consumer relations was highlighted by feedback from consumer workshops held in 2024. Establishing the team was an action in Pharmac’s Reset Programme, focused on delivering meaningful change for consumers and patients.
“We have been working hard to stand up this new team, and I’m really excited to see this work come to fruition,” says Perica. “We’ve got some very skilled people on board to support stronger engagement across the organisation.”
The newly established team is made up of the Manager, External Engagement, three Principal Advisors, Consumer Relations, and an engagement coordinator who collectively bring decades of experience specialising in engagement both in New Zealand (across both the public and private sectors) and internationally.
The team will make it easier for consumer and patient representatives to work with Pharmac – ensuring interactions are transparent, empathetic and responsive.
They will facilitate day‑to‑day engagement with consumer representatives, strengthen key relationships, and ensure diverse lived‑experience informs Pharmac’s decisions.
We want consumers and staff to see us as an essential part of how Pharmac works,” says Perica. “Building strong relationships takes time – and that investment is always worth it.”
Pharmac and Health New Zealand (Health NZ) are working towards a more streamlined and coordinated national approach to hospital medical device procurement.
Catherine Epps, Pharmac’s Director of Medical Devices, says a programme of work is underway that will deliver greater transparency, consistency and collaboration in medical device procurement across the health system.
“Our work will ensure the medical devices used in our public hospitals deliver better value and more consistent, fair access for people across the country. Strengthening our partnership with Health NZ and working closely with suppliers means we can make better‑informed decisions and deliver better outcomes.”
Pharmac has agreed a framework with Health NZ for delivering a range of Health Technology Assessments (HTA). We’re now working together to plan a broader programme, including formalising how commissioning and HTA processes will work.
“It’s encouraging to see the shared commitment to building a more aligned and coordinated approach. This will mean clearer roles, clearer decision points, and more consistent ways of working – giving the sector greater predictability and transparency,” says Epps.
Over the coming months, the programme will continue to transition to a new joint leadership approach for hospital medical devices and strengthen engagement across the sector.
“It’s an exciting time to be working in medical devices in New Zealand. I’m confident that the work we’re doing now is setting us up to make medical devices procurement work better for everyone involved.”
Pharmac is working to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders, including those with the highest health needs. This includes Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled people, women, and people living rurally.
“Health equity ensures everyone has fair access to health care and the opportunity to live well, regardless of who they are or where they come from,” says Director Equity and Engagement, Dr Nicola Ngawati.
Pharmac’s Equity Policyrecognises that different people have different levels of advantage. Pharmac applies an equity lens when making funding decisions.
Our role under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 is to secure for eligible people in need of pharmaceuticals, the best health outcomes that are reasonably achievable from pharmaceutical treatment.
Some of the medicines we’ve funded recently are making a real difference for these groups. Below are some specific medicines and their reach for high needs health groups (from 1 October 2024 to 31 January 2026).
Palivizumab (RSV prevention)
Protects premature and high-risk infants from severe RSV illness. Māori and Pacific babies are more likely to need this treatment. Recipients by health group:
Helps manage COPD, which impacts Māori up to 20 years earlier and causes death at five times the rate of non-Māori. Funded from 1 January 2025. Recipients by health group:
Māori – 28.4%
Pacific – 4.5%
Women – 57.3%
Rural – 24.1%
Insulin (Ryzodeg)
Diabetes prevalence among Māori and Pacific people is about three times higher than other population groups. Funded from May 2025. Recipients by health group:
Māori – 24.1%
Pacific – 19.3%
Women – 48.8%
Rural – 17.9%
Empagliflozen
This medicine helps reduce cardiovascular hospitalisation, slow kidney decline, and improve glycaemic control. Recipients by health group:
Māori – 21.8%
Pacific – 7.6%
Women – 33.8%
Rural – 25.7%
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)
From 1 December 2025, Pharmac began funding silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for the treatment and prevention of tooth decay. Dental cavities disproportionately affect Māori, Pacific peoples and people in areas of higher depravation.
Poor oral health can impact daily life and cause pain and embarrassment. Although SDF is in the early days of funding, its use is expected to reduce the need for hospital‑based dental treatment, remove cost barriers and improve wellbeing.
“We’re pleased that these statistics indicate our funded medicines are reaching those who need them most. We’ll continue to focus on increasing access to key medicines for these groups,” says Dr Ngawati.
“This work is extremely important. By reducing avoidable differences in health outcomes – we create a healthier New Zealand for everyone.”
With February marking one year since publication of theConsumer Engagement Workshop Report, it’s a good time to reflect on the positive progress being made to transform Pharmac’s relationship with stakeholders through the Reset Programme.
The report captured the feedback of consumers who had earlier shared their experiences engaging with Pharmac. A clear theme was the need for the organisation to completely reset its approach to consumer and patient engagement to rebuild trust and credibility.
Recommendations from the report also led to establishment of the Consumer and Patient Working Group, chaired by Dr Malcolm Mulholland.
“We’re extremely grateful to have this group providing their insights to help us improve the way we engage with consumers and to make that sure we reflect their needs and perspectives when delivering our work,” says Pharmac Chief Executive, Natalie McMurtry. “This is also supported by the work being done by the existing statutory Consumer Advisory Committee.”
Some of the key milestones achieved by the Reset Programme and its partners to date include:
Establishment of the Consumer and Patient Working Group to support the design and delivery of the 12-month Reset Programme
Building a centralised consumer database to support improved engagement
Creation of a dedicated Consumer Relations Team to strengthen Pharmac’s relationships with consumer and patient groups
Feedback from the Consumer and Patient Working Group incorporated into budget information to better demonstrate patient impact
Ongoing improvements to the medicines funding application process to ensure a better experience for consumers.
Multiple workshops held with the Consumer and Patient Working Group to shape the future 4-year improvement workplan.
Looking ahead, a key focus for the Consumer and Patient Working Group and the Reset Programme is helping to create a Consumer Engagement Framework.
This framework will explain when and how we ask for consumer feedback, how we use people’s insights in our decision-making, and how we intend keep people updated on progress. It’s about making sure consumer voices are included in a consistent, reliable way – both in our future improvement work and in our everyday processes.
The framework will also help ensure a smooth transition once the Reset Programme and the Consumer and Patient Working Group finish on 30 June this year, ensuring that consumer perspectives continue to shape our work in a strong and practical way.
A multiproduct agreement, which took effect on 1 December last year, is delivering significant benefits for patients and the health system – freeing up thousands of infusion hours and helping services run more efficiently.
Under the agreement Pharmac is funding five treatments for multiple sclerosis, breast cancer, lung cancer and serious eye conditions.
Vice President of Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand, Graham Walker, says the new treatments are a ‘game changer’.
“I got a text the other day from a friend in Christchurch who said his treatment had taken an hour, starting from his arrival at the hospital to catching the bus home. He thought it was marvellous.”
“There’s also a lot of people that have trouble getting treatment simply because there’s no room at the infusion centre. Now six or seven people can be treated in the time it took to treat one. That’s huge!”
The agreement with pharmaceutical supplier Roche includes two new treatments, more convenient versions of existing medicines, and continued access to an already funded treatment
“We were able to fund new medicines through this agreement, but what I’m most pleased about is the impact the new and improved existing treatments will have on people’s lives,” says Pharmaceutical Director, Adrienne Martin.
“The new injectable treatments can be completed in 15 minutes compared to 3-5 hours for intravenous infusions.
The reduction in infusion times is expected to save the health system $11 million over five years. It will also ease pressure on hospital services and improve access for patients who previously faced long wait times.
