Category: Public Media

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police records show fugitive father Tom Phillips‘ firearms licence was suspended just weeks after his first disappearance in 2021, and later revoked when he was deemed “not a fit and proper person” to hold a gun.

The information, released to RNZ under the Official Information Act (OIA), is among the only new details police have been willing to release about Phillips’ interactions with authorities ahead of a public inquiry into the case.

Phillips died on 8 September following a shootout with police, after nearly four years in the bush with his children.

The disappearance was his second – he first went on the run with the children in September 2021. His Toyota Hilux was found abandoned at Kiritehere Beach, keys under the mat, car seats in the back, parked below the high tide mark and being pummeled by waves. Authorities searched land, air and sea but found no trace.

On 30 September, Phillips and the children reappeared in Marokopa, claiming they had camped in dense bush for the 19 days they were missing. He disappeared again in December that year.

Police suspended and later revoked his firearms licence

According to the documents, police suspended Phillips’ licence on 11 October 2021 and formally revoked it on 5 January 2022. The decision was made on the grounds that he was no longer considered fit and proper.

Phillips had first received his firearms licence in 2003, and renewed it in 2013.

Police would not release any information about the reasons behind their decisions to suspend, then revoke the licence, the risk assessments that informed them, or any related notices or internal communications.

All such material was withheld under section 9(2)(ba) of the OIA, which protects information provided in confidence “or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of any enactment”.

It is also unclear what action was taken around any firearms, ammunition or licensing materials Phillips may still have held after the revocation. Documents relating to attempted seizure or follow-up were also withheld.

The response illustrates the significant constraints on what is currently known – or can be made public – about agencies’ handling of Phillips before he spent nearly four years on the run.

Police said they were required to comply not only with active investigations into Phillips’ death and disappearance – including an ongoing investigation into whether he received outside support – but also with wide-ranging suppression orders imposed by the High Court and Family Court. Those restrictions limit the release of any information relating to the children or to court proceedings involving them.

Police said it did not want to prejudice the investigations by the premature release of relevant information.

Inquiry to examine agencies’ actions and information-sharing

The Attorney-General confirmed last month that a public inquiry would examine whether agencies “took all practicable steps” to protect the safety and welfare of the Phillips children, and whether government agencies responded appropriately and in a timely way to locate the children once they disappeared.

The inquiry was directed to inquire into the nature and extent of the involvement government agencies had with Phillips and the children, before and after their disappearance. It would also look into how Phillips obtained and maintained a gun licence, weapons and ammunition.

However, its scope would not include decisions made within the Family Court – despite the terms of reference noting there had been “extensive litigation” in that forum concerning the children, some of which remained ongoing and under appeal.

The government has directed the inquiry to “respect the independence of the courts, and not comment on or inquire into judicial decisions concerning the children, including suppression orders made in respect of the children”.

Some experts have critiqued that decision, saying the court should not be exempt from scrutiny.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Teaching Council’s governing board says appointing one of its members as interim chief executive does not breach a rule prohibiting board members from serving as CEO.

In a statement, the council said the interim chief executive Tom Gott had stepped away from his governance role and it had double-checked the legality of the move with the Education Ministry.

Gott was appointed because the council’s chief executive Lesley Hoskin was on agreed leave while the Public Service Commission investigated the council’s handling of conflicts of interest and procurement.

Sensitivity over the Teaching Council is running high because of the investigation and because of the government’s recent decision to strip the council of responsibility for initial teacher education and teachers’ practising standards, and to reconstitute its board next year so that a majority of members would be ministerial appointees.

Gott was one of six ministerial appointees on the now-12-member board and the issue of his appointment was raised with RNZ anonymously by people concerned the council was acting unlawfully.

The Education and Training Act 2020 said the council may appoint a chief executive but that person “may not be a member of the Teaching Council”.

Council chair David Fisher told RNZ it made sure Gott’s appointment was legal.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to satisfy any concerns that our decision was unlawful, prior to Mr Gott being appointed as interim CEO, the Teaching Council consulted with the Ministry of Education about the interim arrangements,” he said.

“The Ministry guided us that, in the circumstances, it was appropriate for Mr Gott to act as CEO while remaining on the Board, provided he steps back from all governance work during this time, which he has.”

Fisher said there was no co-mingling of executive and governance functions.

“Mr Gott is not attending any Governing Council meetings (other than in his capacity as interim CEO), receiving any Governing Council emails (other than emails that the CEO would receive), nor being paid for his position on the Council.

“Mr Gott will not participate in any governance decision making and has no voting rights. Mr Gott is very clear, as are we, that he is Acting CEO of the Council and as such has stepped away from his governance role.”

The Post Primary Teachers Association said it believed the appointment breached the rules and the ministry’s interpretation was incorrect.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police received a call just after midnight on Wednesday morning reporting that a masked offender brandishing a firearm approached bar staff at Quinns Post bar on Ward Street and demanded cash.

“The offender then fled on foot along Ward Street towards Heretaunga College,” Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Todd said

“Bar staff involved were shaken, but not injured, and are being provided Victim Support. There were no patrons in the bar at the time.”

Hutt Valley Police investigating the armed robbery of an Upper Hutt bar are seeking help from the public.

Police are asking for anyone who was in the Ward Street and Fergusson Drive areas of Upper Hutt at the time (before and after midnight) and saw any suspicious people or vehicles, or who has any information relating to the robbery, to come forward.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revealed the television ads that New Zealanders complained most about in 2025.

From burnouts to bare bottoms, Kiwis had a gutful of a few well-known businesses on their screens.

Topping this year’s list for the most complained about ad was KFC’s “Colonel Hacker” with 65 considered.

The campaign included footage of the ‘Colonel’ explaining his appearance on screen.

“Hello New Zealand, I am the Colonel Hacker. I’ve intercepted your ad break, but don’t panic, this isn’t a ggglitch, it’s a gift, and hacking the prices on the KFC menu, here’s a taste of what I’ve uploaded….”

One version of the advertisement (the “splash screen”) appeared when the TVNZ OnDemand app was opened. The Colonel Hacker figure appeared and said “Hello, this is just a taste of things to come.”

Complaints ranged from that it gave the impression consumers were being hacked, it was placed inappropriately in the OnDemand app, scary for children, caused fear and glorified hacking.

The advertisers removed it after the complaints were accepted to be considered by the Complaints Board.

Next was Lotto’s “A Promise is a Promise” ad, with 48 complaints considered.

The ad begins with a man at the top of a ski run. As the camera pans out, the viewer sees the man is skiing naked. The ad then moves to a group of friends discussing how they might celebrate if they win Lotto and joking about nude skiing.

Complainants said the portrayal of a man skiing naked, with images of his bare buttocks clearly visible, was indecent, offensive, and inappropriate for younger viewers.

But the board said the nudity in the advertisement was brief and not close-up or gratuitous, and it was relevant to the story in the advertisement.

The complaints were not upheld, but that didn’t stop a further 70 people from raising similar issues.

Rexona’s “Whole Body Deodorant” received the next most with eight complaints.

Its campaign tackled the taboo of full body sweat and odour, highlighting that only a small percentage of sweat comes from the underarms.

Complaints said it was not appropriate for peak viewing time and some of the scenes were crude, sexual and in poor taste. A further complaint raised concerns the ad did not use proper terminology for body parts.

It was deemed that it did not meet the threshold to breach the Advertising Standards Code, and no further action was taken.

Rounding out the top five were BNZ’s “Payap” and Turners Group’s ad featuring Tina from Turners with complaints ranging from misleading over surcharges to offensive song lyrics.

The board did uphold a complaint about a scene showing an illegal burnout in the Turners ad, requiring that section of the ad to be removed.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Lake Rotomanu in New Plymouth will be emptied this week to allow scientists to get a full picture of the extent of a freshwater gold clam infestation.

The invasive clam Corbicula fluminea was found in the lake on 8 November, the first discovery in New Zealand outside the Waikato River.

The lake was closed to motorised watercraft days later.

The Taranaki Regional Council said the Lake Rotomanu outlet would be opened 11 December and it would take about four days for the lake to drain.

During this time the fish population would be harvested in partnership with local hapū, who would utilise as many fish recovered as possible.

Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) leads the newly established Regional Corbicula Coordination Group (RCCG) alongside New Plymouth District Council (NPDC), Ngāti Te Whiti hapū, Biosecurity New Zealand, Fish & Game, Earth Sciences NZ and others.

TRC Environment Services Manager Steve Ellis said before draining the lake the RCCG had to ensure the clams would not spread to the Waiwhakaiho River.

“Over the last few weeks we’ve carried out testing and obtained advice on the salinity and flow of the river. We are confident any clams or larvae will be quickly washed the short distance out to sea.

“Given that assurance the RCCG has asked lake owners NPDC to now empty the lake so we can get a good look at exactly what we are dealing with.”

A team from Earth Sciences NZ would next week carry out a detailed survey of the whole lakebed to determine where and how widespread the clams were, how deep they had burrowed and estimate the age of the clams present.

That information would help inform the next steps in the response. In particular, whether an elimination attempt was feasible and if so, what the treatment options were and how much they would cost.

Ellis said the financial cost of elimination was likely to be significant and at this point it was unclear how it would be funded and by whom.

“To be clear, there is no guarantee we will attempt to treat or eliminate the clams, even if it is technically feasible.

“We all want the best for the region and we’re all aware of the massive economic damage these clams can do, so we’re having those conversations as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing what the lakebed survey uncovers.”

The recreational lake would need to stay empty for the summer, which Ellis said was not a decision made lightly.

“We know it’s a popular summer spot and that locals and visitors will be disappointed, but we hope they understand the reasons for it.

“The invasive clam Corbicula is a massive threat to our infrastructure, economy, ecosystems and recreational use of all the region’s waterways, so we need to act now to give ourselves the best chance of preventing long-term damage or recreational restrictions.”

Ellis said testing at Lakes Rotokare, Ratapiko, Rotorangi and the Waiwhakaiho River had not found any clams, while eDNA testing of the water had also been clear. While encouraging, that did not mean they were not present.

Boaties, jet skiers, kayakers and other lake users were asked to be extra vigilant this summer, so as not to unknowingly spread the clam or other freshwater pests. Juvenile clams produced an invisible sticky thread of mucus which attached to surfaces, like boats and recreational gear.

Lake users were encouraged to always follow the Check, Clean, Dry procedure when moving between waterways and if possible, wake boats should be kept to just one lake.

A washdown trailer was on its way to Taranaki, courtesy of Biosecurity New Zealand, and would be set up at popular lakes over the summer.

Two dedicated Check, Clean, Dry ambassadors would also be in the region to spread the message, supported by new signage, direct education with clubs and organisations and a social media campaign.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The family of a man who died 10 days after allegedly being assaulted by his cellmate at Mt Eden prison want Corrections to be held accountable for any failures that led to his death.

Jonathan Peter Trubuhovich died in Auckland City Hospital on Tuesday. The 69-year-old’s death is the third homicide investigation involving inmates in double-bunk cells at the prison since September last year.

A spokesperson for the Trubuhovich family says they are in “shock” at his death.

“We do want Corrections to be held accountable in any area where there has been a lapse in oversight where procedure wasn’t followed.

“This is the third one, we don’t want this to happen to another family. We don’t want Jonathan to have died without some sort of progress in Corrections.”

RNZ has obtained several documents in relation to Trubuhovich’s criminal history, which details nearly 200 convictions, mainly for shoplifting, burglary and other theft as well as convictions for assault.

He was remanded in custody to Mt Eden prison on 7 May and was due to be sentenced in the Auckland District Court on 15 December on charges of burglary by night, shoplifting and disorderly behaviour.

Court documents state the offending occurred between 1 and 6 May this year.

The burglary involved entering a person’s property about 3am on 1 May and eventually leaving with two bikes worth more than $5000.

The first shoplifting incident was on 4 May when he stole a box of condoms and a litre container of ice cream from a supermarket.

On 4 May Trubuhovich entered a Mobil petrol station and was asked to leave after causing a minor disturbance.

He returned about 10 minutes later and the store worker called police.

Trubuhovich took offence to this and punched the staffer with a closed fist in the left arm once. The victim suffered no injuries.

Then, on 6 May he stole a handbag from a Louis Vuitton store worth $4700.

The disorderly behaviour charge related to an incident where he yelled and behaved aggressively towards a bus driver and spat onto the bus doors.

Trubuhovich’s lawyer James McGilvary obtained a drug and alcohol report for his sentencing.

The report, seen by RNZ, said he was a man whose life had been “shaped by lifelong addiction, persistent offending, and entrenched antisocial behaviour”.

“He reported intravenous heroin use from a very young age and has maintained a pattern of substance dependence ever since, including long-term use of methamphetamine, amphetamines, cannabis, and alcohol. His offending, both past and current, appears closely tied to his addiction, either through intoxication or the need to fund his drug use.”

Trubuhovich had spent much of the past six years in prison with only brief periods out.

“He advised of early ties with criminal groups, including the Mr Asia syndicate and the Hells Angels, which he appears to have operated on the periphery of.

“Despite his troubled past, he maintains strong relationships with his children and extended family, who remain concerned for his well-being due to a noted decline in psychological presentation and behaviours.”

Trubuhovich expressed regret for his offending and repeated behaviour’s post-release, the report said.

“He has committed family support, a plan for housing and financial independence, and is open to AOD [Alcohol and Other Drugs] rehabilitation. Supporters seek guidance and hope for a psychological assessment pre-release.”

The report said Trubuhovich had a strong relationship with his children and was “well-loved” by his family.

“He has long been known as a loving and gentle person, someone who was great company and deeply valued within his family.”

He had used substances consistently since he was at least 14.

“This has caused significant harm to his health, relationships, and ability to maintain employment.”

His brother told the report writers that the family was worried he would get hurt or hurt someone else.

“We really want to support him, and are happy to do whatever he needs to do that, but we need to know what it is that is going on for him, so that we can have the right support for him.

“The last four of five years, we’ve noticed the psychotic behaviours getting worse.”

Family want answers

Speaking to RNZ, a family spokesperson said they understood Trubuhovich was likely to be released at sentencing due to time served.

“We had accommodation, we had a whole lot of things set up for him which we had been trying to do. We were looking forward to him coming out so that we could house him and rehabilitate him and do all sorts of things.”

The family noticed about five years ago his behaviour changed and became more “irresponsible and erratic” and were trying to get him help.

They have a series of questions they want answered by Corrections including when he was injured.

The spokesperson said they were aware of Trubuhovich’s criminal history.

“It doesn’t reflect the person we knew, he got mouthy and lippy because he was institutionalised.

“When he was with us he was fun. He loved life, he loved his family.”

Mt Eden Corrections Facility (MECF) general manager Dion Paki earlier told RNZ that staff found Trubuhovich had been injured at 10.40am on 29 November.

He was assessed by on-site medical and taken to hospital.

“The alleged perpetrator was immediately secured and placed on directed segregation.”

In a statement to RNZ, McGilvary said Trubuhovich’s death was “entirely preventable”.

“Overcrowding in correctional facilities, driven by government policies mandating stricter enforcement against criminal activity, has resulted in historically high incarceration rates.

“This situation is compounded by insufficient oversight attributed to staffing shortages. Consequently, inmates are spending extended periods in confined spaces, increasing the likelihood of incidents.”

He said Mt Eden Correctional Facility was “currently the largest provider of mental health care in New Zealand”.

Unless additional government resources are allocated to address mental health issues-particularly within the incarcerated population-and appropriate treatment facilities are established, it is likely that similar incidents will continue to occur.”

Police have confirmed a homicide investigation is under way.

MECF acting general manager Edith Pattinson acknowledged the man’s death had been a “difficult and distressing time for his loved ones and our thoughts remain with them”.

“Police are investigating and Corrections is also carrying out a full review into this incident. An investigation by the independent Corrections Inspectorate will also be carried out. If these investigations and reviews identify areas where we need to strengthen our processes, we are absolutely committed to acting on these with urgency.

“We can confirm the victim was in a shared cell and that the suitability of this placement is part of our review into this matter. Understandably, the victim’s family will have questions they would like answered.”

Corrections had been in regular contact with the man’s family, and once the review was complete they would share the findings with them when they are able to do so.

Corrections’ review would look into what risk assessments were done such as the Shared Accommodation Cell Risk Assessment (SACRA).

RNZ earlier revealed there had been two suspected murders, both involving double-bunked cells, in nine months at the prison.

Corrections use the SACRA tool to review the compatibility of individuals before they were placed in a shared cell.

The SACRA tool identified key risk factors to consider before placing a person in a shared cell.

If a person was deemed not suitable to double bunk, a Not to Double Bunk (NTDB) alert was activated on their profile.

Corrections custodial services commissioner Leigh Marsh earlier confirmed he requested a review of the SACRA process which was under way.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand