Category: Public Media

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‘Believe we can win’: Labour rallies party faithful

Source: Radio New Zealand

CTU members at the Labour Party’s AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Labour Party faithful are upbeat as they rally in Auckland’s viaduct, roughly one year out from the next election.

The mood has been energetic off the back of recent polling that has Labour tracking ahead of National on almost all issues, including the cost of living.

Already in campaign mode, Labour leader Chris Hipkins took a swipe at Te Pāti Māori in his opening remarks to the membership on Friday.

“I recently saw a whakataukī quoted in the media with reference to a different political party in New Zealand.

“He tōtara wāhi rua he kai nā te ahi – a tōtara that is split in half is only good for firewood. Well I can assure you that our waka is made of a very solid tōtara.”

There were lots of cheers and a series of standing ovations as the party’s leadership presented a united front at the top of the conference.

“We are energised, we are focused and we are determined to make this a one-term government,” Hipkins said.

Deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said the coalition government’s policy programme had put people through so much.

“We now have a health system that is falling over right before our eyes. We’ve seen the cancellation of thousands of state housing builds and infrastructure projects, increased unemployment and skyrocketing cost of living.

“A tax on our education system and teachers, a tax on workers wanting a fair deal, a tax on women with the scrapping of pay equity, attacks on our rainbow community.

“And where do we even start with the attacks on Māoridom and Te Tiriti?

“We must keep fighting. We need to support each other, to keep the light burning. We have to retain hope and we have to believe that we can win.”

Carmel Sepuloni at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Sepuloni, like many other speakers, remarked on the varying views held in the Labour Party and pitched them as a good thing.

“We don’t all look the same in the Labour Party. We are a very diverse bunch. This is probably no starker than when looking at your leadership. You have a Sharkies-wearing ginga leader from the Hutt and an Amazonian Pasifika pulatasi-wearing deputy leader from West Auckland.

“We look like we come from different worlds. Have we always agreed over our 17 years of working together? Hell no.

“But do we share the same values and care enough about the same things to make it work? Abso-freaking-lutely.”

Chris Hipkins at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

‘Doesn’t it feel good to see those numbers rise?’ – Labour president

Party president Jill Day said it was encouraging to see public support for Labour rebuilding.

“Now I know the only poll that matters is the one on election day, but doesn’t it feel good to see those numbers rise?” she said, as members cheered.

“To see those numbers rise, to feel the tide turning, to know that New Zealanders are putting their trust back in our party, our caucus, and our leader, Chris Hipkins.”

Jill Day at the Labour Party AGM in 2025. Anneke Smith / RNZ

Day said it had been a tough couple of years.

“Every time we think this National government has gone too far, it pushes a bit further.

“It’s exhausting, it’s frustrating and it’s heartbreaking because behind every decision National makes, a real person is paying the price.

“We see that in the mum, working two jobs, having to choose between petrol and kai for her kids, kaumatua waiting weeks for a GP appointment and teachers buying classroom supplies from their own pay.”

Day said the party was busy organising ahead of the election and told members every call, leaflet and conversation mattered.

“Our LECs are growing stronger, our volunteers are knocking on doors, our branches are welcoming new members, and we’re selecting candidates who know their communities, who are grounded in the issues and who will not back down from the hard work ahead.

“Election 2026, will be won in the same way Labour has always won: by being visible, by being organised and by showing up, especially when it’s hard.”

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

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New cost-cutting measures for wastewater standards announced

Source: Radio New Zealand

Local Government Minister Simon Watts made the announcement on Friday. (File photo) RNZ/Mark Papalii

The Local Government Minister has announced cost cutting measures for wastewater aimed at boosting savings for ratepayers.

New national wastewater environmental performances standards hope to save up to $830 million over the next 35 years by streamlining wastewater consents.

Minister Simon Watts said 60 percent of treatment plants needed new consents within the next decade, and many were already operating on expired consents.

“These standards that we’re announcing today will make sure consenting keeps pace with the needs for upgrades, avoids wasteful spending, and reduces the risk of wastewater overflows into rivers, lakes, and the sea,” he said.

Watts said the change removes unnecessary delays and costly over-engineering.

Councils would have a nationally consistent framework for renewing wastewater consents for the first time, Watts said.

The standards applied to over 330 publicly owned treatment plants across the country, and would immediately reduce the need for expensive, duplicated technical assessments.

Watts described the standards as a major step forward.

Reducing consenting costs by up to 40 percent per plant meant a potential saving of $300,000 to $600,000, and up to 60 percent for smaller plants, he said.

Speaking to media, Watts said the nationally consistent standards meant there was now a national minimum standard to uphold.

“There’s been a significant process of engagement across the broad sectors, as I outlined, in order to set these standards,” he said.

“The Water Services Authority is taking a leadership in regards to this, to ensure that we balance the needs in regards to environmental protection.”

The new standards come into effect on 19 December.

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

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The new girl on Stranger Things is ‘part Kiwi’

Source: Radio New Zealand

In the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, Fisher takes over the role of Holly Wheeler – the younger sister of Mike and Nancy.

When she found out she’d been cast, back in 2023, the London-based actor was weary from a day shooting the family film Bookworm on a rainy Canterbury hillside.

“What had been a pretty exhausting day turned into one of the best days of my life,” she tells RNZ’s Saturday Morning.

Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher in Bookworm.

Geoffrey Short

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

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Live – Air NZ cancels flights as global A320 fleet grounded

Source: Radio New Zealand

Live – Air New Zealand cancelled multiple flights on Saturday, with all A320 aircraft grounded due to a global software problem.

Airbus said a recent incident involving an A320 family aircraft had revealed intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.

The company has ordered an immediate change to a “significant number” of its best-selling A320 jets, which threatened to disrupt half the world’s airlines.

Air NZ chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said “as a precaution” all A320neo aircraft in its fleet would receive a software update before operating their next passenger service.

“This will lead to disruption across a number of our A320neo flights on Saturday and we’re expecting a number of cancellations to services across that fleet.

“We will contact customers directly if their flight is affected. Customers can also check the latest updates on their flight through the Air NZ app or website. We will provide an update when we have more information on the impact to our services on Saturday.”

Airbus A320s were commonly used on Air NZ’s Australia and Pacific Island routes.

In a statement, the plane manufacturer said: “Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

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

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Leaving Treaty out of geothermal strategy a breach – Waitangi Tribunal

Source: Radio New Zealand

The strategy was developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment with the aim of doubling New Zealand’s geothermal energy by 2040.

The Waitangi Tribunal has found the Crown’s decision to exclude the Treaty from a draft geothermal development strategy would be a Treaty breach.

The strategy was developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment with the aim of doubling New Zealand’s geothermal energy by 2040.

Minister for Māori Development and Minister for Māori Crown Relations Tama Potaka, Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Minister for Resources Shane Jones were involved in the draft.

On 7 November the Waitangi Tribunal held a discrete hearing on the Crown’s draft geothermal development strategy ‘From the Ground Up – A draft strategy to unlock New Zealand’s geothermal potential’.

It was revealed that in the hearing, Jones noted an objective to finalise the strategy later this year for Cabinet approval.

The Waitangi Tribunal said in its report most of the claimants at the hearing supported the draft strategy and it was a promising initiative for Māori economic development.

But the Tribunal noted the strategy also raised a number of issues, and called on the Crown to take the time to strengthen the strategy with Māori, noting specific actions for economic development in the action plan remained significantly underdone.

The Tribunal found that protection was not integrated in the action plan.

“On the specific issue of kaitiakitanga, the report notes that the Treaty principle of active protection requires the Crown to actively protect taonga, and that this is a particularly serious issue in a strategy designed to double geothermal energy in 15 years.

“The Tribunal further found that the strategy concerns the development of geothermal taonga of immense significance to Māori, the exercise by Māori of tino rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga in respect of those taonga, and Crown-Māori cooperation on a major economic development platform.

“The Tribunal therefore found that the Crown’s decision to exclude the Treaty from the strategy would be a Treaty breach.

“The Tribunal did not consider this exclusion reasonable when the same Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment team and minister included the Treaty in the Minerals Strategy seven months earlier.

“In particular, the Tribunal found that the Treaty partnership, which requires the utmost good faith and mutual respect of each other’s authority, should be reflected in any strategy aimed at the Crown and Māori working together to achieve important outcomes.”

Shane Jones. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Another concern raised was that the Crown incorrectly characterised geothermal taonga in the strategy as ‘surface features’, such as geysers.

The report said this would breach the Treaty unless the definition was corrected, but there was still time to make amendments before the strategy was finalised.

The Tribunal also noted few specific opportunities in the strategy for iwi and hapū as distinct from Māori landowners.

The report stated the issue of Māori rights and interests, in particular the question of Māori customary title or ownership issues, needed to be addressed.

As this interim report was released part way through the Tribunal’s hearings, the Tribunal said it was not yet in a position to make findings on these issues.

The Tribunal welcomed the Crown’s inclusion of an action to consider the findings and recommendations of its stage 3 report, when this was released.

The report said that for time being, the Crown should engage directly with the groups who hold those rights.

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

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Basketball: Slow-finishing Tall Blacks beaten by Australian Boomers

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tall Black Flynn Cameron brings the ball down court against Australia. photosport

A slow finish has scuppered the Tall Blacks in Hobart, going down 84-79 to Australia after leading for much of their tense World Cup qualifying game.

Chasing a first-ever back-to-back win over the Boomers, New Zealand looked on track after opening up a 48-42 halftime lead and still having their nose in front going into the final stanza.

However, turnovers and missed shots proved costly down the stretch, with the visitors combining for just 12 points while a clutch Davo Hickey three-pointer pushed Australia four points clear with 34 seconds remaining.

The teams meet again in Wellington on Monday.

Coach Judd Flavell lamented his team’s high turnover count.

“That’s probably the key stat right there. You know 15’s not a lot, but they scored 12 points off [turnovers]. In international basketball, that’s too many,” said Flavell, who also said the Tall Blacks needed to improve their three-point shooting, which had a lowly 25 percent success rate.

“They sat out there and shot 12 threes. We would’ve liked to have done that, but it just means you have to be very precise and execute more – and I don’t think we did that tonight.”

Tall Black Carlin Davison in possession against Australia. photosport

Centre Sam Mennenga topped the scoring for New Zealand with 19, to go with a game-high 10 rebounds, helping the visitors win the rebound count 49-36.

Flynn Cameron came off the bench and continued his impressive FIBA Asia Cup form, setting the tone on both ends, compiling eight points, five assists and two steals.

Fellow gaurd Izayah Le’afa said there were reasons to be confident of reversing the result on Monday night.

“There was definitely some positives for us, rebounding gave us a good chance but it was just little hiccups during the game that Aussie punished us for. I think we’ll go back to the drawing board, look at the film and make the little adjustments,” he said.

“For the majority of it – very happy, and I think we can just do a lot better to close out possessions or just entering our possession and being on the same page a little bit more and just tidying up a few things there.

Taylor Britt was in doubt for the rematch after suffering an apparent knee injury.

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

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Truck and motor home crash in Picton

Source: Radio New Zealand

File image. siwakorn / 123RF

Police are at the scene of a serious crash in Picton involving a truck and a motor home.

Emergency services were called about 7.45am on Saturday to the scene on Dublin Street.

They said initial indications were that one person had been seriously injured.

The road was closed, and diversions would be in place.

Police asked motorists to avoid the area.

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Air NZ cancels flights as global A320 fleet grounded

Source: Radio New Zealand

Air New Zealand says all A320neo aircraft in its fleet will receive a software update. 123RF

Air New Zealand cancelled multiple flights on Saturday, with all A320 aircraft grounded due to a global software problem.

Airbus said a recent incident involving an A320 family aircraft had revealed intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.

The company has ordered an immediate change to a “significant number” of its best-selling A320 jets, which threatened to disrupt half the world’s airlines.

Air NZ chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw said “as a precaution” all A320neo aircraft in its fleet would receive a software update before operating their next passenger service.

“This will lead to disruption across a number of our A320neo flights on Saturday and we’re expecting a number of cancellations to services across that fleet.

“We will contact customers directly if their flight is affected. Customers can also check the latest updates on their flight through the Air NZ app or website. We will provide an update when we have more information on the impact to our services on Saturday.”

Airbus A320s were commonly used on Air NZ’s Australia and Pacific Island routes.

In a statement, the plane manufacturer said: “Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

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Vehicle crashes into river in Hawke’s Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

Emergency services are attending a serious crash where a vehicle has crashed into a river in Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay.

Police said they were still seeking to confirm whether anyone remained trapped inside the vehicle.

Emergency services were called about 4.10am after a report of a vehicle leaving the road and entering the water near the intersection of Carroll Street and River Parade.

Police said cordons were in place, and motorists should avoid the area if possible.

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

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Whitebait species at risk from declining state of waterways

Source: Radio New Zealand

Inanga, a species fished as whitebait. Supplied / Sjaan Bowie

The declining state of some waterways is putting whitebait species at greater risk, according to the Department of Conservation (DOC).

DOC’s new freshwater fish report has found 28 percent of species are facing extinction and 32 percent are at risk of becoming threatened.

Inanga – one of the six species fished as whitebait – has moved from being classified as ‘At Risk – Declining’ to ‘Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable’.

The conservation agency said the worsened status reflected problems with the species’ spawning habitat, which was estimated to be less than 100 hectares nationally.

Since the last report of this kind in 2017, 11 species had worsened in status and 12 had improved, but DOC said that was largely due to better data rather than reduced threats.

DOC freshwater species manager Emily Funnell told RNZ habitat changes, such as sedimentation and shifted rivers due to climate change, were driving the problems.

“When we had Cyclone Gabrielle a few years ago up in the North Island that actually really impacted Inanga spawning habitat because whole rivers shifted from where they normally were.”

Funnell said that the areas would recover and come back over time, but it could have “pretty significant impact” on the fish.

She said to help fix the problems, people could get involved with community groups that restored habitats, fenced off rivers and got involved with regional councils.

Inanga eggs in vegetation. Supplied / Sjaan Bowie

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