Category: Public Media

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Private healthcare provider IntraCare hit by cyber breach

Source: Radio New Zealand

Unsplash / RNZ

Private healthcare provider IntraCare has been affected by a cyber breach, with its IT systems now offline and 28 patients’ surgeries deferred.

The company, which specialises in “image-guided precision medical diagnostics and interventions”, said it became aware of the breach on Friday, March 20, and immediately shut down its IT systems.

The company said it had deferred 28 patient procedures, but due to the complexity and nature of the incident, it would take some time to ascertain whether individual patient records had been affected.

It had also been unable to contact all patients directly as its database containing their contact details had been shut down.

Information about how many patients were on its book was commercially sensitive, a spokesperson said. But according to its website, the company treated more than 2000 patients each year.

It said independent Australasian cybersecurity experts, CyberCX, had been tasked with a forensic investigation, and the company was being supported by an all-of-government group of experts and IT professionals.

It was also working closely with Health NZ, the National Cyber Security Centre and the police, and was in regular contact with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

“Our investigation remains ongoing as we work at pace to determine the full extent of the incident. At this stage, we are not in a position to confirm what information, if any, may or may not have been impacted.”

With systems offline, there might be delays in appointments or scheduling, it said.

It was “taking all possible steps to prevent any misuse of information,” and “communicating openly and transparently as more information becomes available”.

“We sincerely apologise that this incident has occurred and for any concern it may cause.”

Health NZ chief information technology officer Darren Douglass said the health agency was aware of the incident.

He confirmed they had a Cyber Security Incident Management Team in contact with IntraCare “to offer support”.

It directed any further queries to Intracare.

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

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Move to strip upbringing info from alcohol and drug court reports angers lawyers, counsellors

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Alcohol and Other Drugs Treatment Court sitting in 2022. RNZ Insight/Teresa Cowie

A move to strip family background information from alcohol and drug reports used in court has angered some defence lawyers and counsellors.

The Ministry of Justice said the change had been introduced to improve the consistency, quality and cost-effectiveness of the reports, and to improve justice services.

But it has come as a surprise to critics who were calling it a shock backwards step, and an “injustice” to judges and New Zealanders.

An alcohol and drug counsellor and a defence lawyer were concerned it undermined the Sentencing Act, made it harder to get people into the right rehabilitation, and increased the likelihood of reoffending, creating more victims and more cost down the line.

Alcohol and drug reports were used to help inform judges about whether an offender had addiction issues and whether they needed help.

The reports could also indicate the source of those problems and help inform sentencing and rehabilitation decisions.

When writing them, counsellors interviewed offenders about their history of alcohol and other drugs usage and their willingness to engage with rehabilitation services.

A study from 2016 showed in New Zealand more than 50 percent of crime was committed by people under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Ninety-one percent of prisoners had a lifetime diagnosis of a mental health or substance use disorder and 62 percent had this diagnosis in the past 12-months.

Why are the reports important?

Alcohol and drug counsellor, Roger Brooking, had been writing those reports for 20 years. He told RNZ nine times out of 10, when someone ended up with an alcohol and drug problem, it was because of things that happened to them when they were children.

He said a significant percentage of clients in the justice sector were born into a family where – for example – the parents were alcoholics or drug addicts, or the parents had mental health problems.

“I would include all that information in the report, explaining to the court or to the judge, these are the person’s background circumstances which led to their use of cannabis at the age of nine, alcohol at the age of 12, and methamphetamine at the age of 15, and that’s why they now appear in court.”

Co-chair for Te Matakahi, the Defence Lawyers Association New Zealand Elizabeth Hall told RNZ the reports were “incredibly useful” because they explained and unpicked why someone might have alcohol and drug issues.

“This idea that it’s just a choice that people make is so wrong,” she said, “alcohol and drug addiction issues are often a symptom of mental health struggles, they’re often a symptom of trauma.”

Defence Lawyers Association co-chair Elizabeth Hall. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

She said she had seen the “huge value and the economy of having these reports prepared”.

“Once the report’s prepared, it doesn’t just inform only the sentence in court. It also then gets handed on to community probation or to the Corrections Department. It gets filtered through that person’s entire dealing with a sentence, with the work on rehabilitation, and it’s a resource available in the future.”

As well, Section 8 of the Sentencing Act 2002 states the Court must take into account the offender’s personal, family, whanau, community, and cultural background in imposing a sentence or other means of dealing with the offender with a partly or wholly rehabilitative purpose.

The change

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announced it had set up a new Approved Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Report Writers Service.

In a statement to RNZ, Lance Harrison, group manager (acting), commissioning and service improvement from MOJ explained it was doing so to improve the consistency, quality and cost-effectiveness of these reports, and to improve justice services.

The ministry was also aware of differences in report costs between courts and legal aid funded reports, and said it was “responsible for ensuring public funds are used efficiently and effectively”.

And the ministry acknowledged MOJ had received feedback from judges some reports were not up to standard, and had received feedback some report writers were not qualified for the work.

As part of the updated service, MOJ included guidance for a template that stated “the report should not include information on personal, family, whānau, community and cultural background relying on section 27 Sentencing Act 2002″.

Harrison said the new report template and guidelines were developed to ensure consistent quality and provide judges with key information.

He said the template focused specifically on alcohol and drug-related information about the participant and judges would continue to receive information from multiple sources to inform sentencing decisions. The Sentencing Act would not be underminded, Harrison added.

“Within their scope of practice, the approved report writer may include brief information about the offender’s mental health history as relevant.

“Approved report writers will continue to be able to exercise their professional discretion about the information they choose to include in the report, as they hold the relevant expertise,” Harrison stated.

Harrison also told RNZ there were other avenues to raise information about a participants’ personal, family, whānau, community or cultural background information relying on section 27 of the Sentencing Act 2002, for example “oral submissions or privately-funded reports”.

“The Ministry’s view is that AOD reports should not be used as a vehicle for presenting general information provided for under section 27 of the Sentencing Act 2002.”

Ultimately, MOJ said the change to the reports was part of ongoing efforts to improve justice services.

The criticism

But Brooking was “stunned” when he was alerted to the change, and “devastated” by it.

“It’s not something that judges would agree with, it’s not something that addiction specialists would agree with, because if you’re only putting in information about alcohol and drug use into these reports, they’re not going to be of much use at the end of the day.”

Alcohol and drug counsellor, Roger Brooking. Supplied

And he was not reassured writers would be able to “exercise discretion” because that information would not necessarily be available to those applying to be part of the service. He was also concerned about the reliance on Section 27 cultural reports to raise information about a defendants background.

He pointed out the government had scrapped funding for those reports. Now, Brooking said, a very small number of defendants a year might be able to fund a cultural report privately.

“They would have to have wealthy parents or have stashed away funds from drug dealing that the cops didn’t find.”

He said it was misguided to think Section 27 was still a “viable mechanism” to provide background information.

Brooking said he already struggled trying to get defendants into rehabilitation programmes because the waiting lists were so long, “now my job has been made even harder”.

Hall called it an “incredibly frustrating retrograde step”, and that it was also “grossly insulting to the expert practitioners” who wrote the reports.

“It’s like asking a doctor to give a diagnosis, but without explaining what the symptoms are, how the disease has come about in the first place, what’s been tried, what probably will work, what probably won’t work.”

She said it was shortsighted and would result in “shoving the problem further down the road”.

“The Ministry of Justice takes a very short term approach on what it considers to be financially efficient,” she said.

Hall said cost saving on a report that undermined the ability to provide rehabilitation to someone before the court would make it more likely that person re-offended, causing more victims and more cost.

She said there would “absolutely” be an economic outcome in terms of replication of work down the line.

“It’s an injustice to the judges who are being charged with the responsibility of sentencing New Zealand citizens, and it’s an injustice to the community at large, because if sentences aren’t effective in reducing a person’s risk of reoffending, then that plays out in community with further victims going forward.”

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Around the world for a jersey: The extreme travel of New Zealand’s athletes

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Football Ferns training session in Honiara. Joshua Devenie / Phototek.nz

  • Sailors representing New Zealand stopped off in the most countries (8) of any team in the last 12 months.
  • New Zealand cricketers went to Zimbabwe for the first time in nine years and spent nearly three months in the subcontinent.
  • Footballers travel the longest distances to be with the national teams.
  • Basketballers play in locations other New Zealand sportspeople do not.

Each year, New Zealand athletes crisscross the world, some come close to circumnavigating the globe, and some stop off in places athletes in other codes never will.

In the coming months athletes will take detours, extend travel days and deal with cancellations as they do their jobs while travel is disrupted by the Iran war.

Costa Rica, Taiwan, Spain, Mexico, United States, Australia and Solomon Islands are the places where Football Fern Maya Hahn has put on her boots for the national team in the last 12 months.

The globe-trotting midfielder plays club football in Germany and after committing to New Zealand for senior football in 2025 she has been a regular in the squad.

Where the Football Ferns play in any given year comes down to a number of factors. Fifa and Oceania Football Confederation decide where the Football World Cup qualifying tournaments are held, for instance last month in Solomon Islands, and New Zealand Football negotiates with other national associations to get games during the set international windows each year.

Scoring the winner with her first senior international goal behind closed doors in a tiny Costa Rican stadium, the unplayable pitches in Taiwan, facing Venezuela at a popular Spanish training hub, a heavy defeat at a sold out Australian stadium and surviving the heat of the Solomon Islands are some of the tales Hahn can tell from the first year of her Football Ferns career.

“Through football, you’re able to go to all these crazy random countries and travel all over the world, places you might not even typically choose to go to,” Hahn said.

“Definitely, I need to plant a rainforest or something with my carbon footprint now.”

Maya Hahn on her debut tour in Costa Rica in 2025. www.photosport.nz

Hahn quickly found out that not everything goes to plan in international football and sports administration works differently in different parts of the world. Scheduled to make her debut at Costa Rica’s Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, the host nation caught the Football Ferns off guard by switching venues to a smaller stadium a day before kick off and limiting supporters for game two.

Her next trip, to Taiwan, did not result in any competitive football being played after the pitches were deemed too dangerous to play on, meaning the games in April last year were cancelled.

“There were some issues with the field and what was promised and what they had said that would be available and it wasn’t really at the same standard,” Hahn said of the Taiwan tour.

“We were just training and using the time to connect as a team. So that was definitely a different experience and not one that we expected, especially when you travel that far.”

Games against Venezuela at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in southern Spain did provide an off-field highlight for Hahn and her team mates.

“There was a lot of like English teams there. [Manchester City and Norway striker] Erling Haaland was there at the same time as us as well.

“It was crazy. He just shows up in a Lamborghini and then he’s kicking a ball around with his girlfriend on the field while we’re in the gym.”

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland photosport

To get back to New Zealand for next month’s Fifa Women’s World Cup 2027 Oceania Qualifiers, Hahn has an even longer route than normal.

Unable to transit through Dubai, as she normally would, Hahn will now play an away game for her club side Viktoria Berlin in Munich on the Sunday, stay overnight then board a flight for Vancouver and then arrive in Auckland on Wednesday and play in the World Cup qualifiers semi-final in Hamilton four days later.

“I think our managers with the travel agency, they do a good job of making sure we’re well looked after and getting the best connections possible. But that’s definitely a lot of work, I think.”

All White Ben Old, who plays for AS Saint-Etienne in France, was among the players who experienced the current travel conditions in reverse, coming to Auckland for this week’s Fifa Series.

“France to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Singapore, Singapore to Auckland, I landed at 1am [on Monday] and I had my game at 8pm on Saturday [France time] I had my flight in the morning at 6am so I didn’t sleep because it’s so hard to sleep after a game.”

All White Ben Old © Bildbyrån Photo Agency 2025 © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz

Bucket list locations or places not on the radar

The global nature of basketball means New Zealand’s national teams, from age-group to senior sides, play in locations that other New Zealand sportspeople do not.

Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell and many of his roster had never been to the Micronesian island of Guam before playing a World Cup qualifier there this month.

The New Zealand team was only in the United States territory for a short period of time, arriving from the Philippines, playing the next day and then heading back to their respective bases around the world after a big win.

In the last 12 months the Tall Blacks have also been to Saudi Arabia, Australia and the Philippines.

Tall Black Jordan Ngatai, now based in Japan, has played for New Zealand since 2013.

He was one of the few current players who had been to Guam – “a mini Hawaii, with a similar type of vibe” – before, just one of a number of places basketball has taken the 33-year-old including Lebanon, Jordan, Korea and Hong Kong.

Sometimes the Tall Blacks were met by relaxed vibes other times security was amped up.

Police escorts to stadiums for Fiba tournaments are common and sometimes complex.

“The last World Cup we were at [in the Philippines] we had a police escort from our hotel to the arena but the arena was only a 10 minute walk but we had to catch the bus because it lead around to the player’s entrance a process that would of took a 10 minute walk, or not even that, was a 10 to 15 minute bus ride.”

Seeing much beyond the basketball court, training gym and hotel is not always possible

“Whenever we do get our little days off we make the most of it as, yes, we’re there for basketball, but as people, as human beings, we want to explore different cultures and explore the country that we’re in.

“I feel like we try and do, sometimes the most touristy things, but also some of the things that the locals kind of do as well.”

Turkey, for the coffee and markets, and Lebanon, for the fans, have been memorable for Ngatai.

Ngatai said a stadium of less than 7000 people in Beirut sounded more like 25000 fans.

“Just by the drums that were playing, the whistles, just the whole environment of them yelling.

“I remember it was our first time at Asia Cup and we were performing our haka and from start to finish, the boys could not hear me.

“I just said that my main message before we did it was just try and I’m going to be as loud as I can, just try and hear it and copy the person in front if you can’t hear.

“So we got through it, it was good, but that’s probably one of the loudest environments I’ve been in from that aspect of it.”

On Lebanon’s return trip to New Zealand the players wondered if the New Zealand fans were “ok” given how quiet they were in comparison to other basketball playing countries.

“People probably think that Tall Ferns and Tall Blacks just go play in the same countries but there’s two different ways of the women’s side and the men’s side of how they can qualify for the World Cup and so they get to probably see more of South America and the other side of Europe compared to what we get to see.”

Tall Ferns captain Tayla Dalton spoke to RNZ from a hotel in Puerto Rico before the World Cup qualifiers tipped off this month. The team had been in a training camp in Melbourne before travelling as a group to San Juan.

“It’s stunning, it’s so pretty we’re staying right on the beach so we’re so spoilt,” Dalton said of the Caribbean island.

“I’ve gone and played in Mongolia and Belarus places I would never have gone to without basketball but Puerto Rico is a good one let me tell you that.”

The Tall Ferns had also been in China in the middle of last year for the Asia Cup.

Sailing around the world

Black Foils sail past the Statue of Liberty in New York. Bob Martin for SailGP

SailGP gives competing boats a ‘home’ event.

This year the series has moved to align with the calendar year, but in the 2024/25 season the Black Foils were off-shore in Dubai, Australia, United States, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Abu Dhabi.

In January this year New Zealand started the series in Perth had a crash, got the boat back together for their home race in Auckland before having another crash which has prevented them competing in the following events in Sydney or Brazil in April.

If the Black Foils are back in the water by the Bermuda Grand Prix in May, the team will then travel to United States, Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Dubai and Abu Dhabi all before the end of November.

Sailors can return home between some legs of the racing or just travel on with their boat to the next location if time is tight.

Across the sporting disciplines New Zealand teams took part in last year – the eight different locations took the sailors to the top of the charts for miles covered.

Months on the road

Sri Lanka’s Pawan Tathnayake is stumped by Black Caps wicketkeeper Tim Seifert during the T20 World Cup Super 8 match in Colombo. www.photosport.nz

Cricketers, from this part of the world, across their careers get to know India well.

Some members of the Black Caps spent nearly three months in the subcontinent this year with a white ball series against India followed straight after by the T20 World Cup hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Coach Rob Walter, at the airport after the World Cup about to board his flight back to New Zealand for the series against South Africa, reflected on the time away from home.

“It was a pretty intense nine weeks to be fair in India and Sri Lanka.

“That’s the nature of the beast right now in international cricket and understanding we also have to take care of our players. Those guys left everything out there from a World Cup point of view.”

Eight World Cup players were rested for the home series against South Africa.

“You still need to be in a mental space to put your best foot forward for your country when you’re competing and [I’m] trying to ensure that that’s the case.”

The cricket calendar is decided years in advance by the International Cricket Council via the Future Tours Programme.

Politics can also play a part, particularly when India and Pakistan are involved.

In 2025 the Black Caps played in Pakistan, Dubai and for the first time in a decade played ODIs in Zimbabwe.

The Middle East hosted more cricket in recent years as a neutral venue but traditionally New Zealand was scheduled to play in other major cricket playing nations.

Next month, New Zealand will play T20s in Bangladesh, followed by Tests in England in June.

It is not unusual for cricketers to spend long periods way from home. New Zealand Cricket gave former Black Caps coach Gary Stead a break in 2020 after he had spent just four of the last 16 months at home.

Similar to the Black Caps, the White Ferns were in India and Sri Lanka late last year for a global tournament and will head to England for a World Cup warm up series before the T20 World Cup starts there in June.

Rugby and netball playing nations

New Zealand celebrate with the trophy after their victory in Manchester, England www.photosport.nz

New Zealand’s traditional codes have a regular rotation of places they go to play.

The Silver Ferns stick to Commonwealth countries.

In a disrupted end to 2025 the netballers played the Constellation Cup in Australia and then had a quick turnaround to the Northern Tour in England and Scotland.

Argentina, Australia, United States, Scotland, England and Wales was where the All Blacks went in 2025.

All places they had played before and, minus Argentina, will play in again this year.

The All Blacks perform the haka before their test with Wales in Cardiff, 2025. Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency

This year they will also tour South Africa to play professional franchise sides as well as the Springboks.

The Black Ferns’ away games were in Australia in the Pacific Four Championship last season as well as the Rugby World Cup in England in August and September.

Next month the Black Ferns play in the Pacific Four Series in the United States and Australia.

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Why Israel and the US are in lockstep – and why that might be changing

Source: Radio New Zealand

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS

As the Iran war affects the global economy, Americans are asking if their ties with Israel look like the tail wagging the dog.

The United States was one of the first countries to recognise an independent Israel in 1948, and since then their ties have deepened.

But in the last two years, two conflicts – in Gaza and in Iran – into which America has poured billions in the form of military aid into Israel – have had a sizeable effect on the way young Americans in particular are seeing that relationship.

They’ve seen horrific images on social media of victims in Gaza, an attack on Iran that has been deemed illegal under international rule, and it’s causing huge economic hardship and disruption.

US President Donald Trump seems to be looking for an offramp from the Iran conflict but Israel differs on the next steps – they’re no longer quite as in lockstep as they used to be.

Today on The Detail we speak to two foreign affairs experts, Otago University’s Professor Robert Patman and geo-political analyst Dr Geoffrey Miller, about the special relationship between the two nations, and why it might be changing.

“The United States sees Israel as one of the few democracies in the Middle East region,” says Patman.

“It sees Israel as a very close strategic partner, and that closeness is symbolised by the fact that the United States provides about $4 billion in military assistance every year to Israel.

“Interestingly in terms of diplomatic goals they have drifted a bit, but with the advent of the second Trump administration the relationship has got even closer. And Mr Trump and Mr [Benjamin] Netanyahu seem to have an exceptionally close relationship.”

A crucial factor in explaining the closeness between the two countries is the Israeli penetration of domestic politics in the US.

“AIPAC – the American-Israeli support lobby – [is] a very powerful, influential group in United States politics. The Israeli lobby funds both major parties, Democrats and Republicans, and that’s been a factor going back to the 70s.

“Israel I think by the 70s realised it had to become a player in American domestic politics, and it has successfully done so.

“Although interestingly since the Gaza crisis, AIPAC has become, at least when it comes to funding Democratic candidates for office, much less visible because there is certainly a change of opinion within the United States amongst young people, particularly in progressive politics.

“Sometimes closeness to AIPAC is seen as a disadvantage, particularly with the ICJ [International Court of Justice] indicating that war crimes were committed in Israel’s reaction to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.”

Patman believes it was a catalyst in the transformation of many young people’s views about Israel.

Another issue for Americans is their President’s inability to be clear about the reasons for invading Iran, including that it was to stop a threat – when last June after another skirmish in Iran, Trump said the threat had been obliterated.

Dr Geoffrey Miller Supplied

Religious basis

Miller says some of the connection is based on religion.

“The idea of Christian Zionsim, the belief that the return of Jews to the Holy Land is a Biblical pre-requisite for the second coming,” he says.

“The Republican Party [in the US] relies very heavily on Evangelical voters, and particularly from the 1970s onwards there was a real push from Evangelicals to demand greater support for Israel as part of Republican candidates’ platforms.

“It’s just been a truism that if you want to be successful in politics and you are on the Republican side you have to support Israel very, very, strongly. Even on the Democratic side that has largely become a truism.”

He says Israel on its part sees the United States as the only true friend they can rely on.

“European countries place far more conditions on support than the United States does. When it comes to weaponry, for example, many European countries wound down sales to Israel after October 7; limited supplies and so forth. The United States did not.”

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Jobseekers and advocates disturbed as companies screen applications with AI

Source: Radio New Zealand

Thomas Lefebvre / Unsplash

Advocates say the use of AI to screen job applications is dehumanising and creates bias.

The technology is used by companies like McDonalds and Woolworths to process applications en masse, but handing the reins to a computer has Unite Union’s assistant national secretary Gerard Hehir uneasy.

“AIs are basically black boxes, because they’re not just implementing the code, they are learning and developing their own logic and system, it basically becomes a black box” he said.

“No one actually knows, at the heart of it, an AI system, how it actually makes a decision.”

Though the technology had first been marketed as a way to eliminate bias, Hehir said it had done the opposite.

“Time and time again over recent years we have seen, and there’s been in-depth studies, that of course the processes themselves often reflect the biases of those that wrote them and designed them,” he said.

“Far from actually removing the bias, they reinforce or even amplify the bias.”

Hehir said AI worked best when it was screening applicants against clear requirements, such as having a driver’s licence or the correct visa.

But he feared some companies were using AI to make subjective decisions about an applicant’s personality.

“If it’s used to assess hard, measurable criteria, no, not a problem. But when it’s making evaluations like what’s your emotional response to a question or whether you sounded a bit stressed or depressed or something like that, that is a major problem, I think it is dehumanising.”

Feedback on teen’s personality

Kapiti mum Louise Hinton had been helping her 16-year-old son apply for jobs, but was shocked when the AI used by Woolworths gave unsolicited feedback about his personality.

The AI told her son he would struggle with distractions, and didn’t like to try new things, all based on a short text conversation.

“I’m worried about his confidence, he’s dyslexic and he does have the barriers and he’s also colourblind,” Hinton explained

“For him to have that feedback, it was kind of tearing strips off him. It’s like, well, why would you want to go through that again?”

Hinton said using AI instead of a real person felt cheap.

“Just lazy, soul-destroying,” she said.

“These internationally run companies, well, the staff on the ground have no say in anything. They’re not on the ground level, they’re not talking to real people, they’re not understanding the needs and wants, they’re just all behind computers, looking at data.”

Project Employ, an organisation that trained neurodiverse New Zealanders and helps them find work, had similar concerns.

Its employment programme lead, Emily Norton, said AI created a barrier for many of the people she works with.

“Anybody who is a little bit outside the box is really disadvantaged. I don’t know exactly what the AI is looking for, but I’m guessing that it’s things like extroversion and eye contact and smiling and being articulate, and all of that’s so hard for our grads,” she said.

AFP/ NurPhoto – Jonathan Raa

‘A slightly perverse situation’

Dr Andrew Lensen, a senior lecturer on AI at Victoria University, said the technology had radically changed the employment process on both sides.

He said jobseekers were using AI to generate their applications, while employers were using AI to read them.

“We sort of ended up in a slightly perverse situation where we have people who write lots of applications with AI and then we have employers who are using AI to screen applications,” he said.

“So you kind of end up with AI screening AI, which is a little bit dystopian, right?”

Lensen said being involved in hiring decisions himself made him understand the need for a human touch.

“More often than not, it’s not until you actually meet someone and talk to them that you get a good sense of, first of all, whether they’re a good fit for the job and whether the job’s a good fit for them, but also how much of what they said on their CV or application is actually true in practice,” he explained.

Woolworths told RNZ it regularly reviewed its tools for bias and offered non-AI alternatives to candidates who requested them.

“We use AI tools to help manage the initial stages of recruitment for some roles, but AI does not make hiring decisions; those are always made by our hiring leaders,” a spokesperson said.

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Easter egg prices jump again

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

Easter egg prices have increased again as the price of chocolate pushes up costs.

A survey of pricing shows a 325g bag of Cadbury marshmallow eggs is now on special for $10 at Woolworths, down from $13.

Last year, it was $8, down from $12. The same pack was $9.90 at Woolworths in 2022, or $6.50 on special.

Cadbury eggs seem now usually include mini eggs rather than chocolate bars.

Last year, these were on special for $9.90 at Woolworths, down from $15, and a pineapple lumps egg was $12. This year, all of the Cadbury gift box eggs are $13, down from $16.50.

Shopping around might help – Pak’n Save had 325g bags of Cadbury marshmallow eggs for $7.99 on Thursday and a pineapple lumps gift box egg for $7.49. A Caramilk gift box egg was $9.79.

Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod said Easter eggs felt more expensive from a shopper’s perspective.

“Global cocoa prices have come down over the past year, but are still pretty high compared to history,” he said.

“We also tend to see prices for boxed – or fancier – chocolates spiking around this time of year. However, Easter eggs aren’t on sale all year round.

“I still think standard chocolate blocks are the best value – albeit not as much fun as the traditional egg shape. Easter eggs and boxed chocolates typically sell for much higher per unit prices than a standard chocolate block. And the chocolate blocks are often nicer chocolate depending on what you by.”

123RF

Otago University’s Murat Ungor said the price increases reflected earlier cocoa price rises.

“Cocoa commodity prices hit their highest levels in nearly 50 years in 2024. Although prices have since fallen by nearly 70 percent from that peak, retail prices have not adjusted as quickly.

“We can point to two economic mechanisms: forward contracting and supply chain lags, and incomplete cost pass-through.

“First, chocolate manufacturers often purchase cocoa months in advance through futures contracts. This means their effective input costs reflect historical prices rather than current spot prices, effectively decoupling retail prices from current market conditions.

“Second, even as cocoa prices have corrected sharply, manufacturers and retailers face no immediate commercial pressure to reduce shelf prices in step. There is a tendency for retail prices to rise quickly when input costs increase, but fall slowly when those costs decline.”

He said there were cost pressures on other ingredients, such as sugar, and the cost of labour had risen, too, which could push up prices.

Stats NZ said in its most recent food price update that a block of chocolate was $6.88 per 250g in February, up 20.3 percent annually.

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Next generation of Blues inspired by Joeli Vidiri’s brilliance

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Blues and Fijian Drua will in future play for the Joeli Vidiri Memorial Trophy whenever they meet in Super Rugby. PHOTOSPORT

There were few sights in the late 90s more thrilling than Joeli Vidiri in full flight during the early days of Super 12.

The blockbusting winger ignited excitement alongside a superstar Blues team.

Often overshadowed by his wing partner and close friend Jonah Lomu, Vidiri’s impact cannot be understated.

He formed a lethal combination with Lomu, helping propel the Blues to the most feared, exciting, and successful side in the first years of the competition.

But like Lomu, Vidiri battled kidney issues his whole career.

Vidiri against the Cats in 1999. Photosport

His condition forced him into retirement from rugby in 2001 after beginning dialysis treatment. Tragically, Vidiri passed away in California in 2022 at just 48-years-old.

As a tribute to the late legend, the Blues and Drua will play for the Joeli Vidiri Trophy in their round seven Super Rugby clash on Saturday night.

Blues coach Vern Cotter said the side was shown a video package of Vidiri this week, showcasing his sensational career with the franchise.

“It’s always emotional around that stuff. You get to share a little bit more for people that don’t know his life, how he saw things, and the challenges that he went through as a man. It’s just one of those things that it’s about humanity, life, it’s pretty cool.”

Cotter said the Fijian flyer was a generational talent.

“He could play today. He was a a great, great rugby player, the skillset he’s got.”

Vidiri playing for the All Blacks in 1998. Photosport

Vidiri debuted for Counties Manukau in 1994 and the Blues in their inaugural Super Rugby season in 1996.

He scored 43 tries in 61 appearances for the Blues and was a part of a backline that included Lomu, Eroni Clarke and Carlos Spencer.

The sight of a rampaging Vidiri sparked awe in some of the younger players not born when he was at the peak of his powers.

“When we saw the highlights of what he was doing, I think it inspired the players that’ll go out for us this weekend.”

Joeli Vidiri playing for Fiji in 1994. ALAN_LEE

Making his All Blacks debut off the bench in 1998, Vidiri scored with one of his first touches at Eden Park against England.

As part of the inaugural presentation, the Vidiri family will play a central role in match-day proceedings, with a special on-field moment planned to award the trophy.

Cotter said that much like Vidiri, the Drua can be incredibly dangerous if given an inch.

“Just Fiji and rugby. It can be hot and cold during the game. When it’s on, you’ve got to shut them down. You can’t give them any air, otherwise the fire will spread. So it’s just about being structured and well organised.”

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Super Rugby preview: Vidiri legacy honoured, Carter to centre for Chiefs

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Blues and Fijian Drua will play for the inaugural Joeli Vidiri Trophy this weekend. Photosport

The final piece of the All Black’s puzzle now awaits.

With Dave Rennie’s coaching squad assembled, the new crew will now turn their attention to the players they will task with resurrecting the national side.

Their next audition comes in round seven of Super Rugby Pacific, where the men from the capital still lead the pack. The Hurricanes sit in top spot with a game in hand and will host a resurgent Reds side fresh off an upset in Fiji.

All Black flyer Leroy Carter will start at centre for the Chiefs as they travel to Perth to take on a flailing Force outfit.

The late, great Joeli Vidiri’s legacy will be celebrated as the Blues and Fijian Drua battle for his namesake trophy at the ground where he electrified crowds in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

Though buoyed by his All Blacks promotion, Tana Umaga has the unenviable task of dragging Moana off the bottom of the ladder as they host the Highlanders in Albany.

The defending champion Crusaders have the bye.

Selection notes

Highlanders halfback Nic Shearer has been given the No.9 jersey for his first match in Super Rugby, with Folau Fakatava dropping out of the 23 altogether.

Giant lock Fiti Sa will bring his 2.03 metre frame off the pine for a Chiefs debut while Damian McKenzie has been moved to fullback with Josh Jacomb taking the reins at 10.

Paula Latu will get his first Super Rugby cap off the bench for Moana, as will loose forward Jed Melvin for the Blues. Highlanders centre Jonah Lowe plays his 50th Super Rugby match.

Injury ward

The Chiefs are without All Blacks Tupou Vaa’i and Wallace Sititi with midfielders Daniel Rona and Lalakai Foketi also sidelined.

Julian Savea’s return for Moana Pasifika lasted just five minutes last weekend before dislocating his shoulder, while Tom Savage sits the week out with a head knock.

For the Highlanders, Mitch Dunshea’s calf is still at least two weeks from full fitness with Cam Millar still out with concussion.

The Blues have three players out with concussion; Laghlan McWhannell, Sam Nock, and Zarn Sullivan, with All Blacks Dalton Papali’i, Stephen Perofeta and Hoskins Sotutu all joining the side’s growing injury list.

Callum Harkin is also missing this week for the Hurricanes after failing an HIA at the weekend.

Key stats

  • The Hurricanes have won the last 10 on the trot against the Reds.
  • Brumbies flanker Charlie Cale leads the try scorers with eight.
  • Moana Pasifika are on a five-game losing streak.
  • Force lock Jeremy Williams leads the pack for lineout steals with seven.
  • Quinn Tupaea at the Chiefs tops the turnover charts with eight.
  • The Blues have never lost to the Fijian Drua.

Moana Pasifika vs Highlanders

Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 27 March

North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ

Moana Pasifika:

1. Abraham Pole 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou 4. Veikoso Poloniati 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi (c) 7. Niko Jones 8. Dominic Ropeti 9. Joel Lam 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop 11. Glen Vaihu 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo 13. Tevita Latu 14. Solomon Alaimalo 15. William Havili.

Bench: 16. Samiuela Moli 17. Malakai Hala-Ngatai 18. Paula Latu (*debut) 19. Alefosio Aho 20. Ola Tauelangi 21. Siaosi Nginingini 22. Patrick Pellegrini 23. Tevita Ofa.

“I have great belief about what we’re trying to do here and the movement behind Moana Pasifika, I still do, and will always have a place in my heart with this club and this movement,” – Coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga.

Highlanders:

Ethan de Groot 2. Jack Taylor 3. Angus Ta’avao 4. Oliver Haig 5. Tomas Lavanini 6. Te Kamaka Howden 7. Veveni Lasaqa 8. Hugh Renton (cc) 9. Nic Shearer (Super Rugby debut) 10. Reesjan Pasitoa 11. Jona Nareki 12. Tanielu Tele’a 13. Jonah Lowe 14. Caleb Tangitau 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Bench: 16. Henry Bell 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Rohan Wingham 19. Will Stodart 20. Sean Withy 21. Adam Lennox 22. Andrew Knewstubb 23. Timoci Tavatavanawai (cc).

“They are a big, physical side that play a direct style of game, and we will need to meet that challenge. In this competition every week is a tough game,” – Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph.

Hurricanes vs Reds

Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday 28 March

Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington

Live blog updates on RNZ

Hurricanes:

1. Xavier Numia 2. Asafo Aumua 3. Tyrel Lomax 4. Caleb Delany 5. Warner Dearns 6. Devan Flanders 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Peter Lakai 9. Cam Roigard 10. Ruben Love 11. Fehi Fineanganofo 12. Jordie Barrett (cc) 13. Billy Proctor 14. Bailyn Sullivan 15. Josh Moorby.

Bench: 16. Vernon Bason 17. Siale Lauaki 18. Pasilio Tosi 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere 20. Brayden Iose 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Lucas Cashmore 23. Jone Rova.

“We’re really looking forward to playing a top-quality side in the Reds, who have won four games on the bounce,” – Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw.

Blues vs Fijian Drua

Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 28 March

Eden Park, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ

Blues:

1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Bradley Slater 3. Marcel Renata 4. Josh Beehre 5. Sam Darry (c) 6. Torian Barnes 7. Anton Segner 8. Malachi Wrampling 9. Taufa Funaki 10. Beauden Barrett 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Pita Ahki 13. AJ Lam 14. Cole Forbes 15. Payton Spencer.

Bench: 16. James Mullan 17. Mason Tupaea 18. Sam Matenga 19. Che Clark 20. Jed Melvin (debut) 21. Finlay Christie 22. Xavi Taele 23. Codemeru Vai.

“The Drua are a dangerous side when you give them space. They play with a lot of flair and confidence, so for us it’s about being accurate, controlling the tempo and making good decisions under pressure,” – Blues coach Vern Cotter.

Western Force vs Chiefs

Kick-off: 9:35pm Saturday 28 March

HBF Park, Perth

Live blog updates on RNZ

Chiefs:

1. Jared Proffit 2. Brodie McAlister 3. George Dyer 4. Josh Lord 5. Naitoa Ah Kuoi 6. Samipeni Finau 7. Luke Jacobson (c) 8. Simon Parker 9. Xavier Roe 10. Josh Jacomb 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo 12. Quinn Tupaea (vc) 13. Leroy Carter 14. Emoni Narawa 15. Damian McKenzie.

Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho 17. Ollie Norris 18. Sione Ahio 19. Fiti Sa 20. Kaylum Boshier 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Kyle Brown 23. Kyren Taumoefolau.

“We don’t take the Force lightly, especially on their home patch and after the loss to the Brumbies last week it’s important we get the little things right on Saturday,” – Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbs.

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‘No response’: Jevon McSkimming yet to pay back taxpayer funded hotel stays during affair

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming has not replied to a request to pay back up to 10 taxpayer-funded stays at hotels during his affair, three weeks on.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers wrote to McSkimming on 4 March asking him to pay back the funds.

The request came after the Independent Police Conduct Authority released a summary of its investigation into McSkimming’s decision to invite a woman he was having an affair with – Ms Z – to stay with him in hotel accommodation paid for by police, on numerous occasions, primarily in 2016.

On Wednesday, Chambers confirmed to RNZ that “as yet there has been no response to my request”.

“I continue to hope Mr McSkimming will do the right thing.”

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

In Chambers’ letter, obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act, he referred to the IPCA’s report in relation to his “overnight stays in Wellington hotels with Ms Z”.

“You have confirmed that 8-10 times you stayed with Ms Z in Wellington hotels at the expense of police, but ultimately the taxpayer. The IPCA made an adverse finding in this respect.

“It is appropriate for you to reimburse police for these 8-10 hotel stays, and you are asked to reimburse police as soon as possible. You have knowledge of the hotels in which you stayed and the approximate cost at the time.”

Chambers said he welcomed McSkimming’s response and “swift reimbursement”.

The hotel stays

The IPCA had not been able to review McSkimming’s credit card expenditure, and relied on the evidence of the complainant, McSkimming, his former executive assistant and one of his supervisors at the time.

“In 2016 and 2017, Mr McSkimming’s workplace was at Police National Headquarters in Wellington. He lived about 60-70kms away.”

McSkimming and his executive assistant at the time told the IPCA that he was regularly required to attend functions or late meetings in Wellington or catch early morning flights.

“On those occasions, his executive assistant would book accommodation at a Wellington hotel, paid for by police. The rationale for these bookings was explained to us as being to avoid a long drive home after a work event, or where he was required to attend a social function to ensure he was not having a drink and then driving.”

McSkimming told the IPCA he thought Ms Z stayed with him eight to 10 times.

“This is corroborated by Ms Z. Mr McSkimming breached policy by not informing his senior manager approving the travel that she would be staying with him. If he had done so, we consider it highly likely that approval would have been declined.

“In any case, whether or not he informed his manager, he breached the Police Code of Conduct by staying in hotels at Police expense and inviting the woman with whom he was having a sexual relationship to join him. If he had paid for the hotels himself, that would have been a different matter. However, the fact that the hotels were paid for by police gives rise to the perception that he was using taxpayer money to further a clandestine affair, thus bringing police into disrepute.”

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Civil Defence teams to assess damage caused by latest storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

Flooding in Kāeo township NZTA/Supplied

Civil Defence teams are heading out in Northland to assess how much damage the latest storm has caused.

A red heavy rain warning expired at 4am Friday and the Far North and Whangārei remain under a state of emergency for another six days.

Kaitaia is cut off and some people in remote parts of Kaipara, Hokianga, Whangaroa and the southeastern Bay of Islands have evacuated because of rising waters.

Around 17 marae welfare centres were set up for people in remote communities.

Road closures include two sections of State Highway 1 at Kaitaia, and sections at Whakapara, Mangamuka and Rangiahua. State Highway 10 is closed at Kaeo, State Highway 12 at Waimamaku, State Highway 15 at Parakao, Pakotai and Kaikohe. Two dozen local roads are closed in the Far North and nine in Whangārei due to slips and flooding. People are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and are advised not to drive through floodwaters.

MetService said Kaitaia had 193 millimetres of rain, more than double the town’s average monthly rainfall for March. Kerikeri received more than a month and a half’s worth of rain and Auckland more than a month’s worth.

Toto Nicholson says the local Pak’nSave, McDonalds, car wash and Bells Produce store in Kaitaia are inundated with water from the Awanui River which runs behind the area. Supplied / Toto Nicholson

River levels across Northland exceeded their flooding risk, with many spilling onto roads. Data from the Northland Regional Council showed that at least nine rivers went over their warning level for potential flooding.

A Northland woman said the flooding was the worst she had seen in years. Stella Matthews had to walk through floodwaters to reach her home near Kiripaka. She said sheds, vehicles and paddocks on her property were inundated by waist-high floodwaters.

Far North mayor Moko Tepania said the storm was worse than the flooding in January, because it had been more widespread. He hoped to get a better idea of how communities have fared on Friday.

He said in January, floodwaters swept mud through homes on Northland’s east coast, damaged roads and triggered landslides and the latest storm had presented more challenges.

“We’ll be requesting funding from central government just to help our people out. Just from that January event alone, we have had over $240,000 in applications for relief funding for our whanau. We know that this is more widespread and we’re going to have whanau that need that and we’ll have to start helping once this weather clears.”

Assessment teams would be out on Friday morning to gauge the extent of the damage and Tepania said a mayoral relief fund would be set up on Monday.

State Highway 1 is closed at the slip-prone Mangamuka Gorge in the Far North as a safety precaution. Supplied/NZTA

Storm moves towards Coromandel, Bay of Plenty

Fire and Emergency said extra resources were on the ground in Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty, as storms move on from the North.

Director of operations Brendan Nally said crews would stay ready to respond as the risk moved down into the Coromandel and Western Bay of Plenty.

“We’ve got extra resources that we have pre-positioned and sent in to support the local staff,” he said.

“Those specialist resources have been busy, so we were well ready for this event.”

Nally said they were keeping an eye on another turn in the weather expected toward Monday.

Meanwhile, he was urging locals to stay safe and warned motorists against driving in flood waters.

“Our specialist water teams and our [urban search and rescue] teams have been pulling cars out of flooded areas, or getting people from areas that have been surrounded and marooned from floods,” he said.

In one case, three people had been rescued from a car trapped in flood water on Thursday, Nally said.

“It’s one of those things that we see in floods, people, generally, underestimating how difficult it is to cross flooded areas.”

Nally said the safest thing was not to drive on flooded roads.

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