Category: Public Media

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Households jumping on solar power – but what if you don’t have a home loan?

Source: Radio New Zealand

The main banks all offer low-or no-interest loan options for people who want to invest in solar power for their homes, often by extending an existing home loan. Fabian Rieger / 123RF

Thousands of New Zealanders have borrowed from their banks to put solar power systems on their houses, but advocates are calling for more help for people who don’t have a home loan.

The main banks all offer low-or no-interest loan options for people who want to invest in solar power for their homes, often by extending an existing home loan.

Westpac’s managing director of product, sustainability and marketing Sarah Hearn said the bank had approved more than 1000 “greater choices” loans for solar panels or batteries in the past two years, as well as a small number of personal loans.

The total amount lent was $30 million.

ASB said its Better Homes Top Up lending balances were $327 million, and around 4500 customers had used Better Homes Top up in the previous 12 months alone.

ANZ had a similar offer that had been taken out by 21,000 households to a total of more than $850 million.

‘Super excited’ about New Zealand’s energy transition

Chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa Mike Casey said he was “super excited” about what was happening in New Zealand’s energy transition.

“A lot of the time we talk about moving from fossil fuels over to electricity, but I think there’s a bigger energy transition that’s going on here, which is also moving away from traditional energy landlords and towards customers of New Zealand taking a lot of energy sovereignty into their own hands.

“Being able to generate and store energy, it’s a whole new dynamic to the New Zealand’s energy system that we haven’t seen before.

“And while the price of all forms of energy, whether it grid electricity or diesel or petrol or gas, continues to go up at, I think, quite an uncomfortable rate for many New Zealanders, the price of solar and batteries seems to keep coming down.”

Chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa Mike Casey. Supplied / Rewiring Aotearoa

A typical system can cost between $9000 and $15,000 installed, although some systems are much larger.

Casey said while taking on a loan to pay for it was a form of debt that some people found uncomfortable, “choosing not to generate your own electricity on your own rooftop is another form of debt because you have to just keep paying someone else for the energy that they can provide you”.

He said a conservative estimate was that a system would pay itself back in seven or eight years.

“It really comes down to the number of people that are in your home, how much of that solar you generate you can self-consume. And a lot of it comes down to making sure all the machines in your home are electric.

“The more electric machines you have, like your hot water and your spatial heating and all of those kinds of things, the more of your own power that you use, the faster the payback on the solar is.”

Electricity comparison site Powerswitch tracks the buy back rate that companies pay for solar power that is generated, but not used and sent back to the grid.

It varies from 23c/kWh during peak period from Octopus through to 8c from Contact.

Casey said the next step should be support for batteries.

At present, many households do not opt for battery storage of the power generated because the cost makes it uneconomical.

But Casey said it could be part of helping the country shore up its defences against things like natural disasters.

“I would love to see the government come out and say, you know, we think a massive roll out of solar batteries and electrification in the homes of New Zealanders is the best way to bring down our cost of living because it genuinely is.”

Australia has about 40 percent rooftop solar covering compared to 3 percent to 4 percent in New Zealand.

That has been driven by government subsidies, including for batteries.

“They’ve seen 200,000 home batteries get installed in the last six months. It’s bigger than the peak response of Manapouri. It’s like building another entire dam.

“And at the moment, the energy system in New Zealand doesn’t recognise or reward customers from having batteries.”

But he said people who did not have mortgages or own their own homes were being left out.

Long-term low interest loans

Rewiring Aotearoa is working on a Ratepayer Assistance Scheme that would offer long-term low interest loans tired to a property with flexible repayment terms, building on the New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency.

These would have longer terms than the bank options, making them more manageable for people on lower incomes.

It said eight councils, plus EECA, had committed the further funding required to get the scheme ready for final equity investments from councils and central government.

“There’s a big problem here with equity and that not all New Zealanders have access to a mortgage.

“Pensioners, renters – we’re looking at what else can we do outside of mortgages for people to have the upgrades on their homes that allow them to start saving money.”

He said the ratepayer assistance scheme would be good for pensioners who had cleared their home loans and did not have the income to service the sort of loan that banks would offer them.

Rewiring Aotearoa is also working on a trial to look at solar for renters.

“How do you get the landlord to spend the money and how do you split the savings between the tenants and landlords?”

How long to pay power system off?

Investigative writer at Consumer Chris Schulz said it would take seven to nine years for a solar power system to pay for itself.

People who were high energy users, such as those with an electric vehicle, would see a quicker return.

He said it was likely that when New Zealand reached 5 percent coverage, it would be a “tipping point” for the new technology.

“People start seeing it when they’re out walking or on their neighbours’ roofs and start thinking oh yeah, okay – now might be a good time to look at this.”

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Is it time to ban traditional Lotto?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Researchers studying the Dutch government’s banned the sale and purchase of traditional lotteries in 1905 found that overall, people who were less wealthy put more money into lottery bonds, while wealthy individuals decreased their holdings. RNZ/Asia King

A University of Auckland researcher says there may be a way to turn Lotto into a new type of Bonus Bonds, to leave players much better off.

Senior finance lecturer Gertjan Verdickt and co-author Amaury De Vicq from the University of Groningen, studied what happened after the Dutch government banned the sale and purchase of traditional lotteries in 1905, but allowed lottery bonds as an alternative.

These were a fixed-income product that let people invest while also going into a prize draw.

People were guaranteed their money back plus interest, with the additional chance of winning a big prize.

“Lotto is often defended because it funds community projects, which is fantastic, but it can disproportionately draw spending from people on lower incomes,” Verdickt said.

“Maybe the government could move towards supporting people to put money into something where they get a safe return, and the chance for a big win.

“A premium government-led bond-style product could fund public projects, while allowing New Zealanders to grow their money rather than lose money week after week.”

The researchers found that overall, people who were less wealthy put more money into lottery bonds, while wealthy individuals decreased their holdings.

“The magnitude of the move towards lottery bonds indicates that these bonds could be considered a substitute for gambling.”

Senior finance lecturer Gertjan Verdickt. University of Auckland

The researchers found younger people were less likely to take up lottery bonds, while older individuals showed a stronger move into them after the policy change.

Verdickt said the regulation of gambling had always been a challenge for governments.

“Our study shows the Dutch government’s lottery bonds were helpful; they channelled people’s urge to gamble into an instrument that also encouraged saving.”

He said governments like New Zealand’s might introduce a lottery bond as a safer alternative to playing Lotto.

“Of course, these days people have so many options online and in-person when it comes to gambling. You can’t ban the urge to gamble, but you can guide people towards safer channels.

“The lottery bond offered by the Dutch government, for example, wasn’t a perfect investment, but it did provide a better option for many people.”

ANZ offered Bonus Bonds in New Zealand until 2020. When the scheme closed, it had more than $3 billion invested.

Investors had one entry per bond into a monthly $1 million prize draw.

But at the time the decision was made to close, ANZ said low interest rates had reduced the investment returns of the scheme and the prize pool available.

Verdickt said the sort of scheme he had researched was different because it was issued by municipalities and governments, not for-profit companies.

He said the scheme was also different because the Bonus Bonds payout was drawn randomly.

“Lottery bonds have a guaranteed payout and the additional lottery aspect is drawn randomly. So, 99 percent of bonus bonds holders got nothing, while 100 percent of lottery bond holders get something – interest and principal – but only a small percentage get the large prize.”

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Auckland rail commuters face disruption on Western and Southern line trains

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland’s Waitematā Station. Dan Satherley / RNZ

Transport authorities are warning of delays for Auckland rail commuters on Tuesday morning, after KiwiRail discovered faulty track work carried out by contractors.

Auckland’s Western and Southern line trains are running at a reduced schedule, with no trains between Waitematā and Newmarket.

Chief metro officer David Gordon said the faulty work carried out by contractors over the Waitangi Weekend network closure meant the Parnell rail tunnel has had to be closed.

The track was assessed overnight and repairs would be made as quickly as possible, Gordon said.

“KiwiRail is investigating how this faulty work happened,” he said.

“We appreciate how frustrating this is for Aucklanders. Safety is our first priority and we will aim to have the tunnel reopened so that trains can run normally for the afternoon peak.”

Until then, Auckland Transport said the Southern line would run from Pukekohe to Newmarket, and Western line from Swanson to Newmarket – however, both would run every 20 minutes instead of every 10 minutes.

The agency apologised for the inconvenience. It advised travellers to use its Journey Planner to find the best alternative bus services and allow extra time for journeys.

“There will be rail replacement buses on the whole Western line while customers can also transfer at Newmarket to the 70 or InnerLink bus from 7203 Stop A Newmarket to get to Waitematā and buses will accept train tickets. The InnerLink also passes Parnell station. Customers travelling to the city from south of Ōtāhuhu can transfer from the Southern line to the Eastern line at Ōtāhuhu station to reach Waitematā,” it said.

The Eastern line would continue to operate to Waitematā as normal.

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The EV slowdown: How government decisions changed the road ahead

Source: Radio New Zealand

Electric vehicle sales have seen a decline, and one expert blames changes coming from Wellington. AFP

The EV slowdown: How government decisions changed the road ahead.

For a while there, electric vehicles felt inevitable in New Zealand, attracting a growing number of Kiwi drivers.

The future, humming quietly along city and rural roads, was silent, clean, and cheaper to run.

Then the brakes went on.

The Detail looks at why, talking to long-time EV-user Ed Harvey, founder and CEO of Evnex – an EV smart charging company in Christchurch.

He says in the space of a couple of years, electric vehicle sales have slumped, with the blame trail leading straight to Wellington. The government scrapped the clean car discount, introduced EV road-user charges, and, most recently, weakened the clean car standards.

“They [government ministers] would say they didn’t think it was working – they would probably say, look, the market share is way down, that’s proving Kiwis don’t really want electric vehicles, but I think the government has… really leveraged the politicisation of EVs to their advantage,” Harvey tells The Detail.

“And they haven’t shown leadership in a technology that is actually going to save kiwis money.”

Harvey built his own EV car, converting his Honda Accord, while at university in 2013.

He’s since sold it, upgrading to another EV.

But he says fewer Kiwis are joining him for the silent drive on New Zealand roads.

“We are definitely not soaring. 2025 was not the best year; I would say it was sort of flat, if not a very moderate growth.”

In terms of pure B-EVs (battery electric vehicles rather than hybrids) just over 9000 were sold in the New Zealand market last year. That’s just over a four percent market share, a slight increase on 2024 but a big dip on the year before. In 2023, which was the last year of the clean car discount, B-EVs had a 10 percent market share, translating to 26,000 sold.

“And even the year before that, in 2022, we had just under 20,000 [sold], and, again, compare that with just over 9000 last year, it’s a huge drop, which is really disappointing for those of us in the industry,” Harvey says.

After the government scrapped the clean car discount – the rebate that knocked thousands of dollars off the price of an electric vehicle – EVs were brought into the road user charge net.

For years, EV drivers had been exempt – a deliberate incentive to encourage uptake. That advantage disappeared – fairness, the government argued. Everyone pays their way.

Then late last year, penalties under the Clean Vehicle Standard – designed to push importers toward low-emission cars – were slashed, and the pressure to prioritise cleaner vehicles eased.

The government insists the slowdown reflects global trends and tight household budgets.

But Harvey says it has come at a devastating cost to the environment and for EV businesses.

“It’s done huge damage to the industry. There were a lot of fledgling businesses that were building, whether it be EV charging infrastructure, like us, or battery recycling, or EV service specialists that were starting to grow quite well back in 2022/23. It’s done a huge amount of damage to those businesses, and they have lost a lot of confidence.”

It prompted him to write opinion pieces for The Post and on LinkedIn, saying “the New Zealand government’s lack of strategy and ambition around electrification is nothing short of embarrassing. Our transport minister is capitulating to the interests of lobbyists and short-term political gains”.

He tells The Detail that transport remains a large source of emissions in New Zealand. And EVs are an answer to reduce this.

The Port of Auckland has noticed a drop in the number of EVs arriving in New Zealand.

Between 15,000 and 18,000 vehicles – a mix of EVs, hybrids, petrol, and diesel – arrive in Auckland every month – that’s about 200,000 a year.

But for December last year, only 600 vehicles were EVs.

“A year before that, December 2024, that was over 800, so we are talking about a decrease of around 30 percent for EVs,” Chris Mills, general manager, marine, multi-cargo and cruise at Port of Auckland, tells The Detail.

“And we are also seeing similar numbers, in terms of reductions, around plug-in hybrids.”

He says he’s seen a bump in non-plug-in, self-charging hybrids – the petrol-hybrid equivalent.

“We have seen those numbers really boom. In December, there were 2700 units registered in New Zealand.”

Ed Harvey doesn’t mind hybrids but would still prefer drivers committed to full electric vehicles.

He says they are the future ….. the technology is there, the chargers still work, it’s just that the road ahead is a lot less clear.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

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New liquified natural gas terminal: ‘Vital’ or ‘bonkers’?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Energy minister Simon Watts. RNZ/Mark Papalii

The government wants taxpayers to pay for a new liquified natural gas import terminal, but is promising lower power prices will come as a result.

It is estimated the new terminal, expected to be ready next year at the earliest, will save New Zealanders around $265 million a year by reducing price spikes and lowering the risk premiums.

But a new levy will be charged to get it built.

The government is touting it as a solution to New Zealand’s energy woes.

“It will mean that Kiwis will not need to suffer through an endless series of winter bill shocks,” energy minister Simon Watts said on Monday.

‘Vital part of the overall puzzle’ – Energy Resources Aotearoa

The idea is that it will reduce the risk of shortages during a dry year.

Liquified natural gas (LNG) can be imported at large volumes, stored, and then ‘regasified’ to be sent out for use.

John Carnegie, chief executive of industry body Energy Resources Aotearoa, said the terminal would be a useful insurance policy for when the weather did not play ball.

“LNG will be useful as a vital part of the overall puzzle of New Zealand’s energy system security,” he said.

“LNG can be expected to take the heat out of the electricity market when renewable fuels like wind, water, and the sun don’t turn up when they’re needed. It will place downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices and reduce the risk premium in the out years.”

Energy Resources Aotearoa chief executive John Carnegie. Supplied / Rob Tucker

Last year’s Frontier Report – commissioned to review the performance of the electricity market – warned it should only be used as a last resort.

The report said using it just to meet dry year risk made no economic sense, as the large fixed costs would be spread over a relatively small amount of output.

But Carnegie said LNG provided a “virtuous circle” to support the development of more renewables, and pointed the finger at the previous government’s ban on offshore oil and gas exploration as a reason why power prices were spiking in dry years.

“More wind and solar and batteries are great, but also the conundrum is their growth exacerbates the problem of being too weather dependent. So we need a reliable fuel to fill the gaps which domestic gas previously filled. And so New Zealand’s energy system, I believe, will be at its most effective when renewable generation and firming fuels like LNG and domestic gas work in harmony.”

A separate study by gas company Clarus, along with the four gentailers, found it was feasible but would likely be costly, and only needed occasionally.

Following the announcement, Clarus’ chief executive Paul Goodeve said it would increase New Zealand’s energy resilience and increase the range of markets it could draw from.

“At the moment, the coal that we import is relatively restricted where it comes from. The global market in LNG is vast and diverse, and appears to be continuing as we speak.”

Goodeve was confident it could be financially sustainable, and the government’s involvement in the procurement system made sense.

“It appears as though they’ve got work done by financial advisors who pointed out the benefits to the overall New Zealand energy system, but particularly the electricity system, of having LNG in the mix.”

Details on the shortlist of six were being kept under wraps, but all were in Taranaki.

Port of Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock said it was a great opportunity for the region, and while the port was not an LNG developer, it was keen to support it.

“The current terminal developments, as I understand it, are all focused on the Taranaki region, and the reason for that is largely proximity to the Maui gas pipeline. But the developers are international companies who may or may not partner with local interests.”

Port of Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock. Tom Roberton / 2015

Craddock said there was nothing the port had seen that could have major adverse effects on its current trade.

“The port has a number of advantages… the proximity to the pipeline, we’re the only deep water port on the West Coast. So this is the sort of thing we do day to day, where our main customer to-date has been Methanex. We also have other petrochemical customers on the port, so it really is within our core business suite.”

ACT’s energy spokesperson Simon Court said it was a “sad but necessary bookend” to the oil and gas exploration ban.

“Labour promoted the view that gas is something to be ashamed of. It’s not. Gas is a practical, reliable option when hydro lakes are low. Gas keeps factories running, heaters humming, and lights buzzing. And the environmental case for gas is strong too, because when we can’t burn gas, we burn coal,” he said.

‘It’s cooked’ – Green Party

On Monday, Watts said discussions were commercially sensitive but it would cost “north of a billion dollars” to build.

To pay for those infrastructure costs, the government will charge users an electricity levy of $2 to $4 per megawatt hour.

But Watts was keen to point to the net benefit, with advice showing the facility was expected to cut future prices by at least $10 per megawatt hour.

“So straight away, we’re in the money in regards to benefits versus costs, and our expectation of having that certainty of supply takes away the price spikes that we saw, for example, in 2024.”

That has not convinced the Green Party.

Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the government was guaranteeing added costs to New Zealanders, while relying on “hopes, wishes, and prayers” for future savings.

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. RNZ / Reece Baker

“I think it’s absolutely bonkers for power bills, for the planet, for our country’s energy resilience. The only people who want this are the fossil fuel industry and seemingly the National Party. Whatever claim, whatever remaining claim the Nats have to being economic managers is now, frankly, up in flames,” she said.

“Honestly, it’s cooked. Christopher Luxon has once again chosen to throw New Zealanders’ money at fossil fuels, which is bad for power bills, energy security and the planet. This is Christopher Luxon’s New Zealand. Profits are flowing offshore, while New Zealanders are paying handsomely for it.”

[h]’Gas tax’ – Labour

Labour, meanwhile, is calling it a “gas tax”.

Leader Chris Hipkins said households were already struggling with the cost of living, and he did not believe it would reduce power prices.

“I think, if anything, they’re trying to make the argument that this will decrease the rate of increase in power prices. There are other ways to do that. A billion dollars would buy you a hell of a lot of solar panels and batteries, which would save households a significant amount of money.”

Hipkins dismissed questions over whether Labour would terminate any agreements, or put the costs onto the energy companies and take away the levy on households, as “hypothetical.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The prime minister’s assertion it was a levy, and not a tax, was criticised by the Taxpayers’ Union.

“You don’t make electricity bills cheaper by taxing them. Dancing on the head of a pin over what is a tax and what is a levy is a Labour Party talking point. Luxon should spare us the spin and abandon this folly,” said spokesperson James Ross.

Climate change advocacy group 350 Aotearoa was previously one of twenty signatories that sent an open letter to Luxon and Watts, urging against the new terminal when it was first signalled in October.

Following the confirmation, co-director Alva Feldmeier said while she agreed with the government that New Zealanders were feeling the squeeze with their power bills, the terminal was not the solution.

“Essentially, what they’re doing now is putting a new tax on every New Zealander’s power bill to subsidise an expensive sunset industry,” she said.

Feldmeier said LNG-generated electricity was double the price of new renewable electricity, and the risk of importing and being reliant on international fossil fuels was that New Zealand could also import international price shocks.

“This is a political choice this government is making. They’d rather kowtow to the fossil fuel and the gas lobbies and keep us hooked on gas for longer, than explore how we’re going to get off it, and how we’re going to make some tough decisions in the next few months and years.”

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School: Is redshirting best for your child?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Redshirting: delaying the start of formal schooling for (a child) by one year, typically to avoid a situation in which the child is among the youngest in their class.

​That’s the Oxford dictionary definition of a term you might have seen floating around social media recently. It stems from a sports term where a coach holds an athlete back from competition levels to develop their skills in the hopes that they will excel.

The chat on social media from parents, mostly overseas in the US and Australia, is that delaying your child’s school start by a year or so, especially boys, will help them excel academically and socially.

Starting school late can mean keeping their children longer at early learning centres for some parents.

123RF

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Coroner says Highlanders player Connor Garden-Bachop died of natural causes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Connor Garden-Bachop (centre) of the Highlanders is tackled by Jordan Petaia (left) and Jock Campbell (right) of the Reds during the Super Rugby Pacific 2024. PHOTOSPORT

Highlanders and Māori All Blacks player Connor Garden-Bachop died suddenly of natural causes, a coroner has found.

The 25-year-old was found in bed while staying with family in Christchurch on 17 June 2024.

In findings released on Tuesday, coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale said a post-mortem examination found Garden-Bachop had a mildly dilated heart.

“Death can occur when the heart develops an abnormal heartbeat, then stops,” the report said.

Garden-Bachop had suffered “episodic concussion” during his professional rugby career, most recently a month before he died.

Forensic pathologist Dr Leslie Anderson had considered the possibility that Garden-Bachop had a seizure.

“Seizures cannot be observed on post mortem examination. However, Dr Anderson stated that with no seizure history – and an abnormal heart – a seizure as the sole cause of death was less likely,” the report said.

Garden-Bachop’s death was also referred to the cardiac inherited disease group to assess whether genetic factors caused the “sudden cardiac death”.

Coroner Borrowdale said no genetic abnormality or cause was found.

Garden-Bachop made his Highlanders debut in 2021 and played 36 games for the franchise between 2021 and 2024.

The fullback/wing also played provincial rugby for Canterbury and Wellington after attending Wellington’s Scots College.

Garden-Bachop also made two appearances for the Māori All Blacks in 2022.

His father Stephen Bachop and uncle Graeme Bachop played for the All Blacks in the 1990s.

His mother Sue Garden-Bachop, who died of cancer in 2009, played for the Black Ferns.

Garden-Bachop’s brother Jackson was preparing to line up for a second Super Rugby campaign with Moana Pasifika this season.

In a statement, Jackson said the whānau was pleased the final coroner’s report had been completed.

“On behalf of the family we’d like to thank everyone for the continued love and support in relation to Connor,” he said. “We miss Connor every day, and will continue to try and honour and emulate all that he was in the way we live our lives.”

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Super Rugby Pacific preview: The Hurricanes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Super Rugby Pacific is back after a real return to form last year, with the competition kicking off in Dunedin on 13 February. As usual, each team has gone through an eventful off season, so today we’re checking in on the Hurricanes.

Read: Highlanders preview

Read: Moana Pasifika preview

Read: Blues preview

Overview

Coach Clark Laidlaw of the Hurricanes Masanori Udagawa / PHOTOSPORT

Last season saw the Canes smashed with injuries, most notably at first five. That hampered their start but after shifting Ruben Love to the 10 jersey, Clark Laidlaw’s side underwent a massive uptick in form and won their last five games to make the playoffs. Unfortunately, it meant a trip to Canberra to play the Brumbies – the one fixture that always seems to end in defeat for the Canes.

The Good

Japan’s Warner Dearns waves to spectators after the rugby union test match against the All Blacks at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, on October 26, 2024. AFP

Recruitment has been impressive, most notably big lock Warner Dearns coming over from Japan to add even more to an already effective set piece. Josh Moorby returns from a short stint in France, while Asafo Aumua is back to hopefully pick up where he left off before getting injured.

However, the biggest name in the lineup is Jordie Barrett, back after a season in Ireland.

The Bad

Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes celebrates a try. Masanori Udagawa / PHOTOSPORT

The Canes will be heavily reliant on Cam Roigard, with daylight between him and his replacements. Fingers will be crossed all around the capital that Roigard can avoid what seems to be a yearly injury, because that will necessitate an entire change of gameplan.

Big boots to fill

Ruben Love scores and motions to the fans in the Zoo during the Highlanders v Hurricanes, Super Rugby Pacific match, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin. Michael Thomas/ActionPress

Brett Cameron and Love will contend for the first five position, although Love hardly did himself any favours when he failed to fire a shot in a preseason loss to the Chiefs. Whoever ends up there is between Roigard and Barrett, so potentially three massive stars in a row if Love gets the nod or an efficient game manager in Cameron to compliment the others.

What makes Hurricanes fans different

Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) with a fan. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

As patrons of the country’s most divisive stadium, Hurricanes fans really need something given this season marks 10 long years since their one and only title. As per usual, the players are all there, the capital will provide the weather that other teams hate playing in – but it always just feels like the Canes will have to rely on other teams losing or some ridiculous run of luck to make something happen.

Big games

This is where is gets good for the Canes, because this year they have a really friendly draw. Their first six games are all very winnable before they run into the Blues, after that their derby matches are punctuated by Australian teams. They do face the Crusaders twice in their last five games though, so making sure they’re near the top of the table by then is key.

Hurricanes 2026 squad

Props: Pasilio Tosi, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Siale Lauaki, Tevita Mafileo, Tyrel Lomax, Xavier Numia

Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Jacob Devery, Raymond Tuputupu, Vernon Bason

Locks: Caleb Delany, Hugo Plummer, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Tom Allen, Warner Dearns

Loose forwards: Arese Poliko, Brad Shields, Brayden Iose, Devan Flanders, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Peter Lakai

Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Ereatara Enari, Jordi Viljeon

First fives: Brett Cameron, Lucas Cashmore, Harry Godfrey*, Callum Harkin

Midfield: Billy Proctor, Jone Rova, Jordie Barrett, Josh Timu, Riley Higgins, Bailyn Sullivan

Outside backs: Fehi Fineanganofo, Josh Moorby, Kini Naholo, Ngatungane Punivai, Ruben Love

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‘A cascade of errors’: Johnathon Taituma died after St John ambulance delays, coroner finds

Source: Radio New Zealand

By the time an ambulance got to Johnathon Taituma, 43, about an hour and 40 minutes after his initial 111 call, he was dead. RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

He called 111 struggling to breathe.

But by the time an ambulance got to Johnathon Taituma, 43, about an hour and 40 minutes later, he was dead after what a coroner said was a cascade of errors.

It was not just Taituma who called for help.

His neighbour did too after he went to her for help still struggling to breathe.

Both times a wrong priority was recorded.

Now, an associate coroner has urged St John audit itself to see if the delay was an aberration of care, or if they were happening in other cases as well.

They had also referred the botched callout to the Health and Disability Commissioner.

St John said an audit was underway along with several other steps, and said it was deeply sorry and that it had committed to change when it fell short.

What happened

Two weeks before Christmas in 2024, Johnathon Taituma rang 111 from his Manurewa address – he said he was alone and having trouble breathing.

He was assigned an ‘ORANGE2’ priority, a level Associate Coroner James Buckle said was wrong.

It should have been ‘RED2’ and would have meant an ambulance would have arrived an estimated five minutes after dispatch.

But there was no dispatch, and no ambulance was assigned.

Taituma made his 111 call at 4.35pm.

About nine minutes later he went to his neighbour’s back door repeatedly hitting his chest, struggling to breathe and trying to take in large amounts of air.

He asked the neighbour to call an ambulance and told her he had already called one and had collapsed.

At about 4.47pm the neighbour made the call and it was identified that Taituma had earlier called himself and collapsed and that he was still struggling to breathe.

His case was not re-triaged, and he remained on the ORANGE2 priority.

Associate Coroner Buckle said the neighbour’s information showed Taituma deteriorated since his earlier call and he should have been re-triaged.

If that had happened, he said, he would have been given a RED priority in the least.

An orange priority is for a callout that appeared serious but not life-threatening, with an ambulance sent as soon as possible at normal speed.

A red priority is for something immediately life-threatening, with an ambulance or ambulances dispatched straight away under lights and siren.

When Taituma made his call he was told help was being arranged.

His neighbour was told the same, but the associate coroner said this was wrong.

“As with the first phone call, Initial Assign was not launched and an ambulance was not dispatched,” they said in findings released on Tuesday.

Taituma and his neighbour stayed together for 10-20 minutes.

He got up and walked home.

Standard St John operating procedures required welfare checks every 30 minutes “on all active emergency ambulance incidents”.

If there is no contact, then time is re-set to five minutes.

If three consecutive welfare checks are unsuccessful, the case is escalated to a a Clinical Support Officer.

The associate coroner said three attempts were made to contact Taituma, the first some 51 minutes after he called 111.

Another was 39 minutes after the neighbour’s own 111 call.

No contact was made with Taituma on the first call and follow-up calls, while timely, were made outside the five-minute timeframe.

There was no evidence suggesting St John tried to contact the neighbour, Buckle said.

There was also no evidence the case was sent up to a Clinical Support Officer.

An ambulance was dispatched at 6.05pm.

At 6.15pm, the neighbour went to Taituma’s home and found him lying face down in the living room.

She looked for a pulse and rang 111 again three minutes later.

Ambulance staff reached him by 6.22, he was not breathing and had no pulse.

The crew could not resuscitate him.

It would later be found he died from an acute coronary embolus.

St John says a review of call-handling errors resulting in adverse events of a year-long period found a “trend of errors”. 123rf

The coroner could not say what the chances of Taituma surviving were if crews had turned up sooner to treat him with electric shock.

“Therefore, I cannot be satisfied that the cascade of errors by Hato Hone St John caused Mr Taituma’s death,” Associate Coroner Buckle said.

“Neither can I be satisfied that they contributed to his death.”

The associate coroner said despite this, it was appropriate he made recommendations to reduce the chances of further deaths.

“This is because the chances of survival in cases of heart attacks are significantly increased by the timely attendance of, and treatment by, ambulance staff and dealing with the errors that arose in Mr Taituma’s case will increase the chances of timely attendance and treatment,” he said.

Part of a trend

The associate coroner asked St John what remedial action had been taken, if any.

It replied a review of call-handling errors resulting in adverse events of a year-long period found a “trend of errors”.

This was in the management of subsequent calls and welfare checks, it said.

“Subsequently, there is ongoing consideration of recommendations to minimise these errors in the future,” St John told the Associate Coroner.

“Additionally, new educational platforms have been introduced imbed [sic] learnings from reviews for continued professional development.”

The associate coroner said they were satisfied St John was moving to avoid a repeat.

“However, I also have concerns about the welfare checks made by Hato Hone St John,” Buckle said in his findings.

“A welfare check was made by calling Mr Taituma approximately 51 minutes after he first rung Hato Hone St John.”

The call was made 30 minutes after the neighbour’s first phone call, he said, noting it was outside of the 30-minute timeframe in St John’s procedures.

“This could be explained by staff dealing with other calls and not being available in the mandated 30-minute timeframe, which would be an understandable and reasonable explanation,” the associate coroner said.

“However, the purpose of the calls seems to be to contact either the patient or someone that can speak for the patient … the welfare calls that were made do not seem to have fulfilled their purpose.”

The associate coroner recommended St John audit its welfare check phone calls with a view to finding out whether the delay in calling Taituma back was an aberration or whether there were delays in other cases.

They also said the audit should determine if the current system was fulfilling its purpose.

“If Hato Hone St John establishes that there are systemic issues causing delays in contacting patients then they should identify those systemic issues and rectify them,” the associate coroner said.

The associate coroner said there was an arguable case St John breached the Code of Health and Disability Consumer’s Rights by not giving Taituma “an appropriate standard of care”.

“In the circumstances I am satisfied that it is appropriate to refer the matter to the Health and Disability Commissioner,” he said.

St John responds

St John told RNZ it extended sincere condolences to Taituma’s whānau and that it would address any systemic issues found.

“When we fall short, we are committed to learning, improving, and making necessary changes to better support our patients and communities,” John-Michael Swannix said, St John’s integrated operations manager for primary triage and dispatch.

“We reiterate how deeply sorry we are to Mr Taituma’s family and acknowledge the neighbour who tried to help. We remain committed to improving our processes so people across Aotearoa can continue to trust the care they receive when they call for help.”

Swannix said St John accepted the Associate Coroner’s findings and recommendations.

It said it had undertaken a number of steps:

  • A review and individual coaching with the emergency call handlers and dispatchers involved in the incident.
  • Introducing new training platforms using anonymous case studies to embed learnings into ongoing professional development.
  • Reviewing follow-up calls and welfare checks, testing new scripts and processes to improve situation awareness and recognition of deterioration.
  • Updating national standard operating procedures in partnership with Wellington Free Ambulance to ensure consistent practice across the country.
  • Increased paramedics to review incidents waiting for dispatch to mitigate risk to patients.

St John said it was auditing welfare checks to see if delays in Taituma’s case were isolated or systemic, in line with the associate coroner’s recommendations.

This would also look at whether current processes were effective.

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

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More than 700 Education Ministry staff to try win back lost pay following partial strike

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZEI spokesperson Conor Fraser says the union sought an injunction last year to stop the deduction but failed. RNZ / Quin Tauetau

More than 700 Education Ministry staff who work with disabled children will try to win back the pay they lost during a partial strike last year.

The Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI) said members working in the ministry’s learning support area lost 10 percent of their pay because they refused to take on new cases or work beyond their contracted hours for about three-and-a-half weeks.

NZEI spokesperson Conor Fraser said the union sought an injunction last year to stop the deduction but failed.

She said the penalty did not feel fair.

“It was just such an over-reach by the ministry when we’re just trying to look after ourselves and do the best we can in our jobs,” she said.

“They were saying we were refusing to do our contracted duties but the reality is for a lot of people working in learning support at the moment we are so far over our capacity and it’s not fair when we feel like we’re not doing the best in our jobs because we’re just over-worked and people are burning out.”

Fraser said NZEI would on Monday ask the Employment Court to order full reimbursement of the deducted money so that its members were not out-of-pocket.

“For some people it was a really significant amount… to lose 10 percent of your pay, it just had a real impact and the stress on some people was really unwarranted at a time when we were really trying to be vocal for how much help we need to fix this system so that our kids have a better time in education,” she said.

Fraser said the affected staff included speech language therapists, physiotherapists and special education advisors.

She said their refusal to take on new cases allowed NZEI members to focus on the children they were already working with and did not result in members working less than their contracted hours.

Fraser said its members’ collective agreement had still not been settled.

The Education Ministry said it was not appropriate to comment on the substance of the case while it was before the court.

However, it said new partial strike provisions provided for deductions to be made from pay, and the Ministry applied the standard 10 percent deduction provided for in the legislation.

NZEI said the hearing was scheduled for four days.

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