Category: Public Media

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Young Dunedin band opening for the Foo Fighters: ‘It’s insane’

Source: Radio New Zealand

The guitarist of a young Dunedin band says there was a lot of skepticism when they were handpicked to open for international rock stars Foo Fighters’ when they visit New Zealand next summer.

SEEK HELP! guitarist Lucy Hughes says it was “pretty insane to be honest”.

“When I contacted the band about it no one believed me at first, until two days later when the gig was announced,” Hughes says.

Foo Fighters have announced two huge stadium shows for New Zealand in January 2027.

Supplied

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Port of Tauranga delivers $70.2 million half-year profit

Source: Radio New Zealand

Port of Tauranga. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Higher cargo volumes driven by a rebound in imports have delivered a strong half-year profit for the country’s biggest port.

Key numbers for the six months ended December compared with a year ago:

  • Net profit $70.2 million vs $60.2m
  • Revenue $244m vs $225m
  • Cargo vols 12.6m tonnes vs 12.4m tonnes
  • Forecast FY underlying profit between $142m-152m vs actual 2025 $126m
  • Interim dividend 8 cents per share vs 7 cps

Port of Tauranga chairperson Julia Hoare said the result had been achieved through operational efficiency and control of costs, as a rise in imports made up for a dip in export trade.

“Export volumes were affected by subdued export log demand and a later-than-usual start to the dairy export season, this was offset by strong import demand and improved performance across our subsidiary and joint venture businesses.”

Cargo volumes rose just over 1 percent, with the number of containers handled up nearly 3 percent.

Export volumes were down slightly because of a late start to the dairy season and lower logs exports, but the improving economy drove an increase in imports.

The port’s various subsidiaries including interests in the Timaru Port, Northport, inland cargo handling hubs and logistics, increased their contributions by more than a quarter to $6.2m.

Chief executive Leonard Sampson said the port was putting much effort into improving its resilience and efficiency.

“We are investing in capacity, improving productivity and service delivery to our customers, as well as expanding our network to prepare for future growth.”

That included faster handling of containers, automating some functions, along with ordering equipment and tugs, and dredging the harbour to handle bigger ships in the future.

The port expected a continuation of the first half’s momentum into the rest of the year.

“The later start to the dairy export season, combined with a strong kiwifruit export season from March, is expected to support continued strong volumes in the second half of the financial year.”

Meanwhile, the company has been fast tracked for a consent hearing for a new container berth and is waiting for a hearing.

Sampson said the port was into its seventh year in the planning process to get the Stella Passage project approved and the delay has forced the port to turn away shipping services which would have saved businesses tens of millions of dollars.

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Search for man missing in Manawatū River pulled back

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Manawatū River. (File photo) 123RF

A large search operation for a man missing in the Manawatū River has been scaled back.

Police were called to a report of personal items abandoned in a suspicious manner on Albert St on Tuesday when officers spotted a man in the water.

They asked him to come back to land but he disappeared under.

A search has been ongoing since, and Palmerston North area prevention manager, inspector Phil Ward, said there had been extensive searches of the river, through to the Foxton Estuary and surrounding area.

Police would continue to conduct drone sweeps of areas of interest and patrols along Foxton Beach, Ward said.

Ward said police wanted to thank everyone involved in the search operation including Land Search and Rescue, Police Search and Rescue, Palmerston North Swiftwater Rescue, regional response teams, and Coastguard Manawatū.

“Police are continuing to provide support to the family of the man.”

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Weather: Severe thunderstorms may hit parts of North Island

Source: Radio New Zealand

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of the central North Island for Friday afternoon and evening.

The yellow alert covers Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Taihape.

MetService says there is a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms with localised rainfall of up to 40 millimetres an hour.

It could cause flooding in low lying areas, and slips.

Drivers should take care.

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Hillary Clinton faces off with House lawmakers in Epstein probe

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Annie Grayer, CNN

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, pictured in February 2026. ADAM BERRY / AFP

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing off with the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door interview as part of the panel’s investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Thursday’s (local time) deposition in Chappaqua, New York, is the culmination of a vigourous fight by both the former secretary of state and former Democratic President Bill Clinton over testifying in what they denounced as a Republican plot against them.

Clinton has said she cannot recall ever meeting Epstein and only interacted with his former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, a handful of times. Republicans, however, insist her testimony is vital to their probe, while Democrats have argued their colleagues’ fixation on the former secretary of state is purely political.

“I want everybody treated the same way. That’s not true for my husband and me because other witnesses were asked to testify. They gave written statements under oath. We offered that,” she told the BBC in an interview earlier this month. “Why do they want to pull us into this? To divert attention from President (Donald) Trump. This is not complicated.”

Clinton is being interviewed the day before her husband’s appearance, which will be the first time a former president has been forced to testify in a congressional probe. The pair of interviews will be videotaped and transcribed, and lawmakers from both parties will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The Clintons only agreed to comply with their subpoenas for closed-door depositions after the House had moved toward a bipartisan vote to hold them in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to appear as scheduled.

The former secretary of state was accompanied by her attorneys, who have been working through painstaking details of what areas could be covered during questioning.

The location for the depositions, the Clintons’ hometown of Chappaqua, was negotiated between Kendall and Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in hopes of avoiding the indignity and precedent-setting move of summoning a former president to Capitol Hill for questioning.

Proceedings halted for a short time

Lauren Boebert WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY / AFP

Meanwhile, AFP reports the hearing was paused after a photo of the former Secretary of State taken during the deposition was posted online, an apparent breach of the rules.

The photo appeared on the X account of right-wing commentator Ben Johnson who credited the image to Republican committee member Lauren Boebert, prompting lawyers to discuss how to proceed.

“Benny did nothing wrong. Proceeding with deposition,” Boebert wrote on X after an advisor to Clinton, Nick Merrill, told journalists the hearing was paused while lawyers established “why possibly members of Congress are violating House rules”.

The hearing, while closed to the public, is being recorded. Images and video may be released later, possibly following Bill Clinton’s testimony to the committee on Friday (Saturday NZ time).

The hearing has now resumed.

Days of preparation

To prepare, the Clintons in recent days have hunkered down to not only refresh their memories about the Epstein years, but to prepare to counter potentially hostile congressional investigators. Their separate appearances speak to the differences in information the two could offer to the committee.

The Clintons and members of the House Oversight Committee have agreed to five topic areas for the depositions, a person familiar with the agreement told CNN. They are:

  • Alleged mismanagement of the federal government’s investigation into Epstein and Maxwell;
  • the circumstances and subsequent investigations of Epstein’s 2019 death;
  • the ways the federal government could effectively combat sex-trafficking rings;
  • how Epstein and Maxwell sought to curry favour to protect their illegal activities;
  • and potential violations of ethics rules related to elected officials.

Initially, the Clintons wanted their subpoenas for depositions to be waived for sworn statements under oath, an accommodation that Comer granted to several other witnesses in the investigation. But the Oversight Committee chairman wanted them to appear on his terms.

Clinton attorneys and the Republican-led panel negotiated behind the scenes for months, through email exchanges, letters and phone calls to try and find an off-ramp.

When the Clintons did not appear for their scheduled depositions in January, Comer scheduled a vote to hold the pair in criminal contempt.

“Every person has to decide when they have seen or had enough and are ready to fight for this country, its principles and its people, no matter the consequences. For us, now is that time,” the Clintons wrote in January when they announced they would not be appearing for their in-person scheduled depositions.

Triple the number of Democrats voted to hold the former president in contempt compared to the former first lady, but the bipartisan votes took House Democratic leadership by surprise.

Bill Clinton has never been accused by law enforcement of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and a spokesperson has repeatedly said he cut ties before Epstein’s arrest on federal charges in 2019 and was unaware of any crimes.

A CNN review showed the former president travelled on Epstein’s private plane at least 16 times, and he was pictured in Epstein case files released by the Justice Department with women in a jacuzzi, as well as with Maxwell.

Survivors of Epstein’s abuse and lawyers representing them told CNN that they believe it is important for the Clintons, and especially the former president, to testify. In interviews, they stressed that the presence of an individual in the Epstein files and their cooperation with Congress does not indicate wrongdoing.

In the current political environment, victims of Epstein hold far more sway with many Democratic lawmakers than a sense of loyalty to the Clintons. More than 40 current House Democrats were born in 1980 or later, giving them different memories of Bill Clinton’s presidency than party leaders who were in Washington when he ended 12 years of Republican control of the White House.

–CNN / AFP

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‘Gap closing’: Football Ferns ready for Pacific challenge

Source: Radio New Zealand

Football Ferns www.photosport.nz

Coach Michael Mayne says the Football Ferns won’t take their Oceania qualifying campaign in the Solomon Islands lightly, despite their traditional dominance over Pacific rivals.

New Zealand take their first step towards qualifying for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup when they face Samoa in Honiara (3pm NZT).

Their other Group A opponents are the Solomon Islands and America Samoa, with the top two teams from the pool advancing to the semi-finals and final, hosted by New Zealand in April.

Mayne said the message to his players is that the standard is improving within Oceania.

“We know what’s at the end of this series. I think it’s good that we still feel pressure coming into these games. That’s the way it should be,” Mayne said.

“I know these other three teams are going to be all chasing the same dream. I think in terms of the women’s game in the Pacific… I’ve been around the age group. I’ve been to a number of these tournaments. I can see the gap closing.

“I know every single one of these teams that we play over the next 10 days will be well set up, well organised. That’s exciting for us, and we’re used to tough challenges.

“There’s no point worrying about the final or anything. We’ve got to get through the next week first. That’s a good place to be, I think, mentally for the group.”

Michael Mayne www.photosport.nz

Mayne said his players acclimatised quickly to the heat of Honiara.

“The first couple of days have been really good. The facilities and everything here are looking great for the way we want to play and I think probably the difference at the moment is I’m really lucky to have a squad that’s based all around the world in different clubs, different environments, playing different levels.

“To be able to sort of draw some of that experience into the team but also have some really exciting players coming into our squad for this one is a real positive, I think, for the team.”

Three uncapped players are in Mayne’s 23-woman squad.

They are teenage Wellington Phoenix forward Pia Vlok, Newcastle Jets midfielder Charlotte Lancaster and Australian-based goalkeeper Maddie Iro.

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Iron Maiden and Megadeth announce NZ show

Source: Radio New Zealand

British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden are bringing their Run for Your Lives tour to New Zealand.

The band, formed in 1970s East London, have announced one show for Auckland’s Spark Arena on 7 November.

Iron Maiden first visited New Zealand in December 1992, playing to 3000 fans at the Logan Campbell Centre in Auckland. They have been back four times in total, most recently in 2024.

For the fifth visit at the end of 2026 they will be joined by American heavy metal band, Megadeth.

Tickets go on sale to the public on 6 March.

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Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier well-placed at rain-hit NZ Open

Source: Radio New Zealand

Daniel Hillier of New Zealand talks to caddy Steve Williams during round one of the New Zealand Open. photosport

In-form Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier flexed his muscles in his curtailed opening round as rain played a part on the first day of the New Zealand Open in Queenstown.

Unheralded Australian Matias Sanchez was the leader after day one at Millbrook Resort on seven-under, one stroke clear of New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya, who was among nearly half of the 156-strong field still to complete their round.

Among that group who will return early to the course on Friday was New Zealand’s second-best player Hillier, who was five-under with five holes still to play.

He sat level with seasoned Australian Wade Ormsby and American veteran Kevin Na, a five-time winner on the US PGA Tour.

Early rain forced a late start, slowing the fairways and greens.

It didn’t stop Hillier unfurling an impressive 13 holes and continuing his strong form from the World Tour.

The 27-year-old has racked up three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up at Dubai, to win about $1 million and break into the world’s top 100 rankings.

He was also married on Saturday, an event that didn’t affect his game in the fading light of Central Otago.

Fellow-Kiwi and World Tour player Kazuma Kobori is a shot back on four-under, also hoping to be the first New Zealander to win the national open in nine years and just the third in 20 years.

Kazuma Kobori. www.photosport.nz

Kobori produced the shot of the day, holing out on the 210m fourth hole of the Remarkables course, his second ace of the Australasia PGA Tour season, following on from the Party Hole at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

“It was kind of unexpected to get (another) one so soon,” Kobori said.

“You don’t really expect to hole it on that hole, especially with 4-iron in hand in these conditions.”

Sanchez cashed in on the best scoring conditions to shoot 64 on the Remarkables course, holing his last putt just before 8.30pm.

“I was just really happy to get it done, get the round in,” Sanchez said of his bogey-free round.

“This (event) is right up there, so to do it here, it’s really special, but I know it’s a quarter of the way down. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot.”

Matias Sanchez. www.photosport.nz

Ormsby, whose last tournament was as a fill-in player at LIV Adelaide, could rightly claim to have produced the best round of Thursday. His 66 came on the Coronet course which played considerably the more difficult of the two, providing just 10 of the top 29 scores on the end-of-day leaderboard.

A winner of five titles on the Asian Tour, including the Hong Kong Open twice, the South Australian is still searching for a victory on his home tour.

“I’ve never won on the Aussie tour and that’s something that I’ve always wanted to try and do,” Ormsby said.

“It’s nice to put myself towards the pointy end early in the week.”

After leaving LIV Golf, Na has come to Queenstown to start a new chapter of his 24-year professional career and he negotiated yesterday’s round without a bogey.

“I haven’t played competition golf in three months or so, maybe longer, but I feel like there’s a good energy, there’s a positive energy and I’m happy,” he said.

“Mind is fresh and I feel like I have a chance to enjoy golf more.”

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Aucklanders protest government’s move-on orders for rough sleepers

Source: Radio New Zealand

People living and working in Auckland’s central city are making their opposition to forcing out homeless people known. Supplied

People living and working in Auckland’s central city are making their opposition to forcing out homeless people known.

On Thursday night, about 30 rangatahi took their sleeping bags to Karangahape Road to protest the government’s new move-on orders.

The government confirmed this week that it would give police the power to move on rough sleepers, beggars, or people displaying disorderly behaviour, not just from Auckland CBD but from all town centres in the country.

Those who did not comply could be fined up to $2000 or jailed for up to three months.

Musician and activist Jazmine Mary organised the sit-in at St Kevin’s Arcade.

“We’ve got signs that say ‘homes not handcuffs’, ‘care not criminalisation’, ‘sleeping is not a crime’, we’ve got people reading books and sitting on sleeping bags and having conversations about how things can change.”

They said it was important to show solidarity with the unhoused community on the street.

“That’s a part of why we’re here to show that community that we’re on their side. And we’re also here to show any businesses in this area that aren’t on that side that we care, and we’re here, and we actually have a lot of power. And to ask the government, our public servants, to listen to us.”

Musician, artist, and activist Jazmine Mary, who organised the sit in. Supplied

Another protestor, 24-year-old Mars Cook said the issue was personal for him.

“I’m using my privilege as a person who was formally homeless and now has housing, so I can be here and sit here and do a little bit of civil disobedience and raise awareness.

“This issue is perhaps the biggest issue that we have in the CBD and in Auckland in general, which is a lack of access to affordable, safe housing.”

Ricki Dewstow, 23, was also outraged.

“This hits particularly hard for me. I’m not able to pay my rent this week. I’m so lucky to have a lovely friend that’s helping me.

“Being homeless and sleeping on the street could happen to anyone in a matter of hours. Being told to move up the street isn’t going to help you. It’s going to further stigmatise you and make you angry.”

People living and working in Auckland’s central city are making their opposition to forcing out homeless people known. Supplied

Auckland City Mission’s chief executive, Helen Robinson, updated the Auckland Council on homelessness and her concerns about the move on orders on Thursday.

After the meeting, she told RNZ she feared the move would push those who needed it away from support services like theirs in the CBD.

“The Auckland City Mission and our building here, Homeground, is located smack bang in the centre of the central city. We’re a block from Sky City and two streets up parallel to Queen Street. Should the move on orders come, and let’s say someone is in the middle of Queen Street and they’re asked to move on a reasonable distance, which is what we understand the legislation says at the moment, that could mean they wouldn’t be able to access our building.”

She said the City Mission was looking at applying to be a legally recognised place of refuge so people issued move-on orders could legally access its premises.

She believed the government’s plan would not be effective in reducing anti-social behaviour.

“I do really acknowledge the genuine intent of the legislation proposed to support a good law and order move, the Auckland City Mission wants that. And what we’re genuinely saying is the answer is homes and support, not move-on orders.”

Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Speaking to media in Auckland yesterday, Prime Minister Chris Luxon did not share Robinson’s view.

“I disagree completely. What we’re doing here is giving police the tools to deal with disruptive and anti-social behaviour in our CBD. And it’s one tool that they have. Each individual circumstance is actually very complicated and complex, and police will make the assessment as to whether they exercise the move on order or plug the person into social services.

“But we want our families, visitors, and the public to be able to come into the city and not be abused, threatened, and intimidated.”

But Aucklanders like 30-year-old Audrey May, who took part in the Karangahape Road protest, were not backing down.

“It’s deeply wrong and unfair to allow people to be fined $2000 that they probably can’t afford or a three-month prison sentence. It’s kind of ludicrous, to be honest.

“I’m lucky that I can choose to come and sit down here for a few hours, whereas people born into different circumstances don’t get that choice. They’re sitting on the ground because they have nowhere else to sit.”

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Flood early warning systems – where are they in the Civil Defence Act overhaul?

Source: Radio New Zealand

An overhaul of emergency management legislation has reached the crucial stage of submissions to a parliamentary select committee. RNZ

Transpower is questioning why early warning systems during disasters do not rate as essential infrastructure under an overhaul of emergency management legislation.

The overhaul has reached the crucial stage of submissions to a parliamentary select committee, in a years-long one-step-forward-and-another-back effort to replace a 24-year-old Civil Defence Act that multiple inquiries have poked holes in.

Submitters said they broadly backed the push but questioned where was the likes of decisionmaking power for Māori, who so often stepped into the breach amid storms, where was alignment with climate change policies, and where was the money to make real change happen.

“The core question for us is straightforward,” Christchurch City Council’s Civil Defence manager Brendan Winder told the MPs, “If Parliament wants higher and more consistent capability across the country, who will fund that uplift?”

‘Brutally tied to best endeavours’

Transpower asked where flood protection services and early warning and monitoring systems were at.

The bill would set up a new schedule of emergency infrastructure providers with new obligations to protect things like celltowers, power lines and emergency broadcasting.

“We consider that the failure to include ‘flood protection services’ and ‘early warning system services’ in Schedule 3 from the outset would have potential negative implications, effects, and costs,” said its written submission.

The lack of warning of rampaging floodwaters that swept people away in Esk Valley near Napier has trigger repeated angry calls by locals for change.

When the Esk River burst its banks during Cyclone Gabrielle, floodwaters filled the entire valley. Supplied

“All of those warning systems are not hard-coded or identified anywhere in any legislation as being important,” Transpower’s senior principal engineer Andrew Renton told the committee this week.

“And therefore councils and everybody else are brutally tied to best endeavours.”

Transpower made its own efforts, including under other laws and regulations that already demanded this: flood protection services had reduced the risks for its Edgecumbe Substation, while monitoring of the Poorman Valley Stream had cut it for its Stoke Substation.

‘New ways to be punished’

Cyclone Gabrielle was a nadir among several low points over two decades of emergency responses marked by individual heroism and systemic failings, with inquiries later on calling for urgent changes.

However, the government has maintained that since Gabrielle local responses had improved a lot.

It scrapped an earlier, drawnout approach by the previous government to overhaul Civil Defence.

The size of the stick wielded under the new law – going as far as criminal offences with fines or imprisonment – had Engineering NZ (ENZ) worried.

“We are concerned the bill adds new ways to be punished during emergencies,” it said in its written submission.

It would give a Director-General of Emergency Management the power to issue compliance orders and duties, then crack down.

“For councils and essential service providers already stretched, penalties could pull money and people away from response and recovery,” ENZ said.

Warnings and guidance would be better, it said.

A broken water pipe in Gisborne following Cyclone Gabrielle. Supplied/Gisborne District Council

‘Without new funding mechanisms’

Hamilton City Council was among those that said they backed the intent of the bill, but threw in a ‘but’.

“As it’s written new statutory duties are being introduced without new funding mechanisms,” said mayor Tim Macindoe.

Tougher still, this coincided with a government move to cap rate rises.

Winder from Christchurch made a similar point, and added the new bill had little to say about reducing the risks and readiness, though these mattered most and cost the least at local level.

“The bill gives little weight to these two areas. It leans heavily towards response and recovery,” said Winder.

“That misses the chance to prevent the very outcomes that drove these reforms.”

Long plans on high shelves would make little difference, he added, and it was people at ground level the legislation had to empower.

Kiri Allan for the National Iwi Chairs Forum Pou Take Ahuarangi said Māori had never been embedded in the legislation before and the bill went a long way to correcting that.

Yet it still did not deliver the essential decisionmaking power, she said.

“Time and time again” disaster inquiry reports had found Māori were crucial in the aftermath – even down to the micro-level of fixing dips in a road that flooded and isolated homes – but were “often not seen”, and though they were included in operational groups they were excluded from decision-making, Allan added.

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