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Ministry seeks regulatory feedback on fuel plan to avoid red tape ‘getting in the way’

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand is currently at phase one and the government has said for now there is sufficient supply and no need for stockpiling. Nick Monro

Regulatory feedback is being called for as the government looks to tackle global fuel uncertainty.

The government laid out its response plan to the rising fuel costs triggered by the conflict in the Middle East following the US-Israel attacks on Iran one month ago.

The National Fuel Plan mimics the Covid response in that it has four phases, each outlining measures that would be taken if the situation gets progressively worse.

New Zealand is currently at phase one and the government has said for now there is sufficient supply and no need for stockpiling.

The Ministry for Regulation is now urging businesses, fuel users, freight operators, and the wider public to report any barriers that could stand in the way of the government’s response.

The ministry’s main job is to ensure quality across regulatory systems and encouraging productivity.

Regulation Minister David Seymour said the ministry was interested in hearing from businesses on the front line including fuel companies, freight operators, contractors, primary producers and retailers.

“We can’t control what happens in the Middle East. We can control how we get fuel flowing through New Zealand pumps. If red tape is getting in the way of that goal, we want to hear it.”

Regulation Minister David Seymour RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Seymour said the government was trying to avoid a “repeat of the Covid-19 lockdowns”.

“We don’t want to miss something which could lead to negative effects down the line.

“That’s why we want to hear from people affected by edicts from Wellington; what regulatory barriers do you see getting in the way of fuel supply?”

Examples of submissions that could be made included barriers affecting fuel transport, storage, distribution, local delivery, freight movements, business operations, or the ability of firms to adapt quickly to changing supply conditions.

“In a disruption every unnecessary delay matters. If there are regulations that make it harder to import, store, distribute, or use fuel efficiently, they need to be identified now. Not when the pressure is at its peak,” Seymour said.

Submissions can be made to the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline.

The price of 91 and diesel fuel in most parts of the country was well past $3 per litre with some stations running dry especially on discount days.

Motor Trade Association spokesperson Simon Bradwell recently said there were concerns over the increasing possibility of people driving off without paying for fuel.

He said businesses were doing what they can to keep prices down as it was also in their best interest.

The government also announced earlier this week almost 150,000 families with children will receive an extra $50 a week to help with the rising cost of fuel.

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All Whites an ‘escape’ when times are tough at clubs

Source: Radio New Zealand

Callum McCowatt’s Danish Superliga side are struggling and he’s happy for the reprieve of national team duty. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

The All Whites have more players than ever chasing their dreams overseas and, for some, the national team can be a solace when club football is a struggle.

The countdown to the Football World Cup is on and the final squad for New Zealand’s third appearance at the tournament will be named in May.

For years, nearly 60 players have been on coach Darren Bazeley’s radar.

These players are spread around the world at different stages of their professional careers and with varying experience with the All Whites.

Not everyone will make the World Cup and Bazeley will have to make some tough decisions.

Getting a call-up to the national team – as 23 players were for the Fifa series this week – means different things to different players and RNZ has heard from some who have been in Auckland for the two games against Finland and Chile that Bazeley’s faith in them when times are tough has been invaluable.

Ben Old playing for the All Whites against Australia in 2025, when he was on the outer with his club side. Joshua Devenie/Photosport

Ben Old has been on a “rollercoaster” since making the move from Wellington Phoenix to AS Saint-Etienne in France just over 18 months ago.

“I went from Ligue 1, one of the top five leagues in the world, playing to having an injury to being relegated to not playing in Ligue 2.

“Last season, that was the first relegation I experienced, but just the excessive amount of losses that we had, it just consumes you. It’s a really horrible feeling just losing and it just really affects your confidence.

“We’ve got the best players, biggest crowd, best team, but we weren’t performing.”

In the latter half of last year, when Old was out of favour at Saint-Etienne and getting less than 15 minutes a game for his club team, Bazeley was still prepared to get him on the field for the All Whites.

“It was a really tough period for me towards the back end of last season, because I wasn’t playing. I was expected to go on loan.

“It’s just hard in general being over in Europe, but not playing was really tough mentally, so to be able to be involved in the three [international] windows of that period was just a nice escape for me.

“For them to be able to have confidence in me, to be able to play me and be able to have good performances there as well, I felt helped me tackle on and helped me be prepared for when I was able to take my chance further on to start this year.”

Now Old, who made a positional switch from midfield to left-back at club level, which co-incided with more game time, is “thriving” and Saint-Etienne are on the cusp of promotion.

“I’ve got the full Europe experience, but it’s taught me so much and I feel like I’m in a great club with a great project.”

Old has been around the All Whites since 2022 and will hope that he is still in Bazeley’s plans for June.

“I’ve spoken to players like Kosta Barbarouses, Chris Wood that have been here for a long time and they said that this is the most competitive it’s ever been.

“I think that brings out the best in players to perform, but it also means that you have to be playing at your best to perform and I think that’s just a sign of a really great team that you’ve got so much depth in your team to be able to perform, which at a World Cup is essential.”

Eli Just has been with the All Whites since 2019. Joshua Devenie

Motherwell midfielder Eli Just has been in Scotland for eight months and is enjoying his football now more than he has for years.

Just has scored goals regularly this season, as Motherwell challenge the Scottish Premiership’s bigger clubs, but the 25-year-old, who has been with the national team since 2019, has previously had times while playing in Europe that he wondered where his next goal was coming from.

“I definitely look back at some stages in my career where I think I was playing well, but maybe not scoring, and in football, especially as an attacking player, you need to score goals.

“I’ve been really working on it and enjoying the result of that hard work this season.”

Just feels like he is now in the right place at the right time of his career.

“I’ve been lucky to be involved quite often for the national team. There have definitely been some periods in my career where I’ve not been doing so well at club and then I come into national team, and kind of recharge and get a lot of energy, positivity from the boys.

“I think maybe the difference this year has been that now I can come in, and I’ve kind of got that confidence and that positivity that I can help the group.

“The best part, I think, about the squad is that we’re all so close. We’ve been playing together for a long time.

“The playing style hasn’t changed so much, so you know what is going to be required of you when you come.”

Callum McCowatt, left, playing for club side Silkeborg IF. ERNST VAN NORDE

Midfielder Callum McCowatt last played in a winning club side last October. Since then, his Danish Superliga side Silkeborg IF has failed get to win in nine matches.

McCowatt has played significant minutes in most of the games and proved that a strong showing in a run of losing results can get the attention of the national team coach.

“Personally, it’s going quite OK in terms of my numbers and stats, but for the club, it’s a little bit down at the moment.

“We’re under the relegation zone line, so it can be difficult at times. Of course, it’s not done yet, so we can still work our way out of it.”

When things are not going well for a club team, the pressure can pile on to the players.

“It’s difficult, if I have to be honest. Day to day, you have to find a new way to bring your energy up, because winning brings a lot of energy and a lot of good feeling to your body.

“When this doesn’t happen, you have to find different ways and different motivations, so it’s been a learning process. At the end of it, I’ll probably have grown as a person.”

McCowatt wants to bring some of his individual form at club level to the All Whites.

Callum McCowatt playing for the All Whites. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

“I think that a lot of footballers worldwide struggle to take that consistency from club into country, because of the lack of games and the feeling where you kind of feel on a roll.

“When you’re in a club environment every day for, I’ve been there two-and-a-half years, nearly three years, then you become comfortable in a way where it’s your home.

“When you play for the All Whites, you play two games every couple months, five times a year, so that’s 10 games a year outside of World Cup year, it’s kind of hard to find the consistency.

“I’m trying to navigate that as good as I can, because I really want to perform for the All Whites.”

All Whites midfielder Ryan Thomas, centre, in action for PEC Zwolle against Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivise competition, 25 April, 2025. AFP

PEC Zwolle midfielder Ryan Thomas was recalled to the All Whites squad last September, nearly ​six years after his last appearance.

Injury and being on the outer at club level meant that Thomas thought his international playing days were over, but Bazeley had different ideas.

“It’s nice to obviously have the confidence from Darren. I spoke with him a lot over the last three years and, obviously, it was a lot more other conversations than what we wanted.

“I talked with him a lot about how it was going and what he thought was the plan for me going forward, and it was always the plan, if I was fit enough, to bring me straight back in.

“I’m just really happy to be able to have the opportunity to play again for the national team and, when you get to play on the bigger stage with a bunch of your good friends to play for your country, it’s something you can’t really take for granted and I’m just making sure that I’m enjoying every moment.”

Tim Payne, right, is back with the All Whites during a tough season for the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Closer to home, defender Tim Payne’s A-League club Wellington Phoenix has had a dramatic change of coach and a period of sitting near the bottom of the table.

Payne missed most of the first half of the season with a broken collarbone that needed surgery and, earlier this month, he missed a couple of games with a hamstring injury – including coach Giancarlo Italiano’s last game and Chris Greenacre’s first in charge.

After an “interesting” seventh season with the Phoenix, Payne came into All Whites camp for the Fifa series off back-to-back wins in the A-League.

It was the first time the Phoenix had achieved two wins in a row in the 2025/26 season.

“I think there’s always room to make an impression,” Payne said of the final international window at home before the World Cup squad was announced.

“Everyone’s playing week in, week out at their respective clubs, so if someone’s performing at a very high standard, there’s no reason why they can’t be involved come June.”

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Live: White Ferns v South Africa Women – first ODI

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the cricket action, as the White Ferns take on South Africa women in their first of three one-dayers.

First ball at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval is 2pm.

White Ferns squad

Melie Kerr ( Wellington Blaze), Suzie Bates (Otago), Flora Devonshire (Central Hinds), Izzy Gaze (Auckland Hearts), Maddy Green (Auckland Hearts), Brooke Halliday (Auckland Hearts), Bree Illing (Auckland Hearts), Jess Kerr (Wellington Blaze), Kayley Knight (Northern Brave),Rosemary Mair (Central Hinds), Nensi Patel (Northern Brave), Georgia Plimmer (Wellington Blaze), Izzy Sharp (Canterbury Magicians)

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Neighbours want action on short-term rental party house after violent night

Source: Radio New Zealand

A young person seriously injured after violence broke out at a party remains in hospital after surgery, and police say the incident was isolated, but neighbours say it’s an ongoing issue that needs to be tackled.

A vehicle drove towards partygoers, injuring two people, and two others were injured during wider disorder. Some reported that partygoers were attacked with machetes.

  • ‘I was really worried’: Local recounts Mt Albert party violence that sent four to hospital

    • Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Darvill said some what unfolded at the party was unacceptable: “I want to reassure people that we are working as hard as we can to get to the bottom of what happened.

    Broken glass is on the corner of Springleigh Ave and Jerram Street. RNZ / Jessica Hopkins

    “This behaviour won’t be tolerated in our community, and investigators are working diligently to identify those responsible and hold them to account for their actions.”

    Police understood there was frustration and concern surrounding the incident, among the community, but the incident appeared to be isolated, Darvill said.

    However neighbours said problems with out of control parties in the small street were ongoing.

    Short term stay house creating problems, neighbour says

    Neighbours have told RNZ the house the party was held at on Friday is listed on short-stay accommodation platforms, but said previous efforts to highlight ongoing disruptions connected with parties at the property – and another next door – had been unsuccessful.

    Rosemarie Powell RNZ /Jessica Hopkins

    Phyllis Street resident Rosemarie Powell said locals had raised the problems with local MPs and other authorities, and asked for measures making landlords more accountable, but nothing had changed.

    “Our emergency services having to clean up these problems – you know, young people getting really hurt – these are all the symptoms of something that’s much broader that needs to be dealt with, and I think that’s landlord accountability for short-term rental,” Powell said.

    “It is cheap and easy for teenagers to book this property for one night to have a house party that, as demonstrated last night and many times before, can get quickly out of hand.

    “Neither the landlord nor the people booking the house have connections with the neighbourhood and community, there is no oversight or accountability if there is underaged drinking or drugs being consumed.

    “No one has to face their neighbours on the street the next day, and noone cares about the many small children who live on the street. Not to mention the very real and demonstrable risk the young people are exposed to who attend these gatherings.”

    Broken glass is on the corner of Springleigh Ave and Jerram Street. RNZ / Jessica Hopkins

    The ongoing situation was frustrating, she said: “It does create a real lack of security in the short run.”

    And in a city where there was a housing shortage it chafed doubly so: “In the long run it’s also just a waste of a home that could be housing a family.”

    Powell said she understood the landlord was a foreign businessman who owned a number of properties across the city.

    “These properties are essentially land banking, and are not in any way supporting local housing and accommodation needs. Some families have lived in these homes from time to time, but the long-term rent is too expensive for them. We have great local schools, sports teams etc. Close to supermarkets, public transport.

    “These houses could provide a home for a family who would benefit from and contribute to the neighbourhood. Instead they are used to land bank, and as a venue for completely unaccountable parties that turn violent.”

    Lack of regulation and enforcement for properties available for short-term rental was the underlying problem, she said.

    “It is not acceptable that landlords can get away with accepting short-term bookings without any background reference, or proof of age for example, and oversight and responsibility for what happens on their property.”

    Anna McKessar RNZ / Jessica Hopkins

    Another neighbour, Anna McKessar, earlier told RNZ incidents that spilled out of earlier parties at the properties had “turned into this massive thing”, and included damage to cars and fences in the street.

    “It’s pretty upsetting for neighbours, and the person that owns those properties has never shown up, never apologised, and shown no remorse,” McKessar said.

    Powell hoped the latest incident would spark broader investigation and discussions on the issue, “so that we can help to hold landlords and the wider system accountable to help reduce harm in the future.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Darvill said police want to hear from anyone with footage from the event, or who had not yet spoken with police.

    Information can be provided by calling police on 105 or visiting their Update Report page online at 105.police.govt.nz and quoting file number 260328/8294, while information could also be reported anonymously, through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or on their website.

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    Concerns patients receiving incorrect treatment due to mistaken identity

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Health NZ said there was the potential for identity overlay. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

    A patient advocate is warning that the consequences of people receiving incorrect medical treatment due to mistaken identity can be catastrophic.

    Health New Zealand has acknowledged people may have received incorrect medical treatment due to two people being mistakenly linked to one active National Health Index Number.

    An NHI number is an alphanumeric identifier assigned to people who use health and disability services.

    Health New Zealand told RNZ that although NHI numbers were unique, there was the potential for identity overlay, where two people were mistakenly linked to one active number.

    ”This can occur where two people’s personal information is nearly identical, and the health provider selects the wrong person. These cases are identified and corrected quickly by Health NZ’s NHI Data Quality team through daily reporting on potential duplicates and overlays,” it said.

    ”Health NZ acknowledges it is possible that people have received incorrect treatment when a health provider has selected the wrong person.

    “However, Health NZ does not hold any centralised information on such cases, and any information, if it exists, would be held only in individual clinical records at district or provider level.”

    Patient Voice Aotearoa chairperson Malcolm Mulholland.

    Patient Voice Aotearoa chairperson Malcolm Mulholland said that’s not good enough.

    ”It’s not good and it’s something that shouldn’t be happening and Health New Zealand should be able to articulate the size of the problem.”

    “The mere fact that they are unable to do so indicates to me that there are some problems and, without having them resolved, the consequences can be quite dire for patients,” he said.

    “One of my areas of concern would be around medication. So a lot of certain medications are listed to be given to a patient and the medication is given to the wrong patient due to this problem. That to me would be ringing alarm bells and could lead to some catastrophic health outcomes.”

    Health New Zealand was approached for additional comment.

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    Driver killed on Dunedin Speedway track

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    A driver has died in a crash at the Beachlands Speedway racetrack in Dunedin. RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

    A driver has died in a two-vehicle crash at the Beachlands Speedway racetrack in Dunedin.

    Police were called to the scene in Waldronville at 7:10pm on Saturday night.

    General Manager of Speedway New Zealand Zoe Irons told the New Zealand Herald a Speedway driver had died on the track.

    “At this time, our thoughts are with the family affected and everyone within our speedway community,” Irons said, according to the Herald.

    A Serious Crash Unit have conducted a scene examination and WorkSafe will be advised.

    Anyone who witnessed the crash or have footage are being asked to contact police.

    A car crashed over the four metre-high safety fence into the spectator area at Beachlands Speedway during a streetstock race on Friday 5 April, 2024. Supplied/ Mikaela Cruden

    In 2024, a car flew over a safety fence in a streetstocks race at Beachlands Speedway.

    A video posted to Facebook showed a streetstock turning a corner before suddenly hitting another car and launching over the fences around the track, flipping just metres from the crowd.

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    Rocket Lab carries out successful launch in Hawke’s Bay

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    It’s the first of two spacecraft of a satellite navigation demonstration mission in low Earth orbit. RNZ/ Nate McKinnon

    Rocket Lab has successfully carried out its first dedicated launch on behalf of the European Space Agency.

    The New Zealand-US space company’s 85th launch was carried out from its rocket pad in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday night.

    It’s the first of two spacecraft of a satellite navigation demonstration mission in low Earth orbit.

    An eventual new array of satellites some 500 kilometres above the earth will test next-generation technologies for uses like autonomous vehicles, maritime navigation, wireless networks, emergency services, and critical infrastructure projects.

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    Auckland airport cancels and delays some flights due to fog

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Domestic flights from Napier, Tauranga and Palmerston North have been disrupted. RNZ/Calvin Samuel

    One flight has been cancelled, and two have been delayed, due to fog in Auckland.

    A restriction has been in place at Auckland Airport since 4.42am on Sunday.

    A flight from Napier has been cancelled, while one flight due to arrive from Tauranga, and another from Palmerston North, have been delayed.

    International flights, as well as those to and from Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, have not been affected by the fog.

    Auckland Airport has advised passengers to check the [www.aucklandairport.co.nz website] or the app for the latest information.

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    Ford hybrid problem ‘couldn’t have happened at a worse time’

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Ford has written to owners of Escape PHEVs regarding a battery issue. STR

    An owner of a Ford hybrid vehicle that has had a problem identified with its battery says it could not have happened at a worse time.

    Ford said it had written to the owners of some Escape PHEVs regarding a battery issue that could create a fire hazard, if they were fully charged.

    “A manufacturing defect in one or more of the vehicle’s high voltage battery cells may cause the cell to develop an internal short circuit. Ford globally has had no incidents reported and the batteries we’ve checked, again globally, less than one percent have shown it to even be a potential issue.

    “In NZ, we’ve had no known incidents and no batteries have yet been found to have the issue in question.

    “However, as an added safety precaution, Ford has asked customers to limit the charging to 80 percent and drive in auto EV mode only. This is not a ‘stop drive’ issue.

    “Ford is investigating a permanent solution and will be in contact again with customers asap.”

    Brian Holmes said it was very inconvenient to be told his vehicle could “burst into flames”, when he wanted to rely on the battery more than ever.

    He told Ford that, given the fuel crisis and the increasing uncertainty of the future price of petrol, the need to avoid using the full value of the plug-in hybrid could not have come at a worse time.

    He had asked for compensation, but was told that a decision had not yet been made about whether that was possible.

    “They don’t have a technical fix and have stonewalled my enquiry about compensation.”

    Interest in electric vehicles has increased significantly since war broke out in the Middle East, pushing up oil prices.

    Earlier, Westpac New Zealand managing director of institutional and business banking Reuben Tucker told RNZ demand for electric vehicles through the bank’s greater choices home loan top up and other loans for electric vehicles had soared.

    “In the last two weeks, the number of applications for EVs through these products has roughly doubled,” he said.

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    A brief history of denim – and why the ‘perfect pair’ of jeans remains elusive

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Denim is present in practically every country in the world and is widely adopted as one of the most common forms of everyday attire. Its appeal spans generations and social groups: jeans are worn worldwide by those who follow fashion and those who do not, by people seeking to stand out and by those who prefer to blend in. However, many of us have never found the perfect pair.

    Although denim has been produced since the 16th century, its association with American culture and durable workwear emerged during the Californian gold rush of the 1850s. It was during this time that Levi’s – now arguably the most recognisable denim brand – was established.

    Levi Strauss, an immigrant entrepreneur who arrived in California from Bavaria in the 1850s, opened a dry goods business catering to miners. One of his customers, the tailor Jacob Davis, developed the innovative use of metal rivets to reinforce stress points in work trousers, making them more durable. Strauss and Davis jointly patented this technique, and the Levi’s brand was born.

    Denim is a popular fabric around the world.

    123RF

    Blue jeans were originally a seen as symbol of labourers (like the miners) and they also gained a strong association with cowboys. In the decades that followed, denim jeans evolved from practical workwear into one of the most iconic and enduring symbols of global fashion and culture. Film stars such as Marlon Brando and James Dean popularised the jeans and t-shirt look to a young generation in the 1950s. These films personified motorcycle-loving nonconformists, and 1950s Hollywood embraced denim as the garment of rebellion.

    Today, the cultural significance of denim jeans has moved beyond early associations with workwear, the cowboy and the teenage rebel, to become a staple worn by people of all ages and backgrounds.

    Finding the perfect pair

    Denim jeans are often seen as a problematic fashion product in terms of sustainability, because their production leaves a considerable environmental footprint.

    Cheap prices on the high street can encourage consumers to treat denim products as short-term items, reducing their lifespan. Cotton, which is commonly the main fabric for denim, is incredibly water intensive; the production of one pair of jeans uses approximately 7,500 litres of water.

    Different components involved in the making of a single pair of jeans, such as denim, thread, cotton and buttons, can originate from different countries all over the world. This raises questions regarding the environmental costs involved in the production process. Further issues include that jeans are often not made from single fibre materials and therefore cannot be recycled.

    Adding to sustainability concerns, at the consumer level, the perfect pair of jeans remains an elusive concept. But in a recently published book chapter, I explain that the perfect pair of jeans is elusive for a reason. Jeans have to be correct for the individual wearer in terms of comfort, social and personal identity, and also the complexity of fit.

    Previous reports have focused on women’s struggle to find jeans that fit and are flattering. The inability to find the perfect pair of jeans may encourage overconsumption, due to repeated purchasing based on poor fit.

    My research shows that this is an issue which applies to all genders. The men I spoke to noted how they resented paying a higher price for brands like Levi’s, so spent less by purchasing cheap, high street alternatives. This attitude can lead to overconsumption, as low price points achieved through low-quality production often compromise product longevity.

    This demonstrates the perpetuating cycle of fast fashion, driven by cheap, low-quality production, and contradicts the original purpose of jeans of being highly durable and having longevity. The combination of highly environmentally damaging production processes with overconsumption results in even greater environmental harm.

    Retailers can make efforts to reduce the trend of overconsumption with better fitting garments. However, fit is a complex issue for retailers as well as consumers. For the retailer, producing jeans in a wide range of sizes and styles is often not cost effective, and complex sizing systems can also confuse the consumer.

    Technology could provide future solutions to improving the accuracy of fit. Personalised virtual fitting, made possible through improvements in 3D human shape recognition, could ensure improved fit for the consumer. This would benefit online shoppers, although the technology does remain in its infancy, and is yet to be adopted by major online fashion retailers. Virtual fitting rooms also cannot replicate the feeling of denim next to the skin, so although the fit may be perfect, comfort could be compromised.

    Ultimately, the enduring challenge of finding the “perfect pair” of jeans highlights not only the garment’s cultural significance but also the opportunity for the fashion industry – and consumers – to move toward more sustainable, better-fitting and more thoughtfully designed denim for the future.

    Rose Marroncelli is a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University

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