Category: Public Media

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Police arrest man after fleeing driver incident in Invercargill

Source: Radio New Zealand

SH6 remains closed and diversions are in place while the Serious Crash Unit carries out an investigation. RNZ/ Marika Khabazi

Police have arrested a man in Invercargill after he fled when they tried to speak to him about a driving concern.

A chase was authorised at about 5pm, but abandoned after the man’s driving became dangerous.

Southland Area Commander Inspector Mike Bowman said police co-ordinated their response, and “allowed other units to get into place ahead of the vehicle”.

Those police laid spikes across State Highway 6, south of Winton, near its intersection with McKenzie Road, causing the car to crash into a water table shortly afterwards, he said.

“Thankfully the male suffered only minor injuries and two other people in the vehicle were uninjured.”

SH6 remains closed and diversions are in place while the Serious Crash Unit carries out an investigation.

Enquiries are ongoing and charges are being considered, police said.

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

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Thrift shop gets over 520kg in donations this year alone

Source: Radio New Zealand

A student run thrift store in Otago sifted through over 520kg of donations this year.

Te Oraka, which runs on the principles of the circular economy, employs five local uni students and sells clothes, refurbed bikes and grooming products, with all profits fed back into the business.

Maggie Craw has been working there for five years, and while she’s paid the living wage, she would do it for free, she says.

“It’s better than I’ve been paid anywhere else and it’s more fun work than I’ve done anywhere else so I’m just really grateful for that,” she told RNZ podcast Thrift.

It favours items made from natural materials that can be repaired, turning away fast fashion items made from cheap, synthetic fabrics.

“We see a lot of donations coming through, a lot less fast fashion brands and a lot more cool, unique, thrifted items. Compared with a couple of years ago, when at least 60 percent of the items were from chain stores,” says Jess Triscott from the University of Otago’s sustainability office.

Mixed in among the second-hand goods are items that have been made by students, the shop sold 176 student-made items this year.

“Students aren’t just popping in to look at clothing. They can look at jewellery, candles. Something that a student’s crocheted from repurposed wool – heaps of little goodies,” says Triscott.

Profits from Te Oraka subsidise a refillery which sells environmentally friendly brands of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and dishwashing liquid. Students can refill their containers for between $3 to $6.

The circular economy also extends to bike repair at Te Oraka. Jack Marsh and Emily Cambridge refurbish bikes to sell to students. Many of the bikes are reclaimed from landfill.

Cambridge says 117 pre-loved bikes were sold in 2025, many to international students.

Emerson Kane greeted the more than 12,000 students that walked through the door in 2025 and handles transactions. For her it’s been an opportunity to connect with people in a new country.

“I also make the coffee and then I help with the lovely staff restock everything.”

Te Oraka won the Student Engagement category of the International Green Gown Awards this year and sales were up 111 percent from 2024.

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Netball: Frustrations boil over in Noeline Taurua territory – but will other zones follow?

Source: Radio New Zealand

AAP / www.photosport.nz

An experienced sport’s leader says a special general meeting called within the Waikato Bay of Plenty zone over concerns with Netball New Zealand’s governance reflects growing frustration in the netball community.

But there’s been no indication from the other four netball zones in New Zealand that they will back the WBOP zone.

The Tauranga and Whakatane Netball Centres have initiated a Special General Meeting of the WBOP zone this Sunday over frustrations with NNZ and its leadership.

Concerns include uncertainly around the future of the ANZ Premiership, the lack of a broadcast deal beyond 2026, and the recent suspension of Dame Noeline Taurua as Silver Ferns’ coach.

Dame Noeline, who lives 40 minutes down the road from Tauranga, has since been reinstated but the very public fall-out between the veteran coach and Netball NZ dominated headlines for weeks.

In October, former Silver Ferns’ selector Gail Parata said that “heads need to roll” over Taurua’s suspension.

Tauranga Netball Centre board chair Nicola Compton said the handling of the coaching situation was the final straw and believed the Netball NZ Board and CEO had questions to answer.

Compton wants the zone to force a Special General Meeting of Netball NZ to “express serious questions around the strategic leadership of Netball New Zealand”.

Compton is confident the WBOP zone will vote in favour of calling for an SGM but under the Netball NZ constitution two other zones would need to do the same thing to actually force it.

Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie has been in the firing line by netball fans, angry at what they believe was the poor treatment of Taurua. The Netball NZ board, who effectively employ Wyllie, has also come under immense criticism.

Compton said they had had some informal discussions with other zones.

NNZ Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Gary Dawson, a former Waikato Rugby and Chiefs chief executive, was brought in by Netball New Zealand to assist the Magic in 2021 when the zone got into financial difficulties.

The Netball WBOP Zone’s board was disbanded, with governance responsibilities instead handed to Netball New Zealand, and Dawson was appointed as interim general manager of the Magic.

Dawson has since taken a step back but is still involved with the region’s ANZ Premiership team as its Team Relationship manager. The Magic and Waikato Bay of Plenty Zone remain separate entities, both under the administration of Netball NZ.

Dawson said the last 12 months had not been good for netball.

“I know that people who are involved with the game at the grass roots level and even at the high performance level, it’s getting to the point where people are quite frustrated that there doesn’t seem to really be a resolution or a positive plan to move forward. I think what we’re seeing from the Waikato Bay of Plenty zone is that frustration coming out in the form of a meeting to really see if they can get things changed,” Dawson said.

Is it more personal for the zone given that Dame Noeline coached the Magic team for several years and lives in the region?

“There’s a little bit of that but I think the wider issues from what I understand is that in the wider interests of netball in New Zealand they feel there are some serious issues that need to be addressed.”

Dawson said he talks to a large number of people in his day to day work from the grass roots to people in senior positions in netball.

“Some of the common themes that come through is the issues that have been widely publicised both with Dame Noeline but also with the ANZ Premiership players going off-shore, the broadcast deal. I think the general feeling of everybody involved with netball is it’s not doing netball any good at all, the reputational damage is quite huge and the financial cost is quite significant as well.”

Noeline Taurua had a long association with the Magic. PHOTOSPORT

In a statement, Netball Northern Zone board chair Mary Gardiner said the zone was continuing to work constructively with Netball NZ.

“We like many are concerned about recent events in netball and we are working directly with the Netball NZ Board.

“Our preference is to have respectful, face to face conversations with Netball NZ, and I will continue to meet regularly with Board Chair, Matt Whineray. As the owner of the Northern Mystics, one of our key priorities is to collaborate with Netball NZ along with other Zones and ANZP teams to ensure that the ANZ Premiership is a success in 2026 and long into the future,” Gardiner said.

“We are aware that some of our Centres have their own concerns, and we will also make sure that these are shared with Netball NZ.”

Netball South chairman Dean Johnston said the board of Netball South was aware of WBOPs Special General Meeting.

“We are in regular contact with Netball New Zealand’s board chair as we continue to progress constructive discussions about the future of the sport,” Johnston said.

Netball Central zone had “no comments” to make on the matter, while Netball Mainland has not responded to a request for comment.

Compton said part of the concern was the lack of communication from the national body – “What’s happening, why is it happening, and what’s the plan, and that’s not what we’re getting.”

The Northern Mystics, Central Pulse, and Southern Steel ANZ Premiership teams are run and managed by their zones. But Netball NZ had to step in a support the Magic and Tactix, which went into liquidation in 2020.

The South Auckland based Stars are also propped up by Netball NZ but are unique in that the franchise was established in 2017 and does not come under a zone.

The SGM on Sunday needs 51 percent of the 23 centres in the zone to attend and a simple majority to pass any resolution.

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

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Public Service Commission ‘likely’ to run social media ads on public sector negotiations again

Source: Radio New Zealand

Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The Public Service Commissioner says it is “likely” the commission will run social media advertisements on public sector negotiations again, as it engages an independent party to review their use.

In early November, Labour’s MP Camilla Belich wrote to the Auditor-General, requesting it investigate the commission’s decision to purchase Facebook advertisements in the build-up to October’s ‘mega-strike’.

On Monday, the Auditor-General Grant Taylor said he had been advised by the commission it had engaged an external party to carry out a review, acknowledging potential lessons.

The commission appeared before Parliament’s Governance and Administration Committee on Tuesday.

Belich, who is also the committee’s chair, asked Roche whether he had anything to explain to the committee regarding the advertisements.

In its report, the commission noted it was the first time since 1997 that the commissioner had retained the collective bargaining delegation for primary and secondary school teachers and principals.

Roche said that strengthened role in bargaining had taken “a lot of resource” and it was important “that we made sure that the facts were made available”.

He said social media was a “critical channel” for people to get information, and it was “entirely appropriate” to participate.

“But I acknowledge it was the first time that we had done it in a bargaining context, and there was a lot of public commentary, which is why I initiated a review immediately after the event itself. Because I think it’s important that we are both scrutinised and that we learn,” he said.

“It is likely that we will do this again, and I wanted to make sure that we were as best as we could be, but I acknowledge it was the first time, and I also accept the public commentary.”

He did not accept a question from Belich over whether the advertisements may have affected the public’s perception of the commission’s neutrality, but the review was to ensure the commission was holding the highest levels of integrity.

“The bargaining has been fraught this year, it’s been very challenging, it’s been done in a very, very constrained fiscal environment, and from time to time the information that was coming from the people we were negotiating with was not factual and it was not accurate, and that is actually unhelpful to a broader functioning community.”

Roche acknowledged he could have kept ministers more informed about the steps the commission was taking.

If the review found the use of the advertisements was not appropriate, then “absolutely” the commission would not run them again.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Roche said he instigated the review as a “learning exercise,” and that the Auditor-General was comfortable with the commission’s process of instigating the review itself.

He committed to making the review public when it was in a position to do so.

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

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Car crashes into Whakatāne River

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

One person has serious injuries after a car crashed into a river off State Highway 2 near Whakatāne.

Police were called to White Pine Bush Road, Taneatua, at 6.05pm.

The highway, which goes over the one-lane Pekatahi Bridge, is blocked between Foster and Taneatua Roads and is likely to remain closed for several hours.

The Serious Crash Unit has been notified.

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Black Caps v West Indies first test: Day one

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kane Williamson. Chris Symes / www.photosport.nz

It’s advantage West Indies after day one of the first test in Christchurch.

The Black Caps stumbled to stumps at 231 for nine after a solid platform was laid at the top.

Despite losing Devon Conway in the opening over for a duck, Tom Latham and Kane Williamson steadied the ship, compiling a 92-run partnership.

Williamson survived seeing his bails sent flying on 33 after Ojay Shields was shown to have overstepped.

However, Williamson would soon be caught behind on 52, followed quickly by Latham for 24, Rachin Ravindra and Will Young.

Tom Blundell was castled by Shields for 29, while Nathan Smith managed a fighting 23 before he held out to John Campbell.

With Michael Bracewell approaching his half century he too fell to the bowling of Shields, with Matt Henry joining him in the sheds soon after.

With just one wicket it hand, it’s now up to bowlers Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy, both unbeaten on four, to eek out as many runs as possible tomorrow morning after a day which well and truly belonged to the Windies.

Day two resumes at 11am.

Follow how the first day played out in our blog:

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Veterans ruling: Govt plans ‘could include a legislative response’

Source: Radio New Zealand

Minister for Veterans Chris Penk says there is a lot of uncertainty about how many people might make a claim. NICK MONRO / RNZ

The government has not ruled out legal action, after a court ruling made defence veterans eligible for billions of dollars in further support.

The landmark High Court ruling backed a claim by the late Sir Wira Gardiner over his exposure to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War.

The government is facing an extra $1.4 billion liability, according to the latest estimate.

Minister for Veterans Chris Penk was pushed at a parliamentary scrutiny hearing on Tuesday afternoon on whether the government wanted to reduce this.

“We’ve been considering as a government if, and if so what, we should respond in some way, which hypothetically at least could include a legislative response, but we need to understand clearly what the implication of the ruling was,” Penk said.

Labour MP Greg O’Connor asked Penk if the possibility of a legislative response was due to him having conversations with the Finance Minister about reducing the liability.

Penk said that any diligent minister had to keep other ministers briefed.

“There are a number of possibilities but I don’t want to preclude any of those or prejudge particularly what may prove in the real world than the actual analysis.”

The percentage of claims accepted by Veterans Affairs has risen from 75 to 98 percent – but only 13 percent of those eligible have made any claim.

Veterans’ whānau may also be eligible.

“‘There’s an awful lot of room in scheme for veterans to make more claims,” Veterans Affairs (VA) acting chief executive Alex Brunt told the committee.

A backlog of claims – which stood at 2000 mid-year – had now dropped to about 1600 people.

Penk said there was a lot of uncertainty about how many people might make a claim.

Brunt said there were implications from the court ruling, not just for VA, but for ACC and the public health system that also delivered services to veterans.

His agency’s advice to the minister was focused on how to support veterans.

“There is an element of what are the fiscal implications of that but the fiscal implications are not driving the advice in any way,” said Brunt.

“We’re interpreting the law as it stands and we have sufficient liability to cover claims that are made.”

The questions for the government were more about what support vets needed, and who should provide those and how.

O’Connor pushed to know if VA was involved in any legal work that could reduce the liability.

“That is one scenario of many,” Brunt responded, but he added the minister had not asked for advice about how to reduce the cost of the court case, but on its implications and how best to support vets.

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Historic candlestick returns to St Paul’s church in Paihia, Northland

Source: Radio New Zealand

St Paul’s Anglican Church priest Chris Williams with the returned candlestick, dedicated to his grandfather Percy Williams. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

It once was lost, but now it’s found.

The parishioners of St Paul’s Church in Paihia are celebrating the mysterious return of a historic stolen candlestick, but they would dearly love to have the other one back as well.

Priest Chris Williams said the pair of solid brass candlesticks and a wooden cross were stolen from the altar in March 2022.

He said parishioners had always been hopeful they would some day be recovered, but it still came as a surprise when one was handed in to Paihia Library a few days ago.

The librarian was too busy at the time to get the person’s name, but he said he was part of the wider Williams family.

At the time of the theft the church was open day and night, Chris Williams said.

“We didn’t anticipate people would take things. It was something we’d never thought of, really. We thought people would respect the church and come in for silent prayer.”

The landmark building – known to many Paihia residents simply as the Stone Church – was now open only during the day in spring and summer, and security cameras had been installed inside and out.

St Paul’s Anglican Church, known to many Paihia residents as the Stone Church, was completed in 1926. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

The candlesticks were not just used during every service, they were also a tangible link to Paihia’s past and to the Williams’ family.

The recovered candlestick was engraved with a dedication to Percy Williams, Chris Williams’ grandfather and the priest at the time the church was consecrated in 1926.

Percy Williams was also the grandson of the pioneer missionary Henry Williams, to whom the church is dedicated.

The candlestick which remained missing was engraved ‘In Memoriam Eila Mabel Reed’.

Chris Williams said he hoped the person who kindly delivered the candlestick to Paihia Library would come forward, in case he knew the whereabouts of the other one.

If someone else had its twin, he hoped that person had “the conscience and the respect for sacred things” to ensure it was also returned.

The missing candlestick has a similar inscription but is dedicated to the memory of Eila Mabel Reed. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

“We would just be so grateful for the candlesticks to be together again. If that person wanted to be forgiven, then I would be very happy to forgive and forget.”

Chris Williams said he used the returned candlestick in his homily on Sunday, which, being Advent, was on the theme of hope.

“We had all hoped the candlesticks would come back. One has and now we hope that the second will come back. We have confidence that will happen because of the conscience of the person who has it. And also because our Lord looks over these things and mysterious things happen.”

St Paul’s Church, the fifth church on the Marsden Road site, is a Category I heritage building.

According to Heritage New Zealand, St Paul’s has the second-oldest hand-pumped organ in the country and a graveyard dating back to 1826.

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Dairy owner stabbed in early morning robbery

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested following an aggravated robbery of a Christchurch dairy.

Three people robbed the store on Opawa Road about 6.40am, during which the owner was stabbed and seriously injured.

The three fled in a car, taking the till and other items, according to police.

Christchurch District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill said that shortly before 4pm a 14-year-old boy was arrested at a Woolston address.

He faces serious charges and is due to appear in the Christchurch Youth Court on Wednesday.

“This morning’s attack on an innocent person is shocking, but I hope this arrest brings some comfort to our community,” Hill said.

“We know other people were involved in this incident and we need to hear from people in the community if they have information that could help us locate the offenders.”

Police are asking the public for information about a silver Toyota MarkX, with the registration number NRP221 which they say was used in the robbery.

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Awarua RSA president ‘gutted’ after thieves rip plaques from soldiers’ graves

Source: Radio New Zealand

The spot where a plaque was stolen. Supplied / Invercargill City Council

The boss of a Southland RSA is not pulling his punches, after thieves stole burial plaques off soldiers’ graves at an Invercargill cemetery.

Police believe they were stolen from the St Johns Cemetery sometime between 28 October and 22 November.

The brass plates marked the graves of World War One and Two veterans, and those who served in the Korean War.

St Johns Cemetery. Supplied / Invercargill City Council

Awarua RSA president Ian Becker told Checkpoint he was gutted by the theft, which he said showed a complete lack of respect.

“All they’re interested in is getting their grubby little hands on some easy cash, but I think they might finding they’re now holding onto a wasp’s nest and somebody, somewhere, is going to tell us who it was.”

Becker said he had done a bit of digging since the plaques was stolen and had found out one of them belonged to “one of their own”.

“It belonged to Rose Hinchey, who was born in Bluff, her father was a mayor of Bluff, and she attended Bluff school.

“She trained as a nurse in Invercargill… and joined the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service from 1937 to 1949, serving during the Second World War. Then she was in the Queen Alexandra Royal Army nursing core 1949 to 1965 and served in Korea.”

One of the missing plaques. Supplied / Invercargill City Council

Hinchey’s plaque was one of nine that has been stolen.

“I just feel gutted that some person just felt they had a bigger, a stronger need to take away somebody’s identity.

“She’s a real person and she’s one of ours.”

Becker said the brass plaques are issued by Veterans Affairs, and recorded the persons rank, regimental number and the conflict they were involved in.

“It’s the last official recognition that they gave up their youth for the service of their country.”

He said he had been in touch with Veterans Affairs to see if all nine plaques can be replaced.

Becker said the whole affair has made him both upset and angry.

“Why would you steal someone’s identity?”

St Johns Cemetery Supplied / Invercargill City Council

He said he was aware of similar thefts that have occurred previously in other parts of the country, and believed the thieves were looking to make some money off the plaques.

Becker was now appealing to them to drop the plaques back.

“Anywhere, even if it’s a service station, a milk bar, just hand it back. It’s no good to you, It’s no good to anyone else. Give it back so we can reinstate the person, give them back their identity and give them back the ability to sleep peacefully.

Acting area prevention manager Inspector Mel Robertson said Invercargill Police were investigating the theft of a number of burial plaques from grave sites at St Johns Cemetery.

She said several of the stolen plaques were taken from the graves of Returned Service personnel who served in the First and Second World Wars, making this a particularly distressing crime for families and the wider community.

She urged anyone with information regarding the stolen plaques to contact Police via 105 and quote event number 251125/6603.

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