Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Two people are dead after a house fire at Foxton Beach.

Police had recovered two bodies on Tuesday morning, and formal identification would be carried out over the coming days, Manawatu Area Commander Ross Grantham said.

Grantham said a scene investigation was ongoing and cordons remained in place on Queen Street, from Andrews Street to Edinburgh Terrace.

He said police had spoken to family members and were providing them with support.

“Our thoughts are also with the tight-knit community of Foxton Beach.

“Police have an increased presence in the town today and officers will be engaging with members of the community and providing support following this traumatic incident.”

Five fire crews, police and St John were called to the blaze on Queen Street just after 5am on Tuesday.

“We are working to understand the circumstances and urgently locate the unaccounted people,” Grantham said earlier.

Manawatū-Whanganui assistant commander Barry Madgwick told RNZ, police and FENZ were just starting their investigations into the fire’s cause.

“It will take some time to work through that process.”

Madgwick said firefighters were still putting out elements of the blaze due to the complexity of the structural collapse of the house.

He said it took around an hour to bring the fire under control and that the home was completely destroyed.

Nearby resident Jeanie told RNZ early this morning she could see the fire.

“And all the noises and bangs and things popping off.”

She was “heartbroken” when she saw the blaze and she was upset by the event.

Jeanie thanked the local fire brigade and police for their work.

A neighbour told RNZ they were woken up by the sound of sirens in the area.

She came out of her house and could see fire trucks and firefighters setting up their equipment.

“You could see the flames coming up through the roof.”

Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden told RNZ he was thinking of the families of those involved.

“It must be really distressing not only for those families but also the community.”

Wanden said he wanted to ensure the community was supported as best it could be and thanked emergency services.

He said it was now a matter for emergency services as they investigate what had occurred.

Police were on scene with cordons in place around Queen Street, from Andrews Street to Edinburgh Terrace.

Officers would be providing reassurance patrols in the town on Tuesday.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham has broken his silence following the scathing report by the police watchdog.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority’s report, released last month, found serious misconduct at the highest levels of police over how they handled accusations of sexual offending by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

The IPCA report recommended employment investigations against three staff, Basham, Detective Superintendent Chris Page, and Angela Brazier, the executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority.

On Tuesday, Basham released a statement via the police media team.

“This statement is being released considering the continued public interest in the IPCA report,” the statement began.

“I wish to confirm my commitment to engaging openly and transparently with the on-going independent employment investigation. To support this, I have appointed Paul Wicks KC as my legal counsel and look forward to contributing to that process. Since the investigation is still underway, I will not be making any further comment at this time.”

Basham was referred to in the IPCA’s report as Assistant Commissioner A.

The IPCA’s report said the terms of reference for Operation Herb, which Basham was “directly responsible for”, were “in no way consistent with police adult sexual assault policy and procedures”.

“He was unreasonably preoccupied with ensuring Deputy Commissioner McSkimming was not being unfairly disadvantaged in the forthcoming appointments process for the new Commissioner, for which he knew Deputy Commissioner McSkimming would be an applicant.”

The IPCA said there were several factors that mitigated Basham’s failings.

“He had only come into the role of Assistant Commissioner of Investigations in April 2024, with limited handover and in the context of the roll-out of new gang laws and other high priority matters. As he puts it, his ‘head was spinning’.

“He has acknowledged that if presented with the same circumstances again, he would do things differently, including being ‘unequivocal about the primacy of alignment to ASA policy in the terms of reference’.”

Basham retired in September, two months after former Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura.

RNZ approached Basham for comment following his resignation, on what connection it had with the pending IPCA report.

A police spokesperson messaged RNZ and said Basham wanted to pass on his retirement was “unrelated to anything other than it was the right time for him and his family. Entirely personal decision”.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he accepts Chris Hipkins’ word Andrew Coster never briefed him about the Jevon McSkimming scandal.

But New Zealand First is casting doubt on the claim, posting on social media: “is it not a fact”?

In an explosive interview on TVNZ’s Q+A on Sunday, the former police commissioner Andrew Coster claimed both the former police minister Hipkins and current police minister Mark Mitchell had known more about the McSkimming affair than they had let on.

Coster said he had informally briefed Hipkins in mid-2022, and Mitchell in 2024 earlier than had been claimed.

Both Hipkins and Mitchell have strongly denied that.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Luxon said he “absolutely” believed Hipkins over Coster.

“All I can do is take him at his word,” Luxon said. “There’s no reason why I wouldn’t.”

Luxon has previously said he trusted Mitchell’s account as well.

On Tuesday, Mitchell also told reporters that based on his own experience, he too sided with Hipkins: “I think that he’s telling the truth.”

Mitchell said Coster had a “very different recollection of events” to everyone else involved in the saga.

But in a tweet early on Tuesday morning, the official New Zealand First account posted: “Is it not a fact that Chris Hipkins knew about Jevon McSkimming affair in 2022 when he was Police Minister?”

Asked for his response on Tuesday, Hipkins responded succinctly: “It is not a fact”.

Hipkins said he had searched his memories and checked with a staffer who was with him when Coster claimed the informal briefing took place.

“I checked that with the only other person who I could check that with. They’ve also verified that that conversation never happened.”

Hipkins said if New Zealand First was questioning his word, then it was also questioning the word of Mitchell.

“That’s probably something that the prime minister might want to take up with his former deputy.”

RNZ has approached NZ First for comment.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he accepts Chris Hipkins’ word Andrew Coster never briefed him about the Jevon McSkimming scandal.

But New Zealand First is casting doubt on the claim, posting on social media: “is it not a fact”?

In an explosive interview on TVNZ’s Q+A on Sunday, the former police commissioner Andrew Coster claimed both the former police minister Hipkins and current police minister Mark Mitchell had known more about the McSkimming affair than they had let on.

Coster said he had informally briefed Hipkins in mid-2022, and Mitchell in 2024 earlier than had been claimed.

Both Hipkins and Mitchell have strongly denied that.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Luxon said he “absolutely” believed Hipkins over Coster.

“All I can do is take him at his word,” Luxon said. “There’s no reason why I wouldn’t.”

Luxon has previously said he trusted Mitchell’s account as well.

On Tuesday, Mitchell also told reporters that based on his own experience, he too sided with Hipkins: “I think that he’s telling the truth.”

Mitchell said Coster had a “very different recollection of events” to everyone else involved in the saga.

But in a tweet early on Tuesday morning, the official New Zealand First account posted: “Is it not a fact that Chris Hipkins knew about Jevon McSkimming affair in 2022 when he was Police Minister?”

Asked for his response on Tuesday, Hipkins responded succinctly: “It is not a fact”.

Hipkins said he had searched his memories and checked with a staffer who was with him when Coster claimed the informal briefing took place.

“I checked that with the only other person who I could check that with. They’ve also verified that that conversation never happened.”

Hipkins said if New Zealand First was questioning his word, then it was also questioning the word of Mitchell.

“That’s probably something that the prime minister might want to take up with his former deputy.”

RNZ has approached NZ First for comment.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police are searching for a swimmer after he went missing in a lake on Auckland’s west coast.

The 23-year-old man was in waist-deep water with three friends at Lake Wainamu in Bethells Beach on Monday when he got into difficulty.

Police said the man had taken a few steps before falling into a hole, and did not resurface.

Senior sergeant Jon Winthrop said police were contacted at 6.10pm and started a search.

Five lifeguards from Bethells Beach Surf Lifesaving and a Police Eagle Helicopter tried to find the man.

The Police National Dive Squad will be at the lake on Tuesday to continue searching.

“I know the swimmer’s friends are quite shaken up by the events that unfolded very quickly last night, and we are ensuring there is support in place for them.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Public Service Associations says it has formally raised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff concerns about high workloads in what it calls “a period of instability”.

An MFAT report shows it shed seven jobs in a restructure that disestablished 42 jobs and created 35.

The ministry said this was in line with the government’s push for efficiency and effectiveness, and would enhance its core diplomatic and overseas development capabilities.

“We are confident that these reviews will not affect our ability to deliver on the government’s foreign, development and trade priorities in a way that is sustainable and within normal workloads,” it said in a statement.

The Public Service Association said it opposed the changes.

“Seven roles were cut, but the organisation was very significantly reorganised,” national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons in a statement.

“The PSA have also formally raised staff concerns about a period of instability, as well as unsustainably high workloads.”

It would be monitoring the workloads, she said.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland dairy worker, who saw a man with a stab wound dying outside his shop, said he and several people tried to help the man in his last moments.

Police have launched a homicide investigation after two separate assaults on an East Auckland bus, travelling from Glen Innes towards Ōrakei.

Hato Hone St John ambulance said they were called to an incident on Fenchurch Street in Glen Innes around 8pm on Monday night.

The attacker was still at large on Tuesday morning.

A worker from the Fenchurch Superette, who is recovering from the shock and didn’t want to be named, said on Monday evening, customers in the dairy went outside the shop to help an injured man who’d just come off a bus.

He said when he went outside the shop he saw that the injured man was a local customer he recognised, and that he looked like he’d been stabbed in the chest and was bleeding a lot.

The worker said he went to the liquor shop next door to grab some t-shirts to help stop the bleeding.

There was also a nurse who happened to be passing by and was helping as well, he said.

The worker said the man was moaning and appeared delirious.

He said he didn’t hear the man say anything, but got the impression that he would’ve been stabbed on the bus he’d come off.

Police have confirmed the victim – a man aged in his 50s – had boarded the number 76 bus at 7.56pm and travelled a short distance before getting off the bus at 7.58pm.

“The only other passenger on board initiated an attack on the victim, before he could exit the bus near Fenchurch St in Glen Innes,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said.

By the time the ambulance arrived, the man was still conscious, but died shortly after, the witness recalled.

The worker said even though he didn’t know the name of the man, he knew him as a regular customer who’d been living in the area for a long time with his children.

He said he’s a “real nice and humble guy” and was “soft as a teddy bear”.

Police confirmed the man was taken to hsopital but died from his injuries.

Second assault near Coates Ave and Kepa Rd

Following the first assault the number 76 bus continued on its route where the second victim boarded the bus around 8.09pm.

The man, aged in his 40s, sat at the back of the bus where the offender moved toward him, Baldwin said.

“The second unprovoked assault began when the offender approached the victim at the rear of the bus.

“The offender initiated a fight and quickly produced a knife and assaulted the victim.

“After a short confrontation the second victim managed to flee from the bus, along with another passenger and the bus driver near the bus stop at Coates Avenue and Kepa Road.”

The offender eventually got off the bus and was last seen fleeing on foot.

Detective Inspector Baldwin said the victim was taken to Auckland City Hospital with serious injuries, where is in a stable condition.

The police said the two assaults were reported to them by ambulance around 8pm on Monday.

Baldwin said the first victim, who is in his 50s, suffered a fatal knife wound on board a bus.

“The only other passenger aboard initiated an attack on the victim, before he could exit the bus near Fenchurch Street in Glen Innes,” he said

He said the victim boarded the bus at 7.56pm and got off the bus at 7.58pm, fleeing from the attack.

Police appeal for information to locate offender

Police said they have reviewed the CCTV footage from inside the bus and are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the offender.

“Our investigation is still in its infancy, but we are committed to understanding the motive and exactly why such violence took place aboard a bus last night,” said Inspector Baldwin.

He said they’ve spoken with a number of people but are asking anyone with additional information to come forward.

People can report information through calling 105, using the reference number 251208/7471 or Operation Gyle.

Police said they have reviewed the CCTV footage from inside the bus and are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the offender.

“Our investigation is still in its infancy, but we are committed to understanding the motive and exactly why such violence took place aboard a bus last night,” said Inspector Baldwin.

Baldwin said they’ve spoken with a number of people but are asking anyone with additional information to come forward.

Auckland Transport’s Stacey van der Putten said the agecny was assisting police with.

“Our buses all have CCTV cameras on-board, and we are working closely with police in its investigation.”

“We are also working with our bus operator to provide support to the bus driver.”

“We are very saddened to hear about these incidents, and our thoughts are with the victims, their families and our bus operator staff who was present.”

People can report information through calling 105, using the reference number 251208/7471 or Operation Gyle.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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