Category: Radio New Zealand

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Auckland police still cannot say if machete linked to killing of Kyle Whorrall

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police find machete in Auckland reserve five months after killing of US man Kyle Whorrall. Supplied/police

Auckland police cannot say if a machete found in their investigation into the killing of US student, Kyle Whorrall, is linked to his fatal attack.

Another teenager was charged with the 33-year-old’s murder on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old boy from Glenn Innes was due to appear in the Youth Court on Thursday, also charged with aggravated robbery.

Whorrall, who was 33, was attacked at a bus stop in Meadowbank in April and died in hospital following the attack.

In September, five months after Whorrall’s killing, police announced they had found a machete in a nearby reserve.

Kyle Whorrall RNZ / Lucy Xia

They could not say at the time if the weapon, found in vegetation at Maybury reserve, was used in the killing.

“What I can say is that it is a large bladed weapon, and we are looking for a large bladed weapon, we are not at Maybury reserve by accident,” Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said at the time.

“We remain open minded in relation to this weapon, forensic testing is underway but we won’t know the results for some time.”

It has been two months since the announcement.

After Wednesday’s announcement of a further murder charge, RNZ asked if forensic testing results for the machete had been returned.

Police were not able to say.

“I’m conscious we have laid further charges in this investigation,” Baldwin said.

“As matters are before the court, I’m not able to comment on specifics around evidential matters,” he told RNZ.

The revelation of the machete from police came at the same time a 16-year-old was also facing charges of murder and aggravated robbery.

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Vandals litter Wellington bike trails with logs, holes and wooden barriers amidst police investigation

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Noam Mānuka Lazarus, Massey University journalism student

“Track closed” safety sign torn down. SUPPLIED

A mountain biking instructor says Wellington mountain bike trails have again been littered with logs, dug up and blocked with wooden barriers.

Police and the Wellington City Council have been investigating the damage to the Matairangi/Mt Victoria trails this week.

On Thursday, police told RNZ they had “exhausted all available lines of inquiry” in the attempt to find those responsible.

Timber on the trails SUPPLIED

Inspector Jason McCarthy, the Wellington area prevention manager, urged members of the public to come forward with any information that might help.

Rod Bardsley, a mountain biking instructor who rode the trails regularly, said the trails had been cleaned up since the initial damage, but he saw last night that had been vandalised again.

Bardsley said holes had been dug in the ground, and support structures which held the dirt tracks together had been pulled out. One trail had even been fenced off, with wooden beams put up between trees on either side of the track.

Holes had been dug up along the track SUPPLIED

Bardsley said the trails were well used by bikers, and damage to the tracks could be extremely dangerous for bikers who rode at high speeds.

RNZ has approached Wellington City Council for comment.

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Secondary teachers vote to accept government’s latest collective agreement settlement

Source: Radio New Zealand

PPTA president Chris Abercrombie. Supplied

Secondary teachers have voted to accept the government’s recent settlement of their collective agreement.

It includes a 4.6 percent pay increase over two years, raises allowances for teachers in management or special roles, and monetary and time allowances for people responsible for overseeing NCEA assessments.

A $1 million per year fund will also be available for professional learning and development for teachers.

However, the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) said it was disappointing that the Public Service Commissioner did not address members’ claims for pastoral care staffing for students.

More to come…

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Air NZ reaches ‘in principle’ deal to ward off some strikes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Air NZ said it had now reached agreements “in principle” with unions representing its regional turboprop and widebody jet cabin crew. AFP

Air New Zealand says there will no longer be strike action affecting long-haul or regional travellers, but disruptions to its domestic, Tasman and Pacific services are still possible.

Cabin crew announced last month they were planning to walk off the job for 24 hours after failing to reach an agreement with the airline over pay and conditions.

Air NZ said it had now reached agreements “in principle” with unions representing its regional turboprop and widebody jet cabin crew.

“As a result, the strike notices for these fleets have been withdrawn,” a spokesperson said.

“We are continuing to make progress with our narrowbody jet cabin crew agreements and will provide further updates as soon as we can.”

There were currently no changes to flights, the airline said.

“Our focus remains on reaching agreements that avoid disruption.”.

Unions have been negotiating with Air New Zealand since April.

The airline originally estimated strikes across all of its fleets could affect somewhere between 10-15,000 customers.

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Analysis: Can Andrew Coster come back from this?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Andrew Coster when he was in charge of the police. RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Analysis – Headline writers have had their fun calling it ‘Coster’s Last Stand’, and like the general’s doomed battle, it ended with a crushing fall.

The comparison falls apart pretty quickly after that. Yes, Andrew Coster leaves behind a mixed legacy, but the former police boss will never gain the folk-hero sheen of his near-namesake.

Public Service Commissioner Brian Roche struck a somewhat conflicted tone in his interviews on Wednesday.

Clearly he thought Coster’s resignation was the right and inevitable outcome, and named the former police chief ultimately responsible for the extensive failings set out in the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report.

At the same time, he commended Coster’s performance at the Social Investment Agency and said he respected the man.

Roche even went so far as saying he did not believe Coster was personally guilty of wrongdoing.

Jevon McSkimming. RNZ / Mark Papalii

That generosity goes a little too far. Even Coster, in his statement on Wednesday, acknowledged he had placed too much trust in deputy Jevon McSkimming and failed to properly interrogate the allegations about him.

“It was sobering to read of a number of missed opportunities which should have proceeded differently and more appropriately,” Coster wrote.

One of the most startling sections of the IPCA report described how Coster tried to shut down an official investigation, even contacting the IPCA directly to encourage a quick wrap-up.

“He sought to bring a serious criminal investigation to an unduly rapid conclusion so that it did not impact on a job application process,” the report found.

Sobering is an understatement.

Ministers, meanwhile, veered too far in the other direction. Judith Collins came close to branding the conduct corrupt, while Mark Mitchell marched across that line entirely before hastily retreating.

With rhetoric like that, it is little wonder some people may be wondering why Coster is not facing criminal charges.

The answer lies in that IPCA report. As both Coster and Roche pointed out on Wednesday, it did not uncover corruption or an intentional cover-up.

What it found was a colossal lapse in judgement and an almost inexplicable disregard for proper process. That is serious misconduct, but not criminal offending.

That nuance partly explains why the saga dragged on for three weeks. It is a fair question as to why it took so long when the conclusion felt obvious.

Roche’s explanation is that he had to tread carefully to ensure the process was lawful and defensible. It’s noteworthy that Coster’s failings occurred in a previous job, not his current one.

Certainly, the outcome would have been far worse had it ended up in the courts.

Coster leaves with three months’ salary in lieu of notice – roughly $130,000.

Roche insists the payout was required under the contract, though it’s not clear whether that would’ve been the case had Roche formally dismissed him, as he says he was prepared to do.

Again though, the situation could’ve been much worse for the taxpayer. Coster still had four years left on his contract.

In his statement, Coster began the work of repairing his reputation. There was no hedging, nor deflecting. He accepted “full responsibility” for police shortcomings and apologised both to the woman at the centre of the case and to the wider police force.

Coster ended with a simple admission: “I am prepared to take responsibility – I got this wrong.”

What we have not yet heard are those words spoken aloud. Coster has not fronted media or taken questions.

He closed his statement with a suggestion he might return to public service “at some point in the future”.

If he hopes to return to a leadership role, it will take far more than just a written apology to rebuild trust.

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Ministers were warned against removing schools’ Treaty obligations

Source: Radio New Zealand

Education Minister Erica Stanford has said the treaty is the Crown’s responsibility, not schools’. RNZ / Mark Papalii

An Education Ministry report shows officials strongly warned the government against removing schools’ Treaty of Waitangi obligations.

The proactively-released document said changing references to the treaty in the Education and Training Act was significant and controversial and could lead to conflict that would distract from the government’s education goals.

The advice preceded the government’s surprise decision to delete a clause in the act that required schools to give effect to the treaty.

The government said the treaty was the Crown’s obligation, and the clause could be confusing for schools’ governing boards.

The ministry report dated 19 September said the treaty’s articles were relevant to education in multiple ways.

It said the Crown had an obligation to support Māori educational success and to support kaupapa Māori education.

“In summary, we do not recommend changes to Te Tiriti provisions in the Act without further engagement and design with Māori. This is because of the clear guidance to Ministers and public service departments on the constitutional position of Te Tiriti,” the report said.

Evidence supported the importance of reflecting students’ language and culture to achieve good results, it said.

“We recommend retaining an emphasis on inclusivity in schools, including providing an environment that recognises and values a Māori student’s culture, and, where possible, uses te reo Māori. While this principle of inclusivity can be applied to any group of students, the rationale for having legislative codification of this for Māori is based on the Crown’s obligations towards Māori under Te Tiriti.

“Whether to change the existing legislation, as with questions of fairness, turns on the constitutional position of Te Tiriti. Under current constitutional settings, we recommend retaining reference to the role of Tikanga and te reo in supporting the educational success of ākonga Māori,” the report said.

The education system included multiple taonga and the Crown was obliged to ensure Māori had the right to make decisions over resources and taonga they wished to maintain, it said.

Officials had discussed the Act’s treaty references with the Education Minister’s Māori advisory group, the report said.

The group’s key points included that: “high-level Tiriti clauses in legislation have significant direction-setting effect, and are important as a signal to Māori of the Crown’s intentions, it said.

“Educational success for ākonga Māori is dependent on institutions and teaching staff who understand and have the capability to deliver on their responsibilities under Te Tiriti.”

The group also indicated that it was important the Crown worked in good faith with Māori on the development of treaty references, it said.

There was evidence that ensuring te reo and tikanga Māori were supported in schools was good for Māori students’ achievement.

“Learning in an environment where a culturally responsive pedagogy is the norm significantly improves outcomes for Māori,” the report said.

The government’s reforms to introduce a more knowledge-rich curriculum, regulate the teaching profession and schools’ accountability for their outcomes would also benefit Māori learners, it added.

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IKEA Auckland opening: Predicted traffic chaos fails to eventuate as first shoppers visit

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland has managed to avoid a predicted IKEA stampede and traffic jams as the first shoppers entered the new store at Mt Wellington in Auckland.

Despite warnings of motorway gridlock and potential delays finding a carpark, traffic was free flowing in the area with Google Maps showing a 16-minute trip from Auckland CBD and no congestion at the Mt Wellington off-ramp.

Eager shoppers gathered outside the Mt Wellington store, with some telling RNZ they arrived as early at 4.45am.

Drivers had been warned to expect 40-minute queues today, with traffic analysts expecting crowds of up to 20,000 a day to visit the store.

In a “worst case” scenario, they predicted a 40-minute crawl on the nearby motorway and another 40 minutes to find a car park.

The Swedish furniture store opened officially at 11am, while the carpark was opened to shoppers at 8.30am.

An RNZ reporter at the store estimated around 800 were gathered outside including Bernie, who had driven over two-and-a-half hours from Papamoa, saying he and hsi wife had waited six years for the opening.

“We chose to open at 11am so that we avoid the morning traffic,” IKEA’s NZ manager Johanna Cederlöf said.

Other shoppers told RNZ traffic had not been as bad as anticipated, and the carpark was not yet full.

Speaking to media following the ribbon cutting, Christopher Luxon welcomed what he said was a “long time coming” and evidence of “really good foreign investment in New Zealand”.

“This is great for competition, this is great for consumers across New Zealand and actually, you’ve seen other retailers welcome the move as well.”

Hundreds lined up to enter NZ’s first IKEA store. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Asked whether welcoming the Swedish retailer with open arms is a slap in the face for local businesses, Luxon said competition will “make them better”.

“They should step up and compete, and I know they will.

“There are a lot of retailers that are welcoming the competition. It will make them better and it will actually be a good thing for New Zealanders.”

What will the roads be like?

Auckland Transport and NZTA encouraged road users to plan ahead for the day and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.

Auckland Transport Operations Centre (ATOC) Manager Claire Howard said substantial crowds were expected at IKEA for weeks or even months which would have a substantial effect on the transport network across Auckland.

“Surrounding streets in Mt Wellington will also be busy, with forecast delays of up to 40 minutes on Mt Wellington Highway in peak traffic.”

ATOC – a joint Auckland Transport and NZTA venture for managing the network in real time – has been working with the retail giant to ensure their traffic management plan minimises the traffic impact as much as possible. It would be actively managing light signals and diverting traffic where possible as congestion levels increase.

Congestion was expected to be at its worst during peak hour during the week and on Saturdays between 1 and 4pm – particularly heading northbound from South Auckland toward Mt Wellington.

Staff would be on the ground at Sylvia Park Train Station to help direct people to the store who were travelling by train.

IKEA’s NZ manager Johanna Cederlöf, said for anyone who wasn’t in Auckland or who wanted to avoid the opening day crowds, they could shop online from midnight as a way to beat the crowds.

Ulla Bennett drove from the North Shore at 4am to be one of the first in line. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Shoppers enter the store. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

More shoppers enter the store. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was on hand for the ribbon cutting. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon Marika Khabazi / RNZ

People queue to enter IKEA on its opening day in Auckland Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Mel has been waiting here since 4.45am, she says. RNZ / Finn Blackwell

IKEA’s famous meatball Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Shoppers gathered outside. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

IKEA is opening at 11am to avoid morning traffic. Marika Khabazi / RNZ

Traffic analysts are predicting a 40-minute wait to enter the IKEA carpark at peak times Marika Khabazi / RNZ

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Weightlifting women gun for first Commonwealth gold

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand weightlifter Litia Nacagilevu. All Shots Media

Weightlifting New Zealand is hoping Aotearoa will have its first female Commonwealth Games gold medalist next year as an impressive group of young lifters come through the ranks.

The sport has just completed its national championships, with more than 100 lifters taking part from around the country and the South Pacific.

Significantly, almost two-thirds of the athletes competing were women.

Two world-ranked teenagers were the stars of the event, Olivia Selemaia and Litia Nacagilevu dominating their divisions.

Selemaia, 19 – who finished eighth at this year’s world championships – set Oceania and national records in winning the 69kg class, while 18-year-old Nacagilevu – who finished ninth at the world champs – also broke records in the 86kg class.

While the two have impressed on the world stage, Weightlifting New Zealand president Simon Kent said the depth in the sport had grown significantly and they were now seeing the results of investment at the school level.

“Especially the women’s depth has grown in the last half-a-dozen years,” Kent told RNZ.

“The number of clubs has grown and there is good involvement with our community schools programme Lift for Gold. We’ve really invested, there is more exposure and more young people are getting to have a crack at the sport.

“From a high-performance perspective, we’ve really targeted investing in these young ones over the last couple of years and they’re now coming through.”

New Zealand weightlifter Olivia Selemaia All Shots Media

As a result, Kent expected as many as a dozen lifters (six men and six women) could compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with the hope that a woman could come away with New Zealand’s first weightlifting gold medal.

New Zealand has won 40 weightlifting medals at the Commonwealth Games over the years, including 12 gold. They have included victories for legends of the sport like Precious McKenzie, Tony Ebert, Don Oliver, Graham May, Darren Liddel, Richie Patterson and David Liti.

Since women’s weightlifting was added to the Games programme in 2002, the closest a Kiwi has come was the silver medal won by Olivia Baker in 2002.

“The one thing missing is we’ve never had a female win a gold medal, and we think with this young group coming through there is every possibility that that could happen next year,” Kent said.

“What Olivia [Selemaia] has done over the last year proving that she is genuinely a world class athlete and not far behind is Latia [Nacagilevu], who is also demonstrating that she has wonderful potential.”

Both those lifters have stiff competition in the Commonwealth, but Kent was confident they could contend for titles, and as teenagers they still had a long way to go in their careers.

All the major contenders for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games weightlifting team will compete at the Oceania Championships in Samoa in April, which will be the last qualifying event before the Games.

Selemaia, Nacagilevu and David Liti were all ranked in the top three in the Commonwealth and all-but assured of selection for the Games.

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Financial mentors report being overworked, underfunded

Source: Radio New Zealand

Most financial mentors report working with clients with complex needs beyond financial issues. 123RF

Financial mentors are feeling overworked and overwhelmed by the deep economic pressures and complicated issues facing people struggling to repay debt.

Debt purchaser firm DebtManagers commissioned an independent report on the pressures faced by frontline financial mentors, who worked with an average of 40 clients a month, as part of the debt collection process.

“Everyday Kiwis are facing tremendous pressure, matched only by the pressure on the sector itself. Embarrassment and shame are major inhibitors to seeking help,” DebtManagers general manager Isaac Manase said.

“I think the reality of the economy is there’s always going to be difficult debt… but there’s got to be a better way to deal with those customers.”

The national survey of 151 practitioners indicated 46 percent felt they were overworked, with 83 percent working with clients with complex needs beyond financial issues, such as relationship problems, job loss and mental illness.

Nearly two thirds (65 percent) were seeing more indebted middle-income clients.

Ninety-one percent of practitioners considered face-to-face contact as the most effective channel for engaging on difficult debt issues, though only 13 percent felt the current funding model fully supported their work.

Nearly a third (31 percent) said funding hardly supported or did not support their work at all.

“We all have a role to play in lifting financial wellbeing, and we hope this eye-opening report is the start of a deeper, more meaningful conversation about the sector, regulations, policy settings, and how we all work together to achieve that,” Manase said.

“Reaching out early matters, but many people don’t engage because they feel ashamed, embarrassed, or whakamā, or simply overwhelmed.

“Compounding this is a concerning lack of awareness that free support is available through financial mentors.”

Code of conduct would help

He said an industry code of practice would be helpful.

“It’s actually in everyone’s interest to get these people back on their feet. And I think the challenge is, there’s a lot of corporates and government bodies that are all trying to do their bit to work out what’s best.

“But because we’re not consistent, it actually means that a customer who’s in difficult debt is working through different processes for different types of debt to different outcomes, and that actually adds to the stress and adds to the overwhelm and the shame, which is, which is kind of what’s highlighted in the report.”

He said early intervention was beneficial, though resources were stretched, particularly in rural and high-deprivation communities where there may only be small, part time teams available.

“And inconsistent processes can slow progress even when people are ready to engage,” Manase said, adding the report set out a number of recommendations for change, as follows.

Recommendations

  • Build a consistent and compassionate sector.
  • Establish clear national standards for conduct for government, creditors and collections.
  • Strengthen the foundation of practice with better resourcing and more awareness.
  • Align wider policy settings for financial stability to address the gap between income and real living costs.
  • Human connection should be amplified, not replaced, by technology efficiencies.

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All Blacks coach ready for full and frank end of season review

Source: Radio New Zealand

Robertson spoke to media on Thursday following the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which has New Zealand in Pool A with hosts the Wallabies, Hong Kong China and Chile. www.photosport.nz

The All Blacks end of season review will be completed by the end of January and coach Scott Robertson is ready for the “interrogation” headed his way.

Robertson spoke to media on Thursday following the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which has New Zealand in Pool A with hosts the Wallabies, Hong Kong China and Chile.

The All Blacks are coming off a year in which they won 10 of 13 tests with three defeats. They retained the Bledisloe Cup but couldn’t win back the Rugby Championship nor complete the Grand Slam on their end of year tour and fell to a record loss at the hands of South Africa.

Those defeats, a pattern of poor second half performances and the team’s struggles to adapt to their rivals’ change of tactics have left many pundits questioning whether the All Blacks are getting better.

Scott Robertson said the review process was nothing new. www.photosport.nz

Consequently, there is plenty of interest in the end of season review and Robertson said it had begun.

“It’s pretty much an interrogation, right from the top to the bottom,” Robertson said.

“It’s a great tool for us to get feedback as coaches, and the whole group from the players and all the management.

“People are gathering (info now). But in the new year, that’s when the information is disseminated out.

“We have an All Blacks camp (in January) and then the team (input) and the board (input) and all that (review) information will be had by the end of January.”

The review process was nothing new, Robertson said.

“We have someone that travels with us the whole time that’s reviewing.

“There’s online stuff, there’s also the group stuff that the team do while they’re on tour, you sit down one-on-one, you talk to all the leaders and get their feedback, so there’s a personal touch to it as well, so that’s all being gathered.”

George Ford of England celebrates victory over the All Blacks. www.photosport.nz

The players would be involved in the review and it would be full and frank, Robertson said.

He was confident the review would show the team was improving less than two years out from the next Rugby World Cup.

“There’s a lot to do before that. There’s a lot of rugby, there’s a lot of chances for us to go and get better in areas, and as a team, and hone in like everyone else. Like I said before, World Rugby is the closest it’s ever been.

“We’ve got some really good competition across the squad and there’s a lot of depth in our squad. This year we had the most injuries we’ve ever had as an All Black squad and so it did create opportunities for other players.

“We want to be four deep in each position and we’re starting to get there and we’ve got another super rugby competition for someone to come in and play really well and put pressure on the current side to play well and pick themselves for the All Blacks next year.”

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