Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

• Widespread rain and possible thunderstorms for the North Island Tuesday and Wednesday
• Strong winds possible for upper North Island mid-week
• Humid air ahead of a low, followed by a cooler southerly change
• Improving weather for most areas on Thursday

The start of December might mark the beginning of summer but the upcoming week is not all sunshine and clear, blue skies.

MetService reports a broad range of weather including heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, and sunny spells to finish the week off.

The North Island is in for a warm and humid start, while the south will see cooler temperatures throughout.

The week is set to start with comparatively settled conditions, some cloud and showers for western areas, with sunny spells elsewhere.

Gisborne and Hastings are making the most of their sunny start to the summer season, with temperatures expected to top out at 29 and 31 degrees respectively on Monday.

On Tuesday a low is expected to develop in the Tasman Sea and move toward the country through Tuesday evening.

MetService forecast for Wednesday December 3.

This will bring a period of unsettled weather for many regions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and into early Thursday, with heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms likely across the North Island.

“That low deepens rapidly and pulls a warm moist sub-tropical airmass across the county during Tuesday afternoon and evening,” MetService Meteorologist Devlin Lynden said.

“It’ll bring widespread rain, strong southwesterly winds and the risk of thunderstorms for many parts of the North Island, including Northland, Auckland and Coromandel.”

While the North Island may be in for the brunt of it, the South Island gets its share of rainy weather too.

A trough is expected to bring rain through Monday night and Tuesday, followed by cool southwesterlies.

The upper parts of the South Island may also see a period of heavier rain on Wednesday associated with the low to the north.

The low gradually moves off to the southeast on Wednesday night, and conditions will ease behind it, before starting to clear through Thursday morning, with many places seeing drier weather and some sunshine return.

However, strong to gale southwesterly winds will persist, particularly for Wellington, Wairarapa, Northland and Auckland; they will keep the temperatures capped towards the end of the week.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police have formally identified the body of 25-year-old Te Anihana Pomana.

Pomana went missing on August 21 after leaving SkyCity Hotel in the early hours of the morning.

Last week, police announced a body they believed to be Pomana was found in dense bush in the Pukekohe area.

Police are now able to confirm the body was Pomana and her death has been referred to the coroner.

“As always, our thoughts and sympathies are with Te Anihana’s whanau and friends at this difficult time,” Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A motorcyclist has been hospitalised after crashing while fleeing Police on Taita Drive, in Lower Hutt last night.

Hutt Valley Area Commander, Inspector Wade Jennings, says local Police saw the motorcyclist driving in a dangerous manner around 10:30pm.

“Before Police signalled for the rider to stop, they allegedly accelerated, overtook another vehicle and failed to take a bend, crashing into a fence.”

He says the motorcyclist sustained serious leg injuries and was transported to hospital.

“The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene, and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Swiss national wiped away tears as he pleaded guilty to a careless driving charge following a fatal crash in Canterbury.

A woman died following a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 73 near Sheffield on 19 November.

Patrick Keusch was arrested and charged with careless driving causing death, police confirmed the following day.

On Monday, the 32-year-old appeared in the Christchurch District Court in front of community magistrate Sarah Steele.

Defence lawyer Grant Fletcher entered a guilty plea on behalf of his client, who appeared teary-eyed on the stand.

“Clearly this case is a terrible tragedy,” he said.

Keusch’s bail conditions meant he was unable to leave the country to return home after he surrendered his passport.

He is also disqualified from driving.

The court heard he was willing to offer restorative justice, including emotional harm reparation payments to the woman’s West Coast-based family.

Fletcher argued for getting restorative justice and a sentencing date finalised as quickly possible so Keusch could return home to resume his employment.

“I’m very concerned for the defendant’s wellbeing,” he said.

Keusch was due to be sentenced on 16 January.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A vegetation fire has reportedly sparked after a car crashed into a tree and caught on fire.

Emergency services were called to the crash on State Highway 5 near Tapapa, Waikato at 10.45am on Monday.

Police said a car had collided with a tree between Harwoods Road and Tapapa Road.

The car caught on fire after the crash and the fire is reported to have spread to nearby vegetation, a police spokesperson said.

At this stage there are no confirmed information regarding injuries, they said.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and should take alternative routes where possible.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A road in Lower Hutt is blocked after a truck crashed this morning in Taita.

Police said the truck rolled on Eastern Hutt Road between Peterkin Street and Page Grove, shortly around 9.05am.

One person has moderate injuries and another has minor injuries.

Work is underway to right the truck.

Police are asking motorists to take alternative routes where possible.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says he is determined there will never be a repeat of the “group think” and closed ranks that led to members of the senior executive blocking an investigation into disgraced former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

McSkimming – who was in the running for the top job – is due to be sentenced on 17 December, after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual exploitation and bestiality material over a four-year period.

In a wide-ranging interview with Nine to Noon reflecting on his challenging first year as Commissioner, Chambers said the report by the independent police watchdog had called out the decisions, behaviours and processes adopted by the former executive – “and rightly so”.

He wanted to ensure there would be no repeat of such mistakes under his watch – nor for anyone who followed him in the role, he said.

“We must always remain alert to the risks of what ‘group think’ would otherwise result in,” he said. “This appeared to be a group of like-minded individuals who listened to a story that should not have been listened to.”

Chambers said he was appointing a new leadership team to lead police into 2026, with two new deputy confirmed “this side of Christmas”.

The number of assistant commissioner roles had also been reduced to five – “it was too big and bloated” – and at least two of those roles would be filled by new appointments, he said.

The McSkimming scandal was not a failure of “process” Chambers said.

“New Zealand Police over the years have worked hard to deal with complaints and put in processes in place.

“The problem was the former executive departed from those.

“There must be no deviation.”

The Police Integrity Unit – led by Detective Superintendent Kylie Schaare (one of those officers who raised the alarm in the McSkimming case) – was set to get seven new investigator positions.

“I don’t want seven bosses, I want seven investigators.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A man killed last month in New Plymouth’s centre city near the waterfront has been named.

Emergency services were called to a fight on St Aubyn Street on the evening of 19 November.

CPR was performed but 68-year-old Martin James Mooney died at the scene.

A man has been charged with murder and will appear in New Plymouth High Court on Friday.

The police would like to hear from any potential witnesses.

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