Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Organised backyard fights are nothing new, having returned to the spotlight in recent months since UFC star Dan “The Hangman” Hooker hosted the inaugural “King of the Streets”.

The 32-man, one minute fist-fight tournament in Auckland prompted New Zealand’s Boxing Coaches Association president Billy Meehan to call the event “straight-out thuggery”.

But during production of her TVNZ series Backyard Gang Wars, 1 News In Depth reporter Indira Stewart says what she found at most backyard fight events were police being actively engaged by organisers, medics, referees, nurses on hand – and a clear effort to make sure they were as safe as possible.

The two-part series is an investigation into the many fight clubs that have occurred across the country, often involving gang members and mired by controversy.

Speaking to Checkpoint earlier this year on one of Hooker’s backyard fights, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said, “gang members tend to be violent, and they tend to not want to stick to the rules”.

But Jon Paul “Fight Dog” Te Rito – known as JP – had organised his own event called Fight for Life and said they were actually about healing, connecting, and role modelling a better way for the following generations.

“If we keep doing what we’ve always done we’re always going to keep getting what we’ve got, which is prison and a cycle of negativity. So the only thing we can do is roll more positive change,” he told RNZ’s Nine to Noon.

Ngā Kete Wānanga

The seed was planted after Stewart was invited to visit a tikanga Māori-based rehab programme by Matilda Kahotea, someone she had interviewed for a previous series Gang Mums and the person behind Ngā Kete Wānanga Solutions.

“I went over there. They welcomed me over to their rehabilitation programme centre with a powhiri. I sat down, they gave us food.

“I was just blown away … there were so many elements of surprise when I first met them.”

She said she felt totally safe, and despite the preconceptions people might have given their criminal past, described the men as “soft gentlemen”.

“The way they communicated their stories, their journeys, their paths, was surprising to me, and the types of things they said in terms of practising mindfulness. I didn’t think I would ever sit with a gang member who would talk to me about the practice of mindfulness.

“You try and go into these spaces with an open mind. You know the narratives that exist everywhere and … it’s not a community that I’ve always been around, but you go in with an open mind to learn, and try and understand the perspectives and experiences of people in worlds that are different to yours.”

JP said the rehabilitation programme had helped to make him more self-aware and more mindful.

“Since I’ve been at Ngā Kete I’ve actually started doing a whole lot of soul searching and realigning myself with my whakapapa, which has been really empowering – especially with the guidance of our rangatira, Whaea Matilda Kahotea, just helping me … reconnect with my tikanga.

“Being gifted this space, this safe space to be able to heal and realign has been a gift in itself at Ngā Kete Wānanga.”

‘Keep it in the ring’

Backyard fights between gang members were not a recent thing, tracing their heritage back to the Far North in 2017, Stewart said.

There had been several gang killings in the region, and rival gang members came together for a hui to try to work out how to keep their whānau safe, she said.

“One member, Herbert Rata – who is in the documentary – said, ‘why don’t we have a fight night and just, keep it in the ring’.

“And so that’s what it became, Keep it in the Ring, and it evolved over the years into Backyard Wars, and lots of other people began doing their own fight clubs too.”

Through the documentary process, it became clear to her that the kaupapa of the backyard fights “was healing some of those relationships and healing in communities”.

“One of the things that, I suppose, was surprising to us, was seeing rival gang members, gangs that have been historically rivals for generations, in the same room, cheering for their different opponents, but also cheering for each other.

“There are hugs, fist bumps, high fives between Head Hunters, Black Powers, Mongrel Mobs, it’s such a different story to what we’ve known and heard for so many years.”

There was never any indication that the fights could have spilled out of the ring, she said.

‘We still carry him with mana’

The name of his competition, Fight for Light, was inspired by a brother of his, who took his own life earlier in the year, JP said.

“He was a real nurturing brother, he was a rangatira of our whānau.

“He was once there in my life where he helped me fight for my light, and because I wasn’t able to be there to help him fight for his light, you know, we still carry him with mana.”

JP said he was inspired to start organising his own backyard fights after he was invited to one of Herbert Rata’s fights up in Takahiwai.

“To be a part of it, and then to feel the empowered by it, and then to take the connection element of it, bring it back down to Ngā Kete, and then create our own healing environment through way of expression.”

The fact that gang members had to live side by side when they were in prison showed them all that perhaps they could get along after all, JP said.

“We’re connected in prison, and so because we’ve lived with each other in prison for long periods of time, now we’ve come out and, you know, if we can do it in there, we can do it out here.”

However, it was important to break that cycle, he said.

“If we want our kids to do it out here, live out here, rather than going in there and having to connect, we have to role model that.”

Beyond the connection, fighting also helped with mental heath, JP said.

“My normal is totally different to to, you know, maybe your normal … what I think is normal, you might think is outrageous.

“And because I’m trying to stick to what, you know, your normal may be, it’s actually quite hard for me. So, that’s the built-up energy that I’m talking about.

“It’s a positive thing, you know, because if it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”

Waking up each day to those challenges was a beautiful thing, and he was trying to role model that for his rangatahi, he said.

Even after her documentary was complete, there were still questions and concerns with the safety of some events, Stewart said.

“There was one particular event that we filmed out in South Auckland and there were quite a few knockouts in those rounds. And, some of the pairings of particular fighters, some were very, very experienced with someone that was not experienced or, 15 kgs heavier with someone that was, a lot lighter and not, not as fit.”

Hooker’s events could be particularly dangerous because of the high prize money, she said.

“Heimuli is a 10 time world champion MMA coach. And one thing he said is that when you put a carrot like that in front of some of these people, you might get some people who are just not ready to be in that space, and it can be very dangerous.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Riddled with anxiety, no sleep and no answers – some parents are worrying about about what the long-term impact of exposure to asbestos-contaminated children’s coloured play sand could be.

Over the past two weeks, there’s been rolling recalls of the magic sand used by children and schools across the country, raising concerns about imported children’s products.

Parents said they’re worried about the long-term impacts of exposure and the costs of testing and removal.

They’ve also raised concerns about the lack of safety checks in imported children’s products.

As Amber Nordmeyer picked up her remote, switched on her TV and flicked on the news, pictures of Kmart play-sand flashed across her screen.

To Nordmeyer’s horror, the recall numbers on her TV screen matched those on the buckets of green Kmart sand, that she purchased five years ago.

“It’s been really difficult; I haven’t been able to sleep for over a week.

“The shock of seeing the recalled product numbers that I had in my home on the news was extreme I felt sick to my stomach and went into a complete panic.”

Nordmeyer sent a bucket of the sand for testing, costing her $287.

She’s worried other parts of her house are contaminated too.

Lower Hutt parent Keren Lee said two years ago she bought coloured Kmart play sand for her 10-month-old and 3-year-old.

She was waiting anxiously to hear the results of tests, whether she’ll have to get her whole house tested and how much it will cost.

The tests have come back positive for asbestos.

“I think for people like me who have had it in the house, it’s been played with for a while, it’s been vacuumed up, we haven’t really had clear guidance on how worried we should be about the longer-term exposure.

“[Also] it being spread through the rest of our house and whether we should be getting professionals in fast.”

Lee said it’s made her think twice about buying imported toys again.

“If it’s come into the country, surely it’s safe. I never thought I’d have to question a product for something with such a serious substance.

“[I’m] being more careful about things like slime, sand and anything sensory, I’m obviously questioning a lot more than I used to.”

Wellington parent Matt Newman-Hall said his children’s two-year-old Kmart unicorn sand kits tested positive for asbestos.

He wanted answers and to see the retailers who sold the contaminated sand held to account.

“I’ve been in touch with Kmart, hopefully getting the product noted as an official recall, but also I’ve asked them to pay the invoice for the testing.

“I’ve also asked them what else they’re planning on doing. I haven’t had a response to that email yet, but I think there’s a pretty big responsibility and moral obligation that should fall on the retailer.”

Newman-Hall said he’s worried his children’s health would be impacted long-term.

“Is this going to impact people’s ability to get health insurance, or is it going to impact life insurance levies?”

Waikato parent Jessica Jordan said both she and her neighbour were first quoted $3000 for asbestos testing in their homes.

But luckily one of Jordan’s tests came back negative and after shopping around, her neighbour got their price down to $1000.

Jordan said a group of parents are talking about taking a class action lawsuit if they aren’t reimbursed.

“I’ve looked and can see that it’s probably a very expensive process, unless we can get litigation funding, or some hot shot lawyer that wants to represent the families.”

Under the Consumer Guarantees Act if a product isn’t safe, buyers are entitled to a refund of the money as well as the cost of testing and cleaning.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment also said it’s the retailer’s responsibility to sell products that are safe.

It said products containing asbestos aren’t allowed to be imported, unless they have a permit.

Checkpoint contacted Kmart for comment but had not received a response.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The family of a man who died after being pepper sprayed in prison says properly funded specialised training is needed for all Corrections staff.

The second phase of a Coronial Inquest into the death of Caleb Moefa’auo has concluded in the Auckland District Court.

Its focus was on the circumstances of his death, how his mental health contributed to what happened and whether the officers involved adequately took this into account.

Moefa’auo had been previously diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and was staying at a residential unit to support people with mental health issues – after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and shoplifting in June, 2021.

He was moved to Mt Eden Corrections Facility in December 2021 after allegedly assaulting a fellow patient at the residential unit.

Moefa’auo was later placed in the prison’s Intervention and Support Unit, after being found to be at risk of self-harm.

The 26-year-old had a cardiac arrest after being pepper sprayed in 2022, in an altercation over returning towels following a shower.

Moefa’auo’s family gave a statement to the Coroner’s Court, saying they thought often about his final moments, and how frightened he must have been.

“It brings us sadness knowing he was in distress, and we simply wish he could have been met with more patience and understanding in that moment,” they said.

The Moefa’auo family wanted to highlught the need for specialised training for all staff in the Department of Corrections.

They hoped that in future, when someone is clearly struggling, those around them feel supported and able to respond with care and patients.

“It hurts us deeply that Caleb’s dignity was not upheld in those moments. He deserved humanity and protection, especially when he was at his most vulnerable.”

In phase one of the inquest, which took place in July, Counsel assisting the Coroner, Rebekah Jordan, outlined the series of events leading up to Moefa’auo’s death.

He had taken a shower that day, and used three towels to dry himself.

After taking a fourth, an acting senior corrections officer approached him, holding a can of pepper spray.

Moefa’auo was told to pass the towel to another officer, which he did, before being directed to get on his knees.

When Moefa’auo began to rise, the acting senior officer shouted at him, before spraying him.

He was taken back to his cell were stopped responding.

His family recognised the Corrections officers who gave evidence throughout the week of phase two.

“Their words do not lessen our loss, but we recognise the courage it takes to front painful events, and we received their acknowledgements with sincerity.”

Moefa’auo’s family wanted stronger, more specific information sharing when it came to mentally unwell inmates, so staff knew how to support them while still keeping themselves safe.

“Alongside this, we hope to see safer processes and the consistent application of de-escalation and wellbeing-focused responses, so staff feel confident in their roles and those in their care are treated with understanding and dignity.

“While nothing can change what has happened to our son, we hope that by sharing our pain and experience, meaningful improvements will follow improvements that prioritise safety, dignity, and humane decision-making,” they said.

The officer who sprayed Moefa’auo, who cannot be named, gave evidence at the Inquest on Thursday, saying what happened haunted them.

“I have replayed those moments many times in my mind and have reflected deeply on what happened that day, what began as a situation I believed I needed to manage for safety reasons ended in the outcome that none of us could have foreseen or wanted.”

Moefa’auo’s family were hopeful for a change.

“If those changes can protect even one more life, then Caleb’s memory will help guide something better for others.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

“Just walk up and get a tattoo,” that’s the advice the organiser of the Bepanthen New Zealand Tattoo & Art Festival is giving to New Zealanders this weekend.

Between 4000 and 6000 people weer expected to cram into the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth over the weekend for the festival.

Now in its 13th iteration over 15 years, more than 250 tattoo artists – many of them from overseas – will be taking bookings at the festival, while Head Like A Hole tops the music bill and world-class freestyle motocross and BMX riders pull backfilps outside.

Event organiser Brent Taylor said staging the festival during tough economic times was a challenge, but that might work in the favour of people considering getting inked.

“I think with the economy being tighter worldwide tattooing because it’s a luxury item it is harder which means this weekend probably it will be a great chance to get tattooed.

“There’s lots of artists with bookings available and heaps of them are doing just walkups only as well, so you can walkup and get a tattoo on the day. You don’t have to pre-book, you don’t have to do any emailing, none of that. Just walk up and get tattooed.”

He said international names to look out for this year included Grace Neutral, from the United Kingdom – who was famed for her hand-poked tattoos – and United States exponents of black and grey realism – Carlos Torres and Stefano Alcantara.

“Grace just has her needles attached to a little stick and taps them in by hand, so every design is by hand. No machine at all, so that’s kind of a bit different.

“We’ve got a few of those here this weekend and we’ve got the hand-tap of Brent McCown from up north who does everything the traditional Samoan or Māori way of tapping it in as well.”

Taylor was also looking forward to catching up with Auckland artist Steve Butcher, who’d been working out of the States for several years.

Australian artist Kyle Pearson – who was returning to the festival – reckoned now was the perfect time to get tattooed.

“Tattooing is not recession proof, but it is one of those things that maybe we won’t be doing larger tattoos but smaller tattoos.

“In a recession lipstick is actually one of the big sellers because it’s a small treat that you can give yourself and tattooing is quite a cheap gift you can give yourself. It’s something you will keep for the rest of your days and take with you.”

Melbourne artist Snow was visiting the festival for the first time.

“I do a lot of dark illustrative, so lots of peppering and sharp lines quite gothically inclined, so yeah, predominantly black and grey tattoo work. There’s a lot of it in Melbourne so it will be interesting to see how much of it will be over here.”

Meanwhile, Taylor said the festival was also great fun for everyone, including those with no tattoos.

“You’ll be fine, you’ll be comfortable as. Everyone has a good time, it has a great vibe and if you are going to get tattooed just make sure you put a bit of thought into what you are going to get if you haven’t got one yet.

“That’s my advice because it’s there for ever, so you’ve got to make sure it’s something you really want, but in terms of coming up we have heaps of people who come along with no tattoos and they have a great time.”

Meanwhile, Kyle Pearson and friends were happy to look after anyone ready to take the leap.

“You can come and see me at booth D10 where my friends Bobbie Dazzler, Ink Snowflake, Paul Rapley and Odey will steer you in the right direction.”

The Bepanthen New Zealand Tattoo & Art Festival runs Saturday from 11am to 10pm, and Sunday 11am to 7pm.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

• NZ Transport Agency memo to minister says braking system linked to six deaths not inherently unsafe
• Father of man who died due to a brake failure says he’ll keep pushing for more action
• Driver had to jump to safety in latest rollaway incident
• Truck firms won’t import vehicles with cardan shaft parkbrakes

The New Zealand Transport Agency has doubled down on its stance that a braking system linked to six deaths is not inherently unsafe.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop asked for a briefing from the transport agency, after a coroner’s report into the death of Graeme Rabbits at an Auckland worksite in 2018 blamed a failing cardan shaft parkbrake.

Coroner Erin Woolley determined that these brakes, found in about 70,000 vehicles in New Zealand, could not be relied upon as a sole braking system, because even a well-maintained brake could fail without warning.

Despite this, the NZTA told the minister it didn’t accept the coroner’s views on the brakes being inherently unsafe nor did the agency accept the coroner’s criticisms of its attitude.

RNZ can reveal another instance of a cardan shaft brake failing and a Checkpoint investigation has found trucking firms have long since stopped importing vehicles with cardan shaft parking brakes, because of their problems.

Officials ‘playing Russian roulette’

Bishop refused to be interviewed about cardan shaft brakes, calling it a complex issue.

A memo sent by transport agency officials, obtained by RNZ, said it didn’t accept the coroner’s view on the brakes or that it lacked an open mind about safety concerns, but Graeme Rabbits’ father, Selwyn Rabbits, said that was exactly what he saw.

He’s spent almost eight years urging the agency to take firmer action, such as banning imports of vehicles fitted with cardan shaft parkbrakes.

“These things are just not fit for purpose, but NZTA continues to stonewall us,” Selwyn Rabbits said.

“I can’t recall anyone I’ve spoken to, any knowledgeable person outside NZTA, who doesn’t say these things are dangerous.

“It’s only within NZTA, who have taken this absolutely entrenched and dangerous position, and it’s basically playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.”

The agency said it continued to monitor data on the brakes and go through Coroner Wolley’s findings, before considering if further regulations were necessary.

It already required warnings stickers and recommended the use of ‘chocks’ – blocks – on wheels to prevent vehicles rolling away on slopes. It also points to campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the brakes’ limitations.

Rabbits said those measures were not enough.

“I saw a comment from the minister saying this is a technical and complex issue. The thing is it’s not.

“Even with a lay person, you give me 5-10 minutes and I can explain why these things are dangerous.

“A driver has no idea how much braking power they’ve implied and how much they need, and then you load it up and it runs away, so it’s really simple.”

This week, the transport agency told RNZ: “Since 2020, NZTA has undertaken a significant programme of work to understand the risks involved with [cardan shaft parking brakes], and to introduce a range of regulatory changes and interventions.

“This programme of work was initiated following Mr Rabbits’ death, and has since expanded to incorporate broader regulatory interventions and operational improvements across the heavy vehicle sector.

“NZTA will also be undertaking further action, focused on continuing to increase the understanding of the correct use, testing and maintenance of [cardan shaft parking brakes] amongst drivers, owners, vehicle inspectors and mechanics.”

Meanwhile, Rabbits isn’t giving up.

After NZTA chairman Simon Bridges declined a meeting with him, he has accepted yet another with the agency director to call for firmer action.

Another brake failure

RNZ has spoken to a North Island businessman, whose company’s been affected by another cardan shaft parking brake failure recently, where a vehicle’s driver had to jump to safety.

The man asked for anonymity, while he worked with his insurer for the vehicle’s recovery.

“The driver was climbing into the truck, when the handbrake failed,” he said. “The truck was laden and ready to shift, but just the weight of him climbing into the truck was enough for the handbrake to fail.

“It bounced over two wheel chocks and he wasn’t able to control it, before it gained enough velocity and he had to evacuate, and the truck careened off the end of the driveway.”

The vehicle involved was a small 4×4 truck.

The man said, most of the time, the brakes weren’t a significant issue, because his company’s main fleet of trucks could be parked in gear, with chocks applied on slopes.

“Something has to change. We have heard many stories of people who have lost their lives, due to an unreliable brake.

“I am not so mechanically minded as to offer an alternative, but whatever replaces it has to fail shut and fail safely, instead of simply releasing.

“A braking mechanism that locks the wheels is inherently more safe than one that only controls the wheels.”

Cardan shaft parkbrakes are cheaper than other braking systems, as they use a single mechanism at the gearbox, rather than at the wheels.

Trucking firms take stand on brakes

Southpac Trucks in Auckland doesn’t import trucks with the cardan shaft brakes.

Chief executive Marteen Durent said the recommended safety measures for the brakes, including using chocks on the wheels to prevent rollaways, were inadequate.

“It’s really quite ridiculous that you would park a vehicle and consider using wheel chocks.

“That’s the sort of thing you would have done with a horse and cart in Queen Street 100 years ago. It’s really quite third world.”

The NZ Transport Agency had probably done everything it could with the current fleet of vehicles, but it could act further, Durent said.

He even contacted the agency in 2020, saying the brakes should be banned.

“Why don’t we take a new standard and effect it from a date, set some time in the near future, do a course correction and opt for a brake system that is considered to be of a higher standard?

“I think that’s what Selwyn was talking about, and I don’t disagree with that or what the coroner says.”

Chief executive of trucking importer and distributor Foton New Zealand Roger Jory said he stopped importing vehicles with cardan shaft brakes nine years ago – well before the transport agency’s awareness campaign.

“They have severe limitations and I’m well aware of that,” he said. “Through our exposure with Foton and having a full airbrake system on a light-duty truck, we know there’s a superior system.

“For us, it was a natural step to take with our supplier to try and get an alternative to the cardan shaft parkbrake.”

Jory said he was particularly concerned about them in light trucks, which could be driven by people with no experience of braking systems that required more than simply pulling a handbrake in place.

He said Foton New Zealand had delayed introducing an EV truck to the New Zealand market, because it had a cardan shaft parking brake.

“It meant we missed out on sales. We weren’t the first to market with an EV truck.

“A lot of our competitors beat us, but for us, it was a compromise to have a cardan shaft parkbrake back in our light-duty truck range.”

Jory wasn’t prepared to make that compromise.

Foton then came back to its New Zealand distributor with a similar vehicle that had a full airbrake system.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

National MP Catherine Wedd has branded e-scooter rules “outdated”, and is spearheading a campaign to take them off the footpath and into dedicated bike lanes wherever possible.

Accident Compensation Corporation figures show claims for e-scooter injuries have almost doubled in five years, with 7257 reported so far this year at a cost of almost $14 million.

The Member of Parliament for Tukituki in southern Hawke’s Bay claims regulations around the use of e-scooters have not moved with their increased use around the country and hopes to drive change by the middle of 2026.

NZ Transport Agency says e-scooters can be used on the footpath or the road – but not in designated cycle lanes that are part of the road, which are designed for the sole use of cyclists.

“I believe it is outdated and dangerous, and we have work underway to change it by the middle of next year,” Wedd told RNZ’s Checkpoint.

“This would mean, where there is a cycle lane available, e-scooter users can use the cycle lane, instead of the footpath, which should made footpaths safer and should incentivise more people to use cycle lanes.

“We want to make the footpaths safer, but we want to make everyone safer and we’re seeing an increased number of e-scooters out there. If there’s a cycle lane, e-scooter users should be able to use cycle lanes.

“At the moment, that’s not the rule. This would mean we’re bringing e-scooters into the realm.”

The NZTA website sets out the following guidelines for e-scooter safety:

• Ride in a careful and considerate manner. Keep at a safe speed at all times and slow down when you’re near people. It’s illegal to ride at a speed that’s hazardous to people.
• Always give way to other people on the path. You might have to come to a complete stop or dismount, if the path you’re on is busy.
• Keep left unless you’re passing. Only pass people if it’s safe to and pass them on their right.
• Be aware of who’s around you – people move unpredictably and may not know you’re there. Always leave a safe distance between you and other people.
• We strongly recommend that e-scooter riders wear helmets.

“I think, generally, we’re seeing people who are responsible, but we’re seeing a lot of irresponsible users as well,” Wedd said.

“E-scooters can go very, very fast, and I’m hearing a lot from concerned parents and elderly using the footpaths and worried about there safety.

“Of course, we want to encourage e-scooter use, as it’s becoming a more popular way to get around, but our current rules are outdated and we need to take a commonsense approach.

“This is a commonsense approach – if there’s a cycle lane, use it.”

Wedd admitted some of the responsibility for safety lies with the operators.

“They’re very powerful, they go very fast and they can be dangerous, if they aren’t used properly,” she said. “If they’re used recklessly, that’s a problem.

“We just need to make sure we have some commonsense, practical rules that are going to work.”

Wedd admits the proposed rules would rely on the availability of bike lanes.

“We don’t want to be creating blanket rules across the entire country, because, in Hawke’s Bay, we have less cycle lanes than, say, Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington.

“We need to be practical about this. If there is a cycle lane use it, but if there isn’t, there’s the footpath, but be responsible. If you’re on a quiet street, that’s OK too.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The first phase of the coronial inquest looking into the 2019 Whakaari/White Island eruption has drawn to an end.

Twenty-two people died and 25 people were injured, most of them seriously, after they were on the island when it erupted on 9 December 2019, sending ash 3.6km into the air.

The bodies of two victims were never recovered.

Phase one of the inquest, which began in October 2025, focused on the emergency and medical response.

Counsel for bereaved families and survivors, Anna Adams said while the first phase had been valuable, for the bereaved families and survivors to properly understand the events that day, questions still remained.

“Was it ever appropriate to run tours to White Island during volcanic alert level 2, where the best rescue that could be achieved in the event of an eruption was an 83 percent civilian rescue?

“Was the official civil defence and police plan that after an eruption tour operators would self-evacuate ever appropriate given how heavily this relied on people who may or may not have had rescue and first aid training?”

Adams said it was acknowledged the plan to have the operators self-evacuate was in practice the fastest way to get everyone off the island and to medical treatment that day.

“However, the bereaved families and survivors continue to express surprise and disappointment that this plan was considered acceptable by government agencies because it relied so heavily on people who may not be trained or available.”

Adams said she’d submitted that the Coroner could make a recommendation regarding the manner in which scientific or technical advice was communicated to the emergency services in connection with high-risk volcanic activities in New Zealand.

Phase two of the inquest would start next year and explore the events the day before the eruption and whether victims had enough information about the risks of a potential eruption.

“Many of the families and survivors continue to hold the view that they should not have been present walking in the crater of the Whakaari Island volcano that day,” Adams said.

“Or at least they should not have been as under-informed about the risk, under-prepared for an eruption, and under-protected by the clothing and equipment as they were.

“It is the families’ hope that New Zealand learns from this experience, so that we better protect the people who tour this country, especially when engaging in adventure activities, and so that we do not have another tragedy like that which befell the 47 people visiting Whakaari,” Adams said.

While giving their closing submissions, counsel representing numerous agencies admitted there were communication issues experienced in the emergency response.

It’s been clarified many of these technical communication issues had since been fixed and updated.

One of the issues on the day which was explored at the inquiry was an InterCAD notification failure between the police and St John.

InterCAD was a system that allowed essential information provided by 111 callers to be shared immediately between police, the fire service and ambulance.

The Coroner’s inquiry heard issues caused an approximately seven-minute delay in the notification of the eruption to St John.

There was also evidence of a 13-minute delay between police communications receiving the 111 call about the eruption and transferring the job to InterCAD.

Other communications related problems included the lack of a police radio at The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Whakatāne which also dealt with cellphone reception and wifi internet connectivity issues.

Counsel for police, Anna Pollett, said they’d support a recommendation that a plan for an emergency response, multi-agency or otherwise, ought to be one plan.

“So rather than have multiple plans for every eventuality, having a knowledge of what expertise may be required and what is available in each circumstance may be beneficial in the future.

“This would allow consistent training of all personnel within all agencies nationwide to be more streamlined and consistent to allow for a unified approach.”

It was established during the inquiry, that Civil Defence was considered the lead agency during the emergency response, but police would be the lead agency in the search and rescue operation.

Examples of “double handling” and key information not being communicated between agencies in the crucial first hours after the eruption was highlighted.

“Defined layers of decision-making and control may be beneficial in the future. It also highlights the need for personnel to be designated for high-level communications, both upwards and downwards,” Pollett said.

“Immediate responders were challenged by the information requests being made while they were all feet on the ground to be responding to everything going on to rescue those from the island.”

Counsel for Bay of Plenty Emergency Management Amanda Gordon said they had submitted similar recommendations to the Coroner.

Gordon said evidence showed there was confusion about the terminology used in the response to the eruption.

“It’s clear that there was some confusion about who was the lead agency and the different terminologies of incident controller or local controller.

“From the group’s point of view, it’s not suggested, and the evidence doesn’t bear this out, that the confusion had any impact on the response.”

Gordon said there was a strengthening emergency management legislative reform process going on as a result of the North Island severe weather event inquiry.

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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 power pole and lines are blocking State Highway 36 near Tauranga after a crash.

A car hit the power pole between Taumata Road and Oropi Road Friday afternoon.

Police say the driver was not serious injuried.

The highway will be blocked until at least 6pm and people were asked to find an alternative route if possible.

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