Category: Radio New Zealand

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Ivan Cleary to leave Penrith Panthers?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Nathan Cleary of the Panthers and Panthers coach Ivan Cleary hug after victoryduring the NRL Grand Final match between the Melbourne Storm. AAP/www.photosport.nz

The most successful coach of the modern NRL era may be on the move.

Reports from Australia suggest Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary may be set to announce 2026 as his last season at the helm of the powerhouse franchise.

Cleary has led the team to unprecedented success, winning four consecutive NRL titles from 2021-2024.

Under Cleary’s tutelage, his son Nathan has evolved into the greatest player in the game today, and the pair have been integral to the resurgence at the foot of the blue mountains.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Cleary is expected to address his future at a press conference at 4pm NZT.

Cleary’s playing career spanned a decade and included three season at the Warriors where he played in the 2002 grand final.

He began his coaching tenure at the Warriors in 2006, leading them to another grand final in 2011.

Penrith currently sit on the top of the NRL ladder with just one loss from 10 matches.

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Mussel farmer Aroma Aquaculture fined $24k for biosecurity breaches of live shellfish from infected area

Source: Radio New Zealand

Company director Ben Winters appeared at sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday. RNZ/LouisDunham

A South Island mussel farming company that unlawfully moved hundreds of tonnes of live shellfish from a parasite-infected zone has been ordered to pay $24,000 for Biosecurity Act breaches.

Aroma Aquaculture moved 259 tonnes of green-lipped mussels from its Marlborough Sounds farm down to Ōtautahi, on their way to export, risking transmission of an oyster-killing parasitic disease.

The family-owned company with operations in Marlborough and Canterbury moved the volumes over 27 instances during a 10-month period in 2024, without permits, prompting an investigation by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) into the consignments.

Green-lipped mussels (file image). 123RF

Restrictions were in place in the zone under a controlled area notice due to deadly oyster disease Bonamia ostreae, that mussels can transmit.

The company farmed mussels for live sale and processing into neutraceutical products too.

Company director Ben Winters appeared at sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.

The company’s lawyer said its errors were not deliberate, but were instead mistaken assumptions about the appropriate permits.

Moving marine product out of the controlled area notice zone would require a permit from MPI with strict protocols around transportation.

Facing a maximum fine of $100,000 for the offences, Judge Mark Callaghan discounted the sentence due to an early guilty plea and no other offending, ordering it to pay $24,000 plus court costs.

Judge Mark Callaghan. RNZ/LouisDunham

Judge Callaghan said he accepted the offending was an oversight, rather than an act of deliberate non-compliance.

“But given the biosecurity risk, it’s important for any entity involved in the commercial processing of risk goods to be fully aware of the extent of activities allowed under their existing permits,” he said.

“MPI tells me that they expressly advised the defendant company of the new permit requirements prior to the offending.

Judge Callaghan said the potential consequences of transmission were disastrous, as outbreaks fo the disease had severely damaged other oyster fisheries.

“The flat oyster species is an important taonga species to local iwi in the South Island.

“The movement of green-lipped mussels carries the risk of introducing Bonamia to unaffected marine areas.

“When we are dealing with issues with respect to biosecurity, where the potential for harm is high, and if realised may be irreversible, it is simply not sufficient for the defendant company to suggest that there was no real risk here.”

The judge revealed the company received $518,840 for all the movements.

MPI acting director of investigation and compliance Aleshea Allen said the controls were in place to prevent the spread of Bonamia ostreae.

“Bonamia ostreae has had a significant effect on the flat-oyster fishery, and we all need to do our part to prevent it from spreading. The movement controls are well understood by industry and have been in place across areas of the South Island since 2015.”

She said the investigation found shellfish were moved in breach of biosecurity regulations, as a result of a business arrangements between the management of Aroma Aquaculture and Ikana New Zealand, its Christchurch-based importer.

“The vast majority of people who work in the aquaculture industry are responsible and do the right thing by following all rules and regulations,” Allen said.

“Aroma Aquaculture’s actions had the potential to cause serious harm to both the natural environment, and to the reputation of our country’s multi-million-dollar export and domestic shellfish industry.”

Meanwhile, in March, the exporting company Ikana New Zealand was fined $20,000 for nine charges under the Biosecurity Act for moving 330 tonnes of mussels unpermitted during 2023 and 2024 – including volumes from Aroma Aquaculture, and 80 tonnes from Waimana Marine.

Ikana New Zealand exported mussels and abalone to markets including Asia and the United States.

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Canterbury roots set stage for Badminton Horse Trials silver medal

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tim Price (NZL) and Falco during the Showjumping. 2026 Mars Badminton Horse Trials. The Badminton Estate, South Gloucestershire, England. Sunday 10 May 2026. PHOTOSPORT

A broken collarbone couldn’t stop Kiwi equestrian Tim Price from delivering one of his best-ever results, as he surged to silver at the Badminton Horse Trials.

In a remarkable finish on Monday (NZ time), Price climbed from 10th after the dressage on the opening day, to sixth in the cross country phase, before jumping clear to secure silver.

The experienced multiple Olympian credits his upbringing with his parents and two brothers on a Canterbury farm for sparking his interest in the global equestrian stage.

“We had a small horse stud, 50 acres odd in Oxford, and there were horses coming out our ears,” the 46-year-old, Price said.

“I was working with horses young and old, and it was very normal to be dealing with horses every day.”

At the family-run block, stallions were bred to mares, before the pony club, show jumping and eventing competitions shaped the direction of Price’s life.

The three-time Olympian calls England home where he’s found a special rural corner of countryside with his wife Jonelle, who also competes at the highest level in three-day eventing for New Zealand.

“Down here in Dorset we’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s a beautiful farm with an excellent equestrian facility, owned by a great man who puts a lot into this estate,” Price said.

Of the husband and wife duo, Jonelle was the first to wear the silver fern at the 2012 Olympics Games in London.

The eventing power couple have represented New Zealand together now at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

An ecstatic Tim Price and Falco during the Badminton Horse Trials prizegiving. Libby Law

Price said his silver medal at Badminton is only just starting to sink in after a couple of days.

Before the event, he tried his best to keep his broken collarbone from a biking injury under wraps.

“It wasn’t something I really wanted to make public in the last few big events, so I just said I had a busted shoulder,” he said.

“Badminton has eluded me. It’s a very difficult event to win. It’s tricky to get the best out of your horse so early in the northern hemishpere season.”

“I was really happy with the result with Falco, he was just class all the way through.”

The 17-year-old gelding is a superb jumper, however only time will if he can compete at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Back in 2018 Tim Price was riding Ringwood Sky Boy to victory at the Burghley Horse Trials. Libby Law Photography/ESNZ

“He’s now been second at one of the biggest five star events at Badminton, he was sixth at the Paris Olympics, he’s been a great horse, not just for me, but for New Zealand in teams.”

“He’s getting a little on the older side, in two years time is the Los Angeles Olympics – that might just be a little late in his career for him.”

Nonetheless, Price has his sights firmly set on the World Championships with Falco later this year in Aachen in Germany.

“Possibly Burghley in the autumn – just to show everyone how cool he is.”

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Everlee Wihongi case: Government officials confirm contact with US immigration over Kiwi’s detention

Source: Radio New Zealand

Everlee Wihongi. Supplied

New Zealand consular staff in the US are talking to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials about the case of the New Zealander who has been held in ICE custody for over a month.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (MFAT) consular team have been in contact with ICE officials to clarify what Everlee Wihongi has been charged with.

This is the first time the government has confirmed any direct contact with US officials since Wihongi’s detention on 10 April.

Wihongi is a New Zealand citizen, but has lived in the US for decades and holds a green card. She was detained upon re-entering the US following a three-week visit to New Zealand.

The update comes after RNZ’s questions to Peters’ office after Everlee Wihongi’s lawyer pointed out the minister was incorrect to say that she was being detained for not declaring a previous conviction, and the fact Wihongi and her family were still in the dark about what she had been charged with.

Wihongi’s lawyer Marc Christopher told RNZ she had been detained due to a decade-old conviction for a felony offence of marijuana possession, but he said it remained unclear what deportable offence she had now been charged with, despite that she appeared before a judge on 28 April.

Christopher said Peters was wrong to say Wihongi was detained due to hiding her previous conviction.

When RNZ put the comments to Peters’ office, a spokesperson said in a statement: “We have no further comment as a legal process is in play.

“MFAT’s consular team is in contact with Everlee Wihongi’s legal team, along with ICE officials seeking clarification on the exact nature of the charges.

“I am copying in MFAT who will be best placed to provide you with any further updates”.

MFAT has been approached for comment on what they found out from any communication with ICE officials and Wihongi’s legal team.

Everlee Wihongi, pictured with whanau. Supplied

Wihongi’s family has repeatedly called for MFAT and the minister to do more to help.

MFAT and Peters had previously said the government could not interfere in immigration decisions of another country.

Asked for his thoughts on Wihongi’s recent transfer from California to Arizona – which her relative said was a gruelling journey where she was denied food and not allowed to shower – a spokesperson from Peters’ office said in a statement: “I am forwarding these queries to MFAT as they very much pertain on the consular efforts by their team in the States”.

The statement also said there had been no ministerial contact with US authorities.

“In the first instance consular support is the appropriate course of action,” the statement said.

Christopher told Midday Report he had spoken to New Zealand consular staff and they had been concerned with Wihongi’s healthcare and her treatment. However, he said he was not sure what they had been able to do for Wihongi.

Green MP Teanau Tuiono. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Ministers not communicating with US officials

Meanwhile, official responses to written Parliamentary questions lodged by Green MP Teanau Tuiono revealed multiple ministers and their offices had neither sought nor received communications with US authorities about Wihongi’s case.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford’s office said it had seen no advice, reports, briefings, emails or documents relating to Wihongi’s detention. Her office also confirmed there had been “none” in terms of correspondence with the US embassy or US officials.

The same response came from Māori Development and Te Arawhiti Minister Tama Potaka’s offices, which said neither the minister nor staff had seen documents on the case or communicated with US officials.

Peters’ claim a ‘falsehood’ – aunt

The disclosures come as Wihongi’s family said her situation has become increasingly alarming after she was abruptly transferred from an ICE detention facility in Adelanto, California.

In a letter sent directly to Peters, Wihongi’s aunt Jenny Hewett-Sauauga accused the minister of publicly misrepresenting the circumstances surrounding her niece’s detention.

“I was highly disappointed to hear you say that Everlee had not declared her previous records, and that is why she was detained,” Hewett-Sauauga wrote.

“As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would have expected you to have looked into this matter with due diligence before putting this falsehood out into a public forum.”

Christopher: ICE ‘flushed with money’ and going after minor cases

Christopher told Midday Report that while in the past ICE enforcement was limited by its budget, they’re now “flushed with money” and pursuing people with minor previous convictions.

He said as of July 2025, ICE has increased its detention facility budget by over 400 percent.

Christopher said in the past ICE focused on people who had committed more serious crimes, and it was rare that they would detain someone for months over a possession of marijuana conviction, but that had now changed under the Trump administration.

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Christopher Luxon signals immigration policy, more capital spending in Budget 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has promised “careful” immigration policy and signalled more capital spending than expected in an annual pre-Budget speech,

Speaking about the need for social cohesion, Luxon highlighted his own electorate of Botany as “more diverse than most”, saying many of Chinese, Korean, Malaysian and Indian New Zealanders were being “unfairly and unreasonably vilified”.

He said during the Covid-19 pandemic, ministers had “too often prioritised their own political interests over the interest of the public”, and the media “determined to flatter New Zealand’s relative performance, also failed”.

“Since then, failed immigration policies in Europe and North America have also stoked a politics of division online. Despite prudent policies and the natural advantages of geography, immigration now seems to be an emerging political issue in New Zealand, too,” he said, in what could be seen as a swipe at New Zealand First’s criticisms of the India free trade deal.

He pointed to the government’s moves to tighten immigration law and said National would be watching closely.

“And you should expect to see careful policy on immigration from National as we get closer to the election … when it comes to immigration, when faced with a choice between social stability and your bottom line, I will choose the former every single time.”

Pointing to the United States “now focusing more exclusively on its own view of its own interests – America first”, and Russia having made “its brutal intentions clear in Europe” and China “expanding its influence”, Luxon painted a now-familiar picture of an erosion of the international rule of law.

“When you turn on the news at night and see alliances straining, trade wars flaring and the rules being rewritten by the powerful, it is only natural to feel as though the ground is shifting beneath you,” he said, before offering an optimistic observation.

“We have faced similar challenges before, and we have overcome them.”

He hearkened back to world wars, giving a message of hope in an increasingly volatile world.

Christopher Luxon speaking at a BusinessNZ function in Auckland. RNZ / Louis Dunham

“The outcome was not inevitable. It was not guaranteed. People were frightened, and they were right to be frightened,” he said. “They didn’t just win a war. They built the peace that followed.”

Also addressing a need for cooperation with like-minded partners on defence and trade, he also drew attention to the need for energy independence.

“On too many occasions, private capital, eager to bolster domestic energy production, has been pushed to the sidelines by overzealous planners and politicians in recent years,” he said.

“The reality is that when faced with energy shock after energy shock, it’s very hard to justify backing the skink over the solar farm.”

He pointed to the government’s responses to the fuel crisis, while noting “more action is required”.

That could be delivered through changes to Budget allowances – with less operational spending at $2.1b, down from $2.4b; but more capital spending at $5.7b.

“The recent crisis has acted as a timely reminder that significant levels of capital investment will be required in the coming years,” Luxon said.

“That doesn’t reflect a permanently higher rate of borrowing – we’ll need to get the balance right in the years ahead, as we rebuild our fiscal buffers … The truth is that as a country we don’t save nearly enough, and rely too much on money borrowed from overseas to support our lifestyles. That must change.”

Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver her third Budget on 28 May in what are constrained fiscal times.

The conflict in Iran and the global fuel crisis it has triggered required a certain level of re-forecasting and reprioritising of the Budget in recent months.

There were no pre-Budget announcements expected in Christopher Luxon’s speech to a Business NZ audience on Wednesday, though some are due to trickle out from other ministers in the coming days.

The only policy announced to date is the scrapping of the third year of fees-free tertiary study.

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Blair Tuke moves off the boat for America’s Cup preliminary regatta

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand sailor Blair Tuke at the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, Spain, 13 October, 2024. Photosport

Three-time America’s Cup winner Blair Tuke won’t be a part of the on-water crew for next week’s America’s Cup preliminary regatta in Sardinia.

Tuke, who won the cup in 2017, 2021 and 2024, will instead be involved in Team New Zealand’s onshore development.

A release from the team said Tuke would continue to transition into a more executive and strategic role, focused on the speed development of Taihoro and performance of the sailing team in the lead up to the America’s Cup defence in Naples in 2027.

“I am really excited by the challenge of transitioning into another phase of my career within a team I have had such success with,” Tuke said in the statement.

“The team as a whole is under no illusions as to how tough a fourth straight defence will be, so playing my part and utilising my experience will hopefully continue to contribute to its ongoing success.”

Tuke formed a formidable partnership with skipper Peter Burling in their Americas Cup successes, in trimmer/flight controller roles

Burling left Team New Zealand just over a year ago, later saying [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/579918/peter-burling-says-control-team-new-zealand-wanted-over-him-was-just-crazy it wanted to exert too much control over him.

New Zealand will have two crews competing in Sardinia in two AC40s.

The number one boat will have the helming duties shared by skipper Nathan Outteridge and 20-year-old Seb Menzies, and will feature trimmers Andy Maloney and Iain Jensen.

The second development boat will have Erica Dawson and Jake Pye take the dual-helm positions, joined by trimmers Serena Woodall and Josh Armit.

The eight-boat fleet has dual entries from New Zealand, Great Britain and Luna Rossa, alongside single-boat entries from La Roche-Posay Racing of France and Team Alinghi from Switzerland.

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The Others Way festival won’t be coming back

Source: Radio New Zealand

Independent music festival The Others Way won’t be returning this year, with no plans to ever come back.

“We know how sad this will make a lot of people, and none sadder than us,” organisers Banished Music said in a statement posted to social media on Wednesday morning.

The annual festival has been held on Karangahape Road, in central Auckland, since 2015. The November 2025 party was its last.

The call to can it comes after years of mounting financial pressure, industry costs and an increasingly unstable live music and funding landscape, Banished wrote.

“The magnificent joy received from delivering The Others Way is outweighed by the sheer financial strain and emotional toll it takes on us to deliver,” said Banished, who took over the festival in 2023.

“Rising costs across every aspect of the entertainment industry, combined with ongoing uncertainty in the sponsorship and funding landscape, and people just doing it too tough out there to commit to buying gig tickets have created significant pressure.”

They said they’d explored every avenue available to try and raise funds, but could no longer operate sustainably.

“We haven’t been able to secure the secret formula to deliver the festival in a way that meets both our standards and our financial obligations,” they wrote.

“As well as that, over time the debt that we have accumulated on this project can no longer responsibly be carried forward.”

The Others Way festival was founded by former Laneway Festival promoter, Ben Howe in 2015. What began as a small street festival ten years ago, manifested over the decade to becoming a sold-out, 3000 people street party, boasting a bill of 40 names across nine venues on the strip.

Last year, in its tenth and final year, festival director Reuben Bonner took on the “mighty challenge” of closing down K’ Rd. The event was headlined by US singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten.

“It’s kind of K’ Road’s event, and it always has been, so the community really gets behind it,” Bonner told RNZ’s Nine to Noon last year.

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Watch live: Christopher Luxon on what global chaos means for Budget 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ will livestream the Prime Minister’s pre-Budget speech in Auckland that is due to start at 1pm at the top of this page.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to give a speech focussing on geopolitics, New Zealand’s role in the world, and the impact it will have on this year’s government Budget.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver her third Budget on 28 May in what are constrained fiscal times.

The conflict in Iran and the global fuel crisis it has triggered required a certain level of re-forecasting and reprioritising of the Budget in recent months.

There are no pre-Budget announcements expected in Christopher Luxon’s speech to a Business NZ audience on Wednesday, though some are due to trickle out from other ministers in the coming days.

Christopher Luxon is speaking to a BusinessNZ function in Auckland. RNZ / Louis Dunham

The only policy announced to date is the scrapping of the third year of fees-free tertiary study.

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AIA Insurance pays out $790 million in claims in past year

Source: Radio New Zealand

AIA insurance building in Takapuna, Auckland. RNZ / Paris Ibell

Health and wellbeing insurer AIA has paid out a total of $790 million in claims over the past year, including a 12 percent increase in income protection payouts.

Still, total claims paid in 2025 were down 4.7 percent on 2024’s $829.6m, which reflected larger life insurance payouts.

2025 claims paid versus 2024

  • $177.31m paid in health insurance claims (including $93.5m in heart-related claims) vs $167m
  • $257.73m paid in life insurance claims vs $298.1m
  • $142.45m paid in trauma claims vs $139.5m
  • $108.69m paid in income protection claims vs $97.2m
  • $21.35m paid in total permanent disablement claims vs $23.9m.

Alongside heart claims, AIA said it was seeing growth in high value medical claims, including chemotherapy and complex spinal procedures.

The company said claim payments were highest among customers aged 50 to 59.

AIA said it paid out on 91 percent of claims received in 2025.

An AIA spokesperson was not available to respond to questions.

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Thousands queue as Milford Track spots book out in minutes

Source: Radio New Zealand

Milford Track. Tess Brunton / RNZ

The popular Milford Track was mostly sold out within half-an-hour of bookings opening, with thousands queuing online to secure a spot.

There were about 7000 available for the ‘Great Walk’.

Last year, the Department of Conservation (DOC) upgraded its online booking system to include a virtual queue to help manage peak demand after multiple crashes in previous years.

In 2023, the booking website crashed for several hours when 10,000 people tried to book the Milford Track at once, with further crashes in 2024.

DOC heritage and visitors director Cat Wilson said demand was intense from the moment bookings opened, with about 13,500 users already in line – higher than the roughly 12,000 users recorded last year.

“The Milford Track remains one of New Zealand’s most sought-after experiences, and we saw extraordinary demand again this morning,” Wilson said.

“Despite the very high traffic volumes, the booking platform performed well and people moved steadily through the queue.”

Milford Track. Tess Brunton / RNZ

Wilson encouraged people to consider off-peak times, other Great Walks and other tracks and huts.

“There are still fantastic experiences available outside the busiest summer months, and people should also continue checking the booking system as cancellations and changes do occur throughout the season,” she said.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people planning adventures and getting excited about naturing in some of Aotearoa’s most special places.”

Milford Track. Tess Brunton / RNZ

Bookings for the remaining Great Walks, huts and campsites continue to open on staggered dates this month.

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