Category: Radio New Zealand

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Faulty alarm and surge protection led to Mahurangi River wastewater spill, reviews find

Source: Radio New Zealand

A wastewater spill into the Mahurangi River meant farmers had dump thousands of oysters because of contamination. Supplied

A critical overflow alarm that was not working and a faulty surge protection component in a North Auckland wastewater pump station were factors that led to what is believed to be the biggest wastewater spill into the Mahurangi River that happened in October last year, according to independent reviews.

Wastewater poured into the Mahurangi River from about 2.30pm on 29 October, after a power surge at Watercare’s Warkworth Street wastewater pump station, and subsequent pump failures.

Watercare estimated that there was 1200 cubic metres of overflow, which was not discovered and stopped until 8am the next day.

Mahurangi oyster farmers were furious with the spill and contamination, with one reporting that much of their 80,000 oysters had to be dumped, at the peak of the oyster season.

On Thursday, Watercare confirmed that independent reviews into the cause of the overflow had been completed.

“The reviews found the incident resulted from a unique chain of events involving technical and operational factors at the newly commissioned Warkworth Street Pump Station, triggered by a power outage,” said Watercare in a press release.

Watercare’s chief operations officer Mark Bourne told RNZ the reviews found that a faulty safety relay – which was part of the plant’s surge protection system – was in conflict with other safety relays, and prevented the pumps from restarting following the power surge.

Watercare’s chief operations officer Mark Bourne. Jessie Chiang

He said the treatment plant was designed in a way that its protection system would kick in when individual components failed.

Bourne said if the safety relay was not faulty, the pumps would have restarted following the brief power surge – which lasted about half a second.

The most critical of alarms – the overflow alarm – had also failed to operate, said Bourne.

“That was tested during the pre-commissioning phase before the pump station went into operation but for whatever reason, failed during that operation phase,” said Bourne.

Bourne said the Warkworth Street plant was new, and was going through its commissioning and start up phase when the October event happened.

He said prior to commissioning, Watercare had run tests on the station with clean water, and added that the plant could not be tested across its full ranges until it was in service.

“We try and simulate all activities during the initial testing process, but as I indicated before this was a very unique set of circumstances,” said Bourne.

Bourne said the faulty safety relay had since been fixed and all alarms had been tested and checked.

When asked if he was confident that station could withstand future possible power surges, Bourne said he had “absolute confidence” in the Warkworth Street pump station.

“This event is just so unfortunate and quite frankly we’re gutted that it occurred,” he said.

Asked where responsibility could be traced to with the multiple failures of the treatment plant, Bourne said Watercare took accountability.

“It’s our pump station, it’s our operation, if there’s further conversations to be had, they’ll be for us to have at a later date, but at this point Watercare takes responsibility for the fault that occurred,” he said.

He added that this was a unique circumstance leading up to the failure of the station, and that there was no systemic issue.

Bourne said Watercare had over 550 pump stations across Auckland.

On Thursday, Watercare announced its final tranche of compensation payment for impacted oyster farmers, bringing the total payout to $2.75 million.

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Lower Hutt businesses report 50 percent drop as roadworks roll on in city centre

Source: Radio New Zealand

Lower Hutt businesses say they’re swiftly losing cash, and one’s shut up shop, as roadworks roll on in the city centre.

Authorities are sorry for the disruption, but say the work is essential.

Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Transport Agency are running multiple projects to future-proof service infrastructure, improve flood protection, develop the CBD and improve transport connection.

The obstacle course of road cones and closures has caused gridlock and delays, and now businesses are bearing the brunt.

A chunk of the work involves ripping up a roundabout at the Queens Drive/High Street intersection, which began on 2 March and will run until December, shutting the road.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

Jinuka Paranavithana runs Lakdiv Supermarket right on the roundabout and said there was a slump the day the works began, with takings down 50 percent.

The cluster of shops in the area are now effectively tucked down a dead end.

Paranavithana was not confident the supermarket would last until the works were completed, so he was looking for leases elsewhere and could be forced out to Naenae.

A few doors down, Raquib Gondal had already shut his kebab shop for good.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

He also reported a 50 percent drop in business, saying only the regulars would pop in, once a week at best.

“I feel really bad, because when I bought this business … I’ve taken all the money from my friends and family and we gathered the money … just to have a secure kind of income,” he said.

Gondal didn’t want to close, but he was getting into debt, he said.

“Opening it for longer, it will be … really a disaster for me.”

Another stretch of High Street is shut for four weeks, right outside City Green fruit and vege shop.

Owner Patrick Gao said he was only just hanging on, also reporting 50 percent less takings.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

“I’m not making enough to pay my bills, my rent, my wages … tough going,” he said.

He may have to consider closing, but thinks he can stick around another month or two, with the community behind him.

Gao put out a plea on social media on Tuesday, asking for local support to help get him through.

On Wednesday morning, Rachael Trudgeon answered the call, and walked out of the store carrying a box full of produce.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

She urged others to do the same, noting the deserted street.

“Just get out there, support our local shops that we have here, especially the small business owners, they are struggling so we want to help them out as much as we can.”

Across the road at cafe Espresso High, barista Rane Magno said the cafe was definitely quieter with a lack of parking.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

“Nobody wants to drive in this corner of the Hutt any more,” she said.

“On the flip side, we’ve been able to see how our community’s really supported us, and our regulars have come in and made their efforts.”

Works essential for Hutt resilience

Many spoken to by RNZ believed the roadworks were necessary but it was too much all at once.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ken Laban said there was not much council could do.

“I can’t take people’s pain away, if I was … affected by the business, or I was stuck in traffic trying to get mum to the hospital for her appointment, equally I would be frustrated and angry and all of those kinds of things.

“We are just trying the best that we can to minimise the disruption, but this is a hugely inconvenient time for everybody.”

RNZ / Mark Papalii

The work included a “once in a generation upgrade” of flood defences to protect the city, including the hospital and thousands of homes, said Laban.

Greater Wellington Regional Council transport committee chair Ros Connelly said disruption was certain no matter how the work was carried out, and the parties involved had chosen “the most efficient work programme from a cost perspective and also from a logistics perspective.”

“We absolutely understand that the roadworks are disruptive and we’re really sorry for the impact that this is having on businesses and commuters.

“But unfortunately, the works are essential to improving safety and flood resilience and reliability for everyone who uses the road.”

Once the work was done, the city would be better protected and connected, Connelly said.

The transport agency said it was continually considering whether the work could be sped up, and there would be night work in some places.

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How much might prices rise, and when?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Rising oil prices are expecting to put pressure on prices across New Zealand.

But from food to coffee and petrol to clothes, what are sectors expecting?

RNZ set out to ask.

Petrol

Mike Newton, spokesperson for fuel monitoring app Gaspy, said if crude oil prices were to remain at Thursday afternoon levels, after rising 10 percent overnight, the national average price for 91 would be about $3.30 a litre.

That was about 15c more than the average at the time but some petrol stations were already charging at that level.

A $4 national average for 91 might not be out of the question. Nick Monro

“Some economists and analysts are talking about crude rising ot US$200 a barrel and if that were to happen a $4 national average would not be out of the question. Early on in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, crude topped out at US$119 a barrel.”

Restaurants

Nicola Waldren, general manager of the Restaurants Association said it had been talking to restaurant and cafe members over the past few weeks.

“What we’re hearing at this stage is that significant price changes haven’t come through to them yet so they are in a bit of a wait and see. There are still a lot of unknowns about how long the impacts are going to go on for but we are firmly of the view that prices will get passed through to businesses.”

Restaurants are in a “wait and see” as to whether price rises will impact the industry. Supplied/San Ray

She said the association was advising restaurants to look at their menus, keep ahead of supplier bills and be across price changes coming through so they could adapt if they needed to.

“How much it might change is a difficult thing to answer because all the businesses are different, they’ve got different menus, they’ve got different supply chains… but hospitality businesses are small, they’re local businesses, we’re slowly coming out of some really tough years and now we’re facing this unexpected headwind.

“If it’s a sustained period of time when those cost pressures come on then we can expect some changes to pricing.”

She said restaurants were aware many households were squeezed in terms of what they could afford to pay but many hospitality businesses were working with such small margins that they would need to pass on increases.

Waldren said some businesses were concerned about being able to access products.

“Businesses are looking at are there ways to adapt their menus, source alternative ingredients… there’s a big focus on sourcing local from local suppliers that will probably help to mitigate some impacts but I think the fuel price changes are going to affect the whole supply chain.”

Coffee

Richard Corney of Flight Coffee said coffee bean prices had dropped from record highs but were still high compared to the past.

But there were concerns about the cost of everything else rising to push up the price of coffee in New Zealand cafes, he said.

Packaging and shipping costs have risen for the coffee industry. 123rf

“We’re already seeing shipping cost skyrocket back to pandemic levels, adding huge differential costs per kilo to landed coffee imports in NZ.

“Beyond that, packaging companies have alerted us to increase in packaging costs due to the constraint of plastics derived from oil.

“And to top it all off, in the coming months Brazil will need fertilisers to fed next year’s crop, and there’s major constraints on this due to the conflict in the Middle East – so what’s in effect been a great harvest out of Brazil, now faces existential threats that may very well force the commodity price higher or keep it at elevated levels.”

Fuel shortages could also make it hard to move coffee from storage locations to where it needed to be, he said.

But he said coffee prices were already getting to their limit in terms of what consumer would pay.

“We’re discovering, if not some parts of it’s been discovered, the ceiling of what consumers are able to pay … it becomes a point where the market will dictate its value.

“We’ve asked a lot from our customers and they’ve responded wonderfully but you can only go so high, right? You can only pass on so much before it becomes unsustainable.”

Construction

Auckland University of Technology construction expert John Tookey said the cost of building would rise.

“Anything that involves either the formation of materials or the transportation of materials is going to be massively affected … the kicker as far as construction materials are concerned is simply the fact that they tend to be high volume, low value and they are very energy intensive to transport.”

Experts predict the price of building will rise. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

He said prices would probably rise in anticipation.

“Stockists start hedging knowing that it’s going to start creeping up… they’ll start to feed that into their quoted prices.

“We’re already seeing the cost of diesel at the pump going up and as soon as diesel starts going up then transportation of materials goes up and up and up.”

He said he did not want to guess at how much construction prices would rise.

“I think that sort of prediction would age like milk in the sun.”

Retail

Carolyn Young, chief executive of Retail NZ, said the sector was already seeing increases in distribution costs and for things such as couriers.

“It’s a higher impact on goods and services being moved around the country because a lot of freight companies are using trucks that run on diesel.”

She said supermarkets, grocery retailers, fruit and vegetable outlets and bakeries would have increased transport costs and might not be able to absorb them.

The retail sector is already seeing price increases. Ke-Xin Li / RNZ

“Some will and some won’t. It will depend on the profitability of the business and the reserves they may have,”

People bringing in goods from overseas would also be affected.

“In terms of grocery,. they’ve got good supply of stock in the distribution centres but stock is always coming in.”

For things such as apparel or DIY or jewellery, she said, freight ships were staying in Singapore longer to make sure they were 100 percent full.

“The longer they take to leave port and fill up, the higher the cost of the fuel being passed on.

“If you are importing goods they’re going to land in Auckland, Tauranga or Lyttleton then they’re going to be distributed to your site or sites – so there’s two lots of costs that can be passed on a that point as well because you’ve got costs coming in internationally and then you’ve got domestic costs from the price of fuel in New Zealand.”

She said prices would rise if it was a sustained conflict.

“Retailers that are able to absorb as long as they can – it will impact their margins long-term and their profitability.”

Earlier, Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said fishing was particularly exposed to oil price rises.

BNZ chief economist Mike Jones said food prices were likely to rise faster but it was hard to quantify. He expected general inflation to peak at 3.8 percent in the second quarter.

Uber

Uber said fuel price increases were having an effect across a wide range of industries, including for driver partners and delivery people who used the Uber and Uber Eats app to earn.

“Uber is actively monitoring conditions as they evolve and regularly reviews ways to support driver partners and delivery people as circumstances change.

“We are always looking for ways we can continue to support them, including our Uber Pro programme which offers discounts on fuel and EV charging, as well as other savings to help reduce their expenses.”

Supermarket delivery

At Woolworths, a spokesperson said it was closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East.

“We have no current plans to change our delivery fees.”

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Rising cost of fuel forces Kiwis to consider alternative transport to save money

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cost-of-living pressures are picking up again, driven in part by sharp increases in fuel prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

So, are people ditching their cars, dusting off their bikes, or turning to public transport to save money?

At Auckland’s Waitematā Station, commuters poured off trains into the central city, with buses and the downtown ferry terminal just steps away, making it one of the city’s busiest transport hubs.

One commuter said they’ve noticed a clear shift.

“I notice on the train it’s getting really busy. Yeah, a lot more people are using it, which is good.”

They said rising fuel and parking costs were even changing how they think about short trips.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I’m even thinking … where I normally work, I’m only probably a 10-minute drive away … maybe I’ll start using my e-bike … between parking and the petrol … you’re still using a lot of gas. And I’d rather save it for doing trips I really want to do in the car.”

But another Auckland commuter said public transport still didn’t work for everything.

“Yeah, we use the cars to get around because convenience-wise, public transport’s no good. You can’t really pop down the road and do the shopping effectively… so we still need the cars.”

He said the flexibility of working from home was a bonus when it came to beating petrol prices.

Meanwhile, a third commuter in Auckland said cost was already shaping their routine.

“Choosing that option specifically because of the cost is the main reason … it just sort of reinforces it further with the cost of living and the petrol prices going up.”

In the capital, some people were already leaving the car at home.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I walked to work today because I thought, ‘I’d better not use the car’,” said this commuter.

Another Wellington commuter estimated the savings were adding up.

“I would be driving in, but it’s too expensive a lot of the time, so public transport is better. I can save around $100 a week.”

Others said they’re cutting back on extra trips.

“I probably won’t drive up to the Kāpiti Coast like I used to, just to go to the market. You need to be more thoughtful in each trip you plan.”

But not everyone was convinced habits have fully changed yet.

“Energy prices have definitely moved up, but I’m not sure that’s changing people’s habits yet. It might have [to] if petrol goes to $3.20.”

And for some, it’s not just fuel prices dictating new commuting habits.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I train in, then I walk to work, and it’s mainly because of higher parking, actually,” said one man.

In Christchurch, some commuters said they didn’t have the flexibility to change. A woman RNZ spoke to said she was still driving despite the cost and was worried about how to keep managing it within her budget.

“I am still driving, but it’s using up a lot of my gas … I don’t know what I’m going to do next … I assume I’m just going to keep driving because I have to get places … I have to get my kids to school.”

Another commuter in Christchurch said public transport simply wasn’t viable for their route.

“It’s really hard to get public transport to where I work because it’s just out of Rolleston … I have to drive there all the time, so it’s eating a lot of fuel.”

In Queenstown, where petrol was sitting between $3.15 and $3.19 per litre, commuters say the cost is biting.

RNZ / Nick Monro

“I travel daily from Glenorchy to Queenstown, so does my husband. It’s just getting so hard to cope.”

Another said they have no alternative.

“Where I live, I have no public transport in the morning. The only way I can get to work before 6 o’clock is using my car, so I have been dealing with the increase as I can manage. At the end of the day, you’ve got to pay it.”

Some were trying to adapt where they can.

A Queenstown commuter said they’re biking more often.

“I do drive occasionally, but more recently biking has become a cheaper alternative … you just have to limit where you go, don’t you? Because it’s just so expensive, and it’s already expensive enough to live in Queenstown.”

Others were making bigger changes.

“I just bought a hybrid car … that was sort of prompted by obviously the fuel prices and the war in Iran … I thought, ‘right, now’s the time’,” said a man who commuted daily from Cromwell to Queenstown.

He was also looking for ways to cut costs day-to-day.

“I’ve got the [fuel price] app on my phone, so I normally stick to the cheapest fuel station in Cromwell, but I’ll definitely be looking for new strategies,” he said.

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NZ prepares for uncertainty at the pump as it eyes prolonged Middle East conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand is preparing for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as attacks on the world’s largest natural gasfield create even more uncertainty at the pump. RNZ / Quin Tauetau

New Zealand is preparing for a prolonged conflict in the Middle East as attacks on the world’s largest natural gasfield in Pars create even more uncertainty at the pump.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has warned the fuel situation could get worse, before it gets better.

Brent Crude prices surged to US$109 a barrel on Thursday following the attacks, prompting motorists to fill up before prices got even higher.

Some people were unlucky, arriving at the pump after it had run dry.

At an NPD in Christchurch, many were nervous about how much a trip to the service station could soon cost.

“I’m currently studying, so it’s not really helpful. I live 40 minutes out of town and then commuting, and so it’s kind of like a bit of a sting in the butt trying to get through study, and it’s like, let’s add more stress,” one student said.

Another person had been checking prices daily: “I’ve been keeping an eye on it, looking at the apps and just checking each day whether or not today’s the day I should go fuel up.”

While others were more optimistic, and said they had just started to take the bus.

As of Thursday, New Zealand had 41.3 days worth of petrol, 47 days of diesel and 49 days of Jet Fuel.

Luxon assured New Zealanders officials were doing what they could to prepare for a fuel shortage.

“Like all New Zealanders, we hope that the conflict is ending quickly, but hope is not a plan, and so we are preparing for the worst case scenario where the conflict is prolonged,” Luxon said.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

But energy analyst David Keat did not think New Zealand would run out of fuel for long periods of time, if at all.

Keat said the country should be ok.

“I imagine we might miss a few cargos, but in terms of the physical supply, I can’t see us running out for long periods, if at all.

“The price though is a different thing, because everybody is bidding for these cargos and it’s a seller’s market, so the price could go very high.”

The government would consider more details in the fuel escalation level plan next week.

It had four levels of concern, similar to the levels seen during Covid-19.

Rural Contractors New Zealand said its members were already being hit hard, with one larger contractor’s fuel bill rising by $5000 a day.

CEO Andrew Olsen said the agriculture industry needed to be a priority.

“Everyone’s important and naturally will say we are, but I think this is Covid 2.0 and agriculture received dispensations to continue to operate and it’s important, it’s our GDP, 20 percent of it.”

Olsen said the conflict and resulting fuel shortage had come at the worst time.

“It’s a very busy part of the year, we’ve got the maize harvest in full swing in the North Island and we’ve still got a lot of grass work occurring elsewhere, big machines, lots of fuel consumption.

“We’ve also got the viticulture harvest right now and we’ve also got the kiwifruit harvest,” he said

Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson believed there were takeaways from the Covid-19 response that should be considered.

“There’s quite a lot of learning’s here from Covid. You know, in some cases we were quite slow to do some planning and you know while we in particular as Business Canterbury at this stage we’re not being alarmist.

“We think it’s really important that businesses do start to do some planning and thinking about the options that they do have moving forward.”

Watson said it was crucial officials kept businesses informed.

The government’s next update on the fuel crisis will be on Monday.

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How people and businesses with tax debt can avoid IRD penalties

Source: Radio New Zealand

Taxpayers who have debt for the 2023 and 2024 tax years are being given another option to avoid paying penalties to Inland Revenue.

As part of an amendment to the Taxation Bill, a pilot programme is being launched that will allow people with tax debt to settle it via tax pooling, if they meet eligibility criteria.

They will have until 1 October this year to enter an arrangement with a tax pooling provider, and then must settle the debt by 1 October 2027.

Tax pooling allows people to smooth out their tax payments and borrow from those who have overpaid their tax as required.

Tax Traders co-founder Nicola Taylor said the programme would be a big help to people with tax debt.

“There’s $1.2 billion in income tax debt across the two tax periods that this amendment is focused on. Tax debt is not about not wanting to comply. It’s actually usually about cash flow and timing.”

Inland Revenue has been chasing overdue tax hard in recent years.

If people had a tax bill they should approach a tax pooling provider with their debt, Taylor said.

“What they won’t be hit with is the late payment penalties and the use of money interest that they would have been hit with otherwise.

“Let’s say a taxpayer has a $10,000 unpaid income tax bill… by the legislation and using Tax Traders, you’ll be able to save about $800 of late payment penalties and use of money interest that otherwise you’d be hit with. And you know, $800 is not nothing.

“And the core tax gets paid … I think IRD’s been really sensitive and empathetic here and also very innovative. So I think we should, you know, I think there’s much to applaud IRD for taking this approach.”

The amendment also removes a tax issue that affects infrastructure investment.

Thin capitalisation rules stop multinational companies from allocating an excessive proportion of their debt to to New Zealand to affect the tax they have to pay.

But they can interfere in situations where there is a large amount of debt associated with an infrastructure project and some interest deductions can be denied even when the debt level is not normally considered excessive.

The Corporate Taxpayers Group told the government this was sometimes stopping foreign investment in New Zealand projects.

The new rules provide an exemption from the thin capitalisation rules for investments in qualifying infrastructure assets to the extent they are funded by limited-recourse third-party debt.

Deloitte partner Robyn Walker said it was likely that transport infrastructure, water, energy and telecommunications might be included in the projects that could opt into the rules.

Corporate Taxpayers Group chair John Payne said it was pleasing to see the rules progressing.

“We regularly see that tax rules can be an impediment to investment in important infrastructure, and these amendments help clear a barrier and that is why the Corporate Taxpayers Group has been involved in consultation on these rules.”

Revenue Minister Simon Watts RNZ / Mark Papalii

Revenue Minister SImon Watts said the change removed a barrier to make it easier to access capital and talent.

“New Zealand’s thin capitalisation rules limit the amount of tax-deductible debt that foreign investors can put into New Zealand investments. These rules prevent income being shifted offshore and protect our tax base.

“However, there is a risk that these rules can unduly disincentivise investment, particularly in capital-intensive infrastructure projects that are typically funded by large amounts of debt.

“The government is making changes to ensure that rules strike a balance between protecting the tax base while not discouraging investment in infrastructure.”

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What is vaginismus and how do you know if you have it?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Madeleine Edwards had never heard of vaginismus, but about six months after giving birth to her daughter, Carmine, she was diagnosed with the condition.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Naarm/Melbourne, says it was a “heavy” diagnosis to receive as she adjusted to motherhood.

According to experts, women and those assigned female at birth who have vaginismus often put up with intense vaginal pain and don’t know it can be treated.

Our experts

  • Pav Nanayakkara, a minimally invasive gynaecological surgeon from Jean Hailes for Women’s Health
  • Jenny Pell, a senior physiotherapist at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital
  • Sarah Ashton, sexual health psychologist and the director and founder of Sexual Health and Intimacy Psychological Services (SHIPS)

Pav Nanayakkara says for those experiencing vaginismus, painful muscle tightening can occur any time there is penetration.

Supplied/Jean Hailes for Women’s Health

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Twinning: The Tauranga school with 13 sets of twins

Source: Radio New Zealand

As the saying goes, what is in the water supply of Ōtūmoetai?

The leafy suburb in Tauranga is producing twins at a rate that is far above the global average of 1.2 percent with Ōtūmoetai Primary School hitting about 5 percent of students who are twins. There are 13 sets at the school, including eight that are identical, and there is another pair joining the school in a few weeks, according to principal Zara McIndoe.

Year 4 is doubly blessed with about 14 percent of students in that year claiming twin status.

There are 13 sets of twins at Ōtūmoetai Primary School.

supplied

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Family’s anger after man who killed nearly three decades ago kills again

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

Nearly three decades after Fiona Maulolo was killed by her partner Leslie Parr, he killed again, this time his mother. Maulolo’s sister spoke with National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood about the family’s loss, their anger, and the many questions they have.

Tina Maulolo was at home when she heard a knock at the door.

It was June 2024, 27 years after her sister, Fiona Maulolo, was brutally killed by her partner Leslie Parr. A jury had found him not guilty by reason of insanity and a judge ordered he be detained in a special secure unit and not freed without the health minister’s authority.

When Tina got to the front door she saw two police officers.

The officers had some chilling news. Parr had killed again, this time his mother. The officers didn’t go into further details, but warned she may be contacted by the media.

She checked online but couldn’t see anything, and had no way of finding out more information.

It wasn’t until this week, almost two years on, when a suppression order was lifted that Tina learned the full details for the first time.

She told RNZ she’s “pissed off” with the system, has many questions, and wants an independent inquiry into the mental health system.

“It sounds like history repeated itself … Why was he let out?”

The first killing

Parr met Fiona Maulolo in 1996. The pair soon moved into a property in the Hutt Valley.

Tina says she did not know Parr well. She described her sister as a loving mother to her two daughters.

Soon after meeting Maulolo, Parr, who had earlier been made a patient under the Mental Health Act stopped taking his antipsychotic medication regularly and had an “episode” which led to him being admitted to Porirua Hospital.

Parr was described as a man who was “depressed and delusional”, thinking that his father was Satan. He was predicting the end of the world in the year 2000, and said he heard voices telling him to kill himself.

When his medication was reintroduced he began to deny psychotic symptoms.

On the day he was due to be discharged from hospital he seriously assaulted a police officer who was visiting the same ward.

Parr told a psychiatrist he didn’t believe he was to blame “because the constable had looked at him”.

He was then made a compulsory inpatient for six months under the Mental Health Act but nine days later on March 28 1996 was discharged by psychiatrist Linda Astor who hadn’t even seen him. Astor later fled the country and was unmasked as a bogus psychiatrist

Parr was not seen again by mental health services until 15 April 1997 after he was found semi-conscious in a carport at Maulolo’s property.

Three days later, Maulolo was found dead.

A jury found Parr not guilty by reason of insanity. A judge ordered he be detained in a special secure unit and not freed without the health minister’s authority.

A coroner later said Parr’s treatment had been seriously deficient.

Tina says her sister’s death was a “total failure of the system”.

Supplied

She says the family had concerns about the public’s safety should he ever be released.

“We had doubts. But we left that up to the authority to do what they were supposed to do with him. We were told they were supposed to inform us along the way, if he gets released and what will happen to him, but we never had any contact, nothing.”

The release

Tina says she contacted the hospital where Parr was detained more than 10 years after the killing. She says she was told he had been released to work with his uncle.

“To me at the time I thought, ‘well, heck…’ we were told that he should be in there for basically the rest of his life, and yet, they released him out to family… he can live happily with his family. And my nieces are going through life without their mother.”

To be released into the community after being designated a special patient, requires the sign off of the minister of health, the attorney general and the director of mental health. Parr was released back into the community in 2012. In 2021, his status was changed to being a patient under the Mental Health Act.

At the time of his second killing, he was subject to a Compulsory Treatment Order.

In the weeks leading up to his mother’s death, Parr’s mental health was “rapidly declining,” Justice Karen Grau said.

In May 2024, following an altercation between Parr and a relative he was admitted to a mental health facility.

He was released after about a week on 30 May. In the following days he became preoccupied with the loss of his car keys and was having difficulties with relationship he was in.

He was also using cannabis.

Then on 4 June 2024 he killed his mother, Heather Condon.

Following Condon’s death, two police officers visited Tina and told her Parr had killed his mother.

“They didn’t go into details or anything like that,” she says.

“I had no one to reach out to for more information.”

She says her initial reaction was: “oh my gosh, not again. Why was he let out?”.

‘History repeated itself’

Justice Karen Grau ruled that Parr was legally insane at the time he caused his mother’s death. He was detained in a hospital as a special patient under the Mental Health Act.

Due to suppression orders that prevented publication of both Parr and his mother’s names, Tina was unaware of the extent of what happened for almost two years.

RNZ earlier revealed the case, which had been shrouded in secrecy last year. On Monday, the suppression orders lapsed after the Supreme Court did not grant leave to appeal.

Over the weekend, Tina received a call from a detective who investigated her sister’s killing.

He told her that the suppression orders would be lapsing on Monday.

The detective then sent her a link to an RNZ article about the case which detailed the background.

Then, after suppression lapsed on Monday, she read more.

She says she’s “pissed off with the system”.

“History repeated itself,” she says.

“It’s just so bad … I feel like he killed two people and got away with murder, literally. They claim he’s mental, obviously they thought he was fine to release him out to the public, and then look at what happened.”

Tina says she holds the mental health system responsible for “innocent lives being lost due to their incompetence and neglect.”

“If the health system did the proper thing, and kept him inside then that would never happen to [Condon],” she says.

“How come they didn’t pick up on any signs if they know what they’re supposed to be looking for? They release him out, thinking that he’s all good … how come they can’t pick up different signs of someone that’s not well?”

Leslie Parr. Supplied

Tina says Fiona’s two daughters are also “angry” with what has happened.

“They just feel like he’s getting away with no accountability… no one is taking accountability for it.”

An external review of the care Parr received is being finalised.

Tina wants authorities to take action and adopt all recommendations the review finds.

“They can’t just say, ‘yeah, okay, we’re gonna do it’… they really need to show that they will do it, or someone needs to overlook it, that they are going to implement whatever those things are.”

Chief victims advisor Ruth Money said on Monday the case was “heartbreaking and preventable”.

When RNZ first revealed the case she called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into forensic mental health facilities.

On Monday she said she stood by those calls.

Tina doesn’t believe Parr should have ever been released.

“He shouldn’t be out again. But I wish he would be in prison, not in mental health.”

She says an apology from authorities would do little for the family.

“Nothing will change or bring Fiona back. Any apology at this stage we consider will achieve nothing.

“However, actions do speak louder than words. We wholeheartedly agree with chief victims advisor Ruth Money, that mandated recommendations to come out of this inquiry hopefully will provide greater safety for patients and communities and hopefully to restore trust in the mental health system.”

Tina becomes emotional when asked to describe the impact that Parr’s killings have had on her family.

“She’s missing out on her grandchildren…,” she begins before pausing.

“Her grandchildren are never going to meet their grandmother.”

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

Posted on

‘Deliberate’ police leaks to put him in ‘worst possible light’, McSkimming claims

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Mark Papalii

Disgraced former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming claimed leaking of information about police investigations into him had been “deliberate and well-informed” and was intended to “portray me in the worst possible light”.

The claims were made in an affidavit by McSkimming last year in support of an application for an interim injunction relating to the nature of the objectionable material found on his work devices.

The affidavit reveals how McSkimming found out about child sexual exploitation and bestiality being discovered on his devices, his brief resignation letter and the “overwhelming” effects of leaks about the investigation.

He also said his understanding that information about the police investigation was being tightly held, played a “significant role” in his decision to resign.

“I was conscious that the fewer people saw the reports, the lower was the risk of the information leaking to media.”

RNZ requested access to McSkimming’s affidavit last year and was granted access this week.

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

In the affidavit, McSkimming said he was suspended with full pay on 23 December 2024 while police investigated allegations made by a woman known to him. The woman, who has name suppression, was referred to as Ms Z in the Independent Police Conduct Authority’s scathing report into how police responded to her allegations of sexual offending.

“I denied and still deny those allegations,” McSkimming said in the affidavit.

“Details of police’s first investigation were swiftly leaked to media, and have been the subject of media coverage.”

The second police investigation

The affidavit included an email by Detective Superintendent Darryl Sweeney from 28 March last year informing McSkimming’s lawyer Michael Heron KC there was a “new investigation into additional potential criminal conduct”.

“This new investigation was initiated in December 2024, following alerts received by the Cyber Security Centre’s Insider Threat Programme (ITP) regarding activity associated with Mr McSkimming’s New Zealand Police issued computer laptop and/or police issued Apple iPhone.”

Sweeney said police were seeking further search warrants.

“In terms of clarity the data obtained to date is from New Zealand Police network cached data.”

Police digital forensic specialists were investigating a “significant number of explicit web searches” made by McSkimming over a period of about five years.

“These searches bypassed web proxy rules via cached Google images. For clarity, logging records show that Mr McSkimming’s username JMG700 was logged onto these devices, on the NZ Police network or remotely connected, often (from initial indications) in the workplace.

“The initial analysis indicated attempts by your client to access likely objectionable material in terms of the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993, including images involving borderline child exploitation, and bestiality.”

The Digital Forensics Unit in Christchurch was investigating the exact nature and scale of the searches.

“In terms of fairly informing your client, the scale and prevalence of the searches is considered ‘prolific’ over the five-year period.

“The analysis indicates that it is likely your client accessed actual objectionable imagery. Police will take such further steps as are considered appropriate. As part of the new criminal investigation, I will be in contact in due course with a request to interview your client with reference to the relevant material.”

Sweeney said the Public Service Commission (PSC) had been informed.

Heron replied on 1 April. He referred to “serious concerns” he had raised about the legality of police’s first warrant at McSkimming’s home.

“The warrant was unreasonably broad and, in a number of respects which I set out, its scope was too broad to be lawful.”

Heron requested information in relation to the second investigation.

He requested that police provide no further information to anyone beyond the investigation team “while the legality of the searches that have given rise to the launch of this second investigation remains a live issue between us”.

“Naturally, the subject of this latest investigation is sensitive. I am cognisant that details of the first investigation were leaked to the media.

“If Mr McSkimming’s privacy is breached in respect of this investigation, he reserves all rights to take action against the person or persons involved in the breach.”

In response to Heron’s questions about police protocols or policies regarding searches of electronic devices, Sweeney wrote: “I expect your client, as chief security officer, is familiar with the relevant policies and protocols…”.

However, he sent a copy of the police instructions on information security.

Sweeney said McSkimming’s devices were yet to be searched. The data obtained was from the police systems/network.

He said police policies made it clear the personal use of police systems was “a privilege conducted at the user’s own risk and may be logged and monitored”.

He declined to give Heron’s requested assurance which he said was “proposed in very wide terms”.

“I assure you, however, that I am mindful of the sensitive nature of the subject matter and of police obligations to act lawfully and with proper purpose.”

Ms Z allegations ‘false and motivated by a desire for revenge’

McSkimming’s affidavit mentions Heron was approached by RNZ on 6 May, who “disclosed correctly the general nature of the second investigation and that it related to material allegedly found on my work devices”.

The following day Heron wrote to Sweeney. He said it was “obvious” the complaints made by Ms Z were “false and motivated by a desire for revenge”.

“It will be clear from your investigation (including from witnesses provided by Mr McSkimming) that [Ms Z] has no credibility behind her allegations. What occurred between them was always consensual and [Ms Z] has conceded that on many occasions. Accordingly, I have advised Mr McSkimming not to attend an interview with you as there could be no credible allegation to answer.”

In relation to the second investigation, McSkimming wished to cooperate with police.

“My advice to him is that until the [Ms Z] allegations and investigation are resolved, he ought not be interviewed by you on the other investigation.”

Heron referenced the contact from RNZ.

“The source of that could only have come from NZ Police (directly or indirectly). I am sure you will agree that is deeply troubling. I would be grateful if you could ensure that this does not happen again (and I reserve the ability to take steps in respect to this breach).”

On 9 May, the Deputy Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott wrote to McSkimming’s lawyers about his fitness to remain in office.

The email included an executive summary of a forensic report by police’s cyber security manager.

“This Confidential Police Report was the first information provided to me that described how police had searched any of my devices,” McSkimming said.

Also attached was a pre-submission classification from the Deputy Chief Censor.

“The information received from police indicates that you have used your work devices to access pornographic material and that that access includes searches for and access to images involving child exploitation and bestiality. The information received indicates that there has been extensive use of your devices for these purposes, and that searches for this material date back to July 2020,” Baggott said.

Baggott said the information received called into “serious question” McSkimming’s fitness to remain as Deputy Police Commissioner.

“In coming to the preliminary view expressed above we have put to one side any question of whether the activity reported to us by Police constitutes criminal offending.

“That is because we view the information we have received as sufficiently concerning in itself to give rise to serious questions as to whether you should retain your position, irrespective of whether it constitutes criminal activity.”

Baggott said the Public Service Commission had briefed Police Minister Mark Mitchell, who agreed with its recommendation to start a process to consider McSkimming’s removal from office.

The commission sought McSkimming’s submissions on the matters raised in the letter.

Those comments, along with PSC’s advice, would then be provided to Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, the Solicitor-General, Mitchell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Luxon would then consider whether to recommend to the Governor-General that he should be removed from office.

Baggott requested he make his submission by 13 May.

The resignation

The following working day, shortly before 8am on 12 May, McSkimming sent an email from he and his wife’s joint email address to Baggott, cc’ing in Chambers. The title of the email was “Jevon McSkimming resignation”.

“Dear Heather, This letter is formal notice of my resignation from my statutory role in New Zealand Police effective immediately”.

In his affidavit, McSkimming said he was told via his lawyer that the confidential information was being “tightly held” with only police investigators, the PSC and Mitchell having knowledge of the contents of the police report and pre-submission classification.

“This played a significant role in my decision to resign on the next working day, 12 May 2025. I was conscious that the fewer people saw the reports, the lower was the risk of the information leaking to media.

“I thought that by resigning quickly, with immediate effect, it would not be necessary for the Minister of Police, for example, to see the full reports. Nor would it be necessary for the Prime Minister to be provided with the information since neither would be required to make any decision about my removal. As a statutory officer my removal requires the Governor-General to act, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.”

McSkimming said later that day Mitchell issued a statement which identified “allegations of a very serious nature recently came to light separate to the investigation that led to him being suspended”.

McSkimming said since then he had been “subject of intense media attention”, with reporters coming to his family home and his wife’s church.

The following day RNZ reported that pornography found on McSkimming’s work devices was being investigated as alleged objectionable material.

“The leaking of information about each stage of the police’s investigation into my conduct has been deliberate and well-informed. It is designed to portray me in the worst possible light, even before (or even if) criminal charges are laid,” McSkimming said.

‘Confidentiality has been repeatedly breached’

On 16 May, McSkimming was granted a rare “superinjunction” by Justice Karen Grau that prohibited reporting that disclosed the nature of the allegedly objectionable material, as well as the existence of the injunction itself.

In support of the interim injunction, McSkimming said in his affidavit that the effects of the leaks about the investigation had been “overwhelming”.

“As a former police officer I understand the investigation process and the importance of ensuring the confidentiality of any information prior to charges being laid, and then prior to a court hearing. In my case, confidentiality has been repeatedly breached but the latest breaches are the most damaging.”

He said if he was charged, he wanted to be certain he would get a fair trial. He also wanted the option of considering an application for suppression orders.

“In my current situation, with so little information available to me and the police investigation on-going, I am entitled to have all legal options available to me. The publication of any further information about the nature of the allegedly objectionable material purportedly found on my devices will undermine any applications I may be advised to file in future.”

Justice Grau later dismissed his application to prevent the media from reporting that child sexual exploitation and bestiality material had allegedly been found on his work devices.

He pleaded guilty in November to three representative charges of possessing objectionable publications, namely child sexual exploitation and bestiality material and was sentenced to nine months home detention.

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