Category: Radio New Zealand

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In-form Breakers target top four at NBL mid-point

Source: Radio New Zealand

Breakers forward Sam Mennenga aims for the basket. Photosport

At the halfway point in their Australian NBL season, the NZ Breakers have turned around a shaky start to be in the play-offs picture.

After losing four games to start the season, and seven of their first nine, the new-look Breakers struggled to keep pace with the competition.

The Breakers still have a losing record – seven wins, 10 losses – but are on their longest winning streak of the season with three victories across the last two rounds.

Sitting in sixth on the ladder, the Breakers are currently holding the final spot for the end of season play-in tournament. But a lot can happen over their remaining 16 regular season games.

Import guard Izaiah Brockington has now found his rhythm in his first season in the NBL. The 26-year-old said he felt more comfortable and confident four months in and was in the best physical shape he had been “in some years”.

Brockington believed the team chemistry off the court was now on show on the court and where each player fit in the team jigsaw was clearer.

“I feel like we play better when I’m aggressive and when I’m another player that the defence has to worry about. We got Parker [Jackson-Cartwright] out there drawing so much attention, Sam [Mennenga] who is playing great down low, so I’m just going out there and making us really hard to nail down because we have so many options.”

The former G League player said “vibes were high” during the winning run but he warned that they could not let that turn into “complacency”.

“We’re only at the halfway point of the season and we’re only just barely in the play-offs so just not being satisfied with having a couple of wins under our belt, really coming for those top four teams,” Brockington said.

Brockington felt the Breakers did not get the credit they deserved across the Tasman.

“If guys want to come out lackadaisical against us in the beginning we’ll just jump on them and show them why they shouldn’t.”

On Saturday, the Breakers are away to another of the in-form teams of the competition, South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The Phoenix had the opposite win-loss record to the Breakers with 10 wins and six losses so far and were among the leading teams in both in offence and defensive statistics.

Coach Petteri Koponen said the Breakers’ stats were also worth taking note of.

“The last 13 games we have been one of the best defences in the league and that’s the key,” Koponen said.

“Especially how we want to play, when we get stops we get to the open court and we can be dangerous and we need to keep taking pride in that.”

Izaiah Brockington of the Breakers LUKAS COCH/PHOTOSPORT

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While the Breakers struggled offensively early in the season Koponen, a former shooting guard, believed the team needed to keep shooting.

“First part of the season we didn’t shoot the ball really well and in our last games we were able to make some threes which obviously helps in this game when you can put the ball in the hoop.

“We keep working, we keep grinding and we know it’s a long way to go but we’ve been competitive a long time and now I’m just happy we were able to take those wins and we try to keep building on that.”

Koponen had noted “sloppy” behaviour earlier in the season and after a couple days off he saw hints of it again so had urged the players to keep the right mindset.

“We can’t afford that, we have to have the same mentality every time we step on the floor and we can’t lose that and I think the last games we found that and we can’t fool ourselves that we are better than we are.

“Every game from now on is so important and the league is so tight we can’t lose our focus.”

Coming into a run of away games during the festive period, which meant the Breakers would not be playing at home again until the new year, a focus on the “boring stuff” would be important if the Breakers were to continue “stacking up the wins”.

Someone who had plenty of experience playing for the Breakers while the rest of the country was in holiday mode was former captain Tom Abercrombie.

Abercrombie, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 season after a 16-year professional career with the club, had his No.10 playing singlet retired by the Breakers at practice on Thursday.

The Auckland native is still involved with the club behind the scenes and he gave the current playing group a pep talk about the commitment needed at this time of year and how during a time when it was easy to be distracted by festivities that it separated the players that really wanted success.

Breakers captain Reuben Te Rangi would have the potential added distraction of a new baby boy this Christmas after his partner gave birth to their second child this month.

“It’s going to be tough, my partner’s family is going to be over as well so it’ll be all hands on deck. It’s always hard going away but I’ve done it so often that it doesn’t really feel like Christmas.”

After the Phoenix, the Breakers play in Cairns on 19 December, Brisbane on 22 December and Tasmania on Boxing Day.

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Businesses on busy road suffering as shops barricaded by roadworks for a year

Source: Radio New Zealand

Barriers surround the front of Avi’s Pies and Patisserie which the owner says has severely impacted business. RNZ / Evie Richardson

Behind a sea of road cones, diggers and traffic chaos, businesses on a busy Auckland road are crying out for help.

Shop owners in Grey Lynn say they have been struggling to stay afloat since a year-long roadwork project began on Great North Road in January.

With access often cut off and shops hidden from view, one business is surviving off loans, while another said times are the toughest they have been in 23 years, including during Covid.

High metal fences surround the frontage of Avi’s Pies and Patisserie.

It is part of the Great North Road Improvement Projects, aimed at making the busy road more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.

Despite the project’s end date being set for later this month, one morning this week a digger sat unmanned, the road was quiet and the work looked far from complete.

The bakery’s owner, Raj Singh, said it has been this way for months now.

Owner of Avi’s Pies and Patisserie Raj Singh says his business has been impacted so badly that he’s surviving off loans. RNZ / Evie Richardson

“The foot traffic has dropped down, people can’t see if we are open or closed because of the machines in front of our shop, barriers, everything.”

Since the roadworks appeared in front of his shop in October, he said sales have dropped by around 40 percent.

Since everything is baked fresh on site, if product isn’t sold it can’t be kept, meaning most days he finds himself throwing out countless pies.

He has even had to take out multiple loans in order to pay rent on the shop after being denied compensation by Auckland Transport.

“When the sale is not going it’s hard to pay staff, and for me I’m not taking any salary because when I earn some money, I just buy the food for my bakery and make it.”

Singh said Auckland Transport has told him works will done by Christmas, but after multiple delays he does not feel confident.

“I took the loan because I was thinking for two months, I can survive with no one helping me, they will be gone, nearby Christmas, before Christmas, but they’re not so now I have to keep asking the loan company can you help me a little bit more so I can survive for another two months.”

Fences and cones have been a feature outside Avi’s Pies and Patisserie for months now. RNZ / Evie Richardson

The last thing Singh wants to do is close the doors on his dream business that he only opened last year, but he fears if things don’t wrap up soon, it could come to that.

“Maybe I will close the business then, because it’s a financial hardship, I already took so many loans for surviving, now I don’t know how it will go because I asked the council, I asked AT, I asked the landlord for compensation to help me for a couple of months until the roadworks are gone.”

Down the road, Steven Joeng from the Newton Fish and Chippery is also feeling the pinch.

The roadworks have been constant outside his shop since June.

“The last two or three months business has been so so bad. Especially during lunchtime, I think I’m losing business by 50 to 60 percent.”

Earlier in the year high fences surrounded his shop, completely blocking it from view.

“I’ve been here for 23 years and it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened. Covid is not that bad, this is worse than Covid in terms of the business, in terms of the sales.”

Owner of Alloy Wheel Repair Ashley Ghillam can’t count how much money the business has lost as a result of the roadworks. RNZ / Evie Richardson

Joeng is frustrated at the slow progress of the project and said many businesses on the street have reached out to Auckland Transport in hopes of a helping hand.

“We emailed Auckland Transport to see whether we can get some compensation, even a little bit to cover the loss, and their feedback to us is that this is not their responsibility. Their responsibility is to look after the road so it’s safe for everyone, I said this is not the case, safe or not safe, this is a case of I’m losing so much business because of this project.”

Across the road from the chippy, the owner of Alloy Wheel Repair, Ashley Ghillam said he was forced to close his business for a week while work was done in front of their driveway.

“It has certainly affected the business with people not being able to access the business, half the time they couldn’t even get into King St. I don’t know what it has cost us, but it’s definitely had an impact on the business, and on staff. The yard was out of action for a week, so there’s a week’s rent gone, about $1700.”

No compensation was offered by Auckland Transport to cover the losses.

Owner of Charlie Boys Coffee Company Nick Meng says the roadworks have been a disaster for business. RNZ / Evie Richardson

Further up the road, owner of Charlie Boys Coffee, Nick Meng said if it hadn’t been for a loyal group of regulars, his business would have struggled to pull through.

The roadworks first popped up outside Meng’s café in March, and for two months a high fence completely blocked the café from view.

“It was disaster, there were no people all day,”

Like many other businesses, Meng is frustrated by the lack of parking available during the construction.

He said this cut out an entire portion of their customer base.

“The reason we survived is because this a long running café, it’s been here for 15 years… because the regulars support us we can survive.”

The Newton Fish and Chippery has seen up to a 60 percent drop in business since construction began outside the shop in June. RNZ / Evie Richardson

He said they were told work would occur on their section of the road for two months, but nine months later, cones are still scattered outside the storefront.

In a statement, Auckland Transport said construction has been ongoing since January and they plan to have the road resurfacing done by 19 December, however work may be delayed by bad weather.

They said everything possible is being done to maintain access to businesses, including allowing parking in areas where we are not working directly outside of, and providing information about the project and who to contact with any issues they have.

Work is now taking place overnight to allow for more extensive road closures.

Given the agency provided the necessary communications prior to and during construction, AT said there is no justified claim for compensation.

Mayor Wayne Brown, who has frequently decried the excessive use of road cones and lane closures in the city, was unavailable to comment.

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Proposal to remove mana whenua voice at Napier City Council fails

Source: Radio New Zealand

Napier City Council. RNZ / Tom Kitchin

A proposal from new Napier Mayor Richard McGrath to remove mana whenua voices and voting rights in the council’s standing committees for the next council term has failed.

It was an at times tense council meeting, with a packed public gallery, including members of local iwi Ngāti Kahungunu.

During the last triennium, there were two Nga Mānukanuka o te iwi representatives – representing a mana whenua voice – on each of the council’s four standing committees, under McGrath’s proposal those two representatives would be removed..

Councillor Graeme Taylor asked what is the fundamental reason for making the change from the previous triennium.

“For me it comes down to… having elected members who have sworn an oath to the city of Napier and to uphold the Local Government Act. As a rule we attend all the workshops, all the pre work, the induction process,” McGrath replied.

McGrath said it was a new committee structure that was being appointed rather than anyone being removed.

Deputy Mayor Sally Crown also questioned the proposal, saying the issue was one of partnership which means valuing the knowledge of councillors and mana whenua equally.

“So what the proposal in my mind today is, it’s a demonstration of gross misjudgement and disrespect not of just our mana whenua but also of our elected members a key part of leadership is to bring people along with you and I’ve heard from elected members that they themselves have been blindsided by the proposal that was presented.”

Councillor Shyann Raihania asked for an amendment to the proposal, which included Ngā Mānukanuka o te Iwi appointments remaining on all standing committees as specialist, voting members with full speaking rights.

She also requested the Mayor to engage with Ngā Mānukanuka o te Iwi members as mandated mana whenua representatives and return with a revised Terms of Reference, including options analysis and legal advice.

McGrath said he would speak against the amendment raised by Raihania.

“While I understand the partnership and representation side of things Māori will still have many opportunities throughout our council,” he said.

He was then interrupted by a someone in the crowd, who asked “What are you afraid of?”

“It’s nothing to do with afraid,” McGrath replied.

The amended proposal was put to a vote and passed with six votes in support and four against, with two abstentions.

When the result of the vote was announced there was applause from the gallery, which then broke into a rendition of Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi.

Napier City Council Voting Tally

For: Whare Isaac-Sharland, Sally Crown, Keith Price, Ronda Chrystal, Shyann Raihania and Graeme Taylor.

Against: Craig Morley, Nigel Simpson, Richard McGrath and Roger Brownlie.

Abstained: Te Kira Lawrence and Greg Mawson.

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Coalition strains over stewardship land shake-up

Source: Radio New Zealand

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka. RNZ / Mark Papalii

The Conservation Minister has re-classified swathes of stewardship land on the West Coast of the South Island.

Tama Potaka is making some of the changes through an ‘order in council’ process that legitimately circumvents Cabinet sign off.

New Zealand First’s deputy leader Shane Jones conceded Potaka holds the power to do so, though he disagrees with the decision.

“We are a pro-extractive, pro-mining, pro-development, pro-jobs party,” Jones told RNZ.

Stewardship land is public conservation land that has not yet had its natural and historic values assessed.

Potaka outlined how 80 percent of the West Coast’s land would be treated.

Key changes include:

  • Six proposals referred to the New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA) to consider the suitability of adding 4298 hectares of land to existing national parks.
  • 63 proposals for disposal investigations, covering up to 3352 hectares of land.
  • 151 proposals for protection under the Reserves Act covering 192,973 hectares of land, including historic and scenic reserves.
  • 157 proposals for protection under the Conservation Act, including increased clarity through classification as conservation parks, and additional protections for ecological areas.

Potaka said the changes were the most significant reclassification since DOC’s inception in 1987.

“The vast majority of areas will finally have the accurate classification as they deserve, reflecting their conservation and cultural values.

“Existing rights on stewardship land – such as concessions for tourism activities, mining, and grazing licences, for example – can continue.

“Reclassifying this land will deliver more certainty on land use options for our tourism, farming, mining and hunting sectors. New concessions will be easier to obtain.”

Potaka said the new classifications would provide certainty and clarity for those operating on these areas.

“I am particularly excited about the creation of the 181,000ha Tarahanga e Toru Historic Reserve, which recognises the significance of the area for Poutini Ngāi Tahu, alongside protecting the extensive natural and recreational values.

“The reserve does not result in a change in ownership, decision making, or joint management and public access remains the same.”

New Zealand First’s deputy leader Shane Jones. RNZ / Mark Papalii

New Zealand First wants ‘unfettered development’ – Shane Jones

Jones said New Zealand First had a long standing remit that a lot of stewardship land should be taken off the Department for Conservation and “opened up for unfettered development.”

“It was only shoved in DOC in 1987 because people were too lazy back there to find a better home for it.

“Obviously we’re pro-mining, pro-extraction and this decision never went through Cabinet so it’s fair to say that it’s not aligned with the party stance on stewardship land.”

However, Jones acknowledged Potaka was entitled to make the changes.

“Technically speaking, I’m advised that Tama has the total authority under the DOC Act. As you know, I don’t like DOC, and I’ve been invited to take these more fundamental concerns to the next election.

“I accept you can’t get your way every time, but know this from me, we are a pro-extractive, pro-mining, pro-development, pro-jobs party.”

On some of the land going to iwi control, Jones said Parliament was not the place to speak to his concerns in this area.

“I understand Ngāi Tahu would like to expand their footprint and that’s rational and I don’t want to get into a war of words with Ngāi Tahu. I like to leave that kōrero to the marae, but I do feel that DOC is taking far too long to issue concessions and entitlements and rights and we need to grow the economy.”

ACT leader David Seymour said the government had to work within the reality of the Ngāi Tahu settlement that did provide for some claim on the divestment of public land.

“We’ve supported a wider deal that allows a lot more activity. I think that’s a good thing. If it also comes with transfer to iwi, we’ve had a history of treaty settlements for a long time.

“Sometimes some public land goes to Māori, probably not the way I would do it if I could start New Zealand 180 years ago but it’s where we are.”

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Christmas comes early for fans of speed reductions

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some 80km/h sections are being reduced to 50km/h for Christmas. RNZ / Peter de Graaf

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is pumping the brakes and reducing speed limits on several sections of a popular holiday route in time for Christmas.

Four sections of State Highway 25 will drop to 50km/h from 80 or 70km/h.

Waka Kotahi said there were 982 submissions on the speed review in the Coromandel region, and the majority saw benefits in lowering the speed limits.

It said the new speed limits will kick in ahead of the summer holiday peak.

Almost two kilometres of SH25 between Thames and Tararu is going down to 50km/h. Linda Davidson owned a bed and breakfast on that stretch, and told Checkpoint the current speed limit of 70km/h created noise issues.

“It’s too loud for us. The roads along here, because they’re old miners’ cottages, they’re really close to the road… when cars are going past at 70km/h, it’s just outrageous.

“It’s so loud that if it was a party, it would be shut down.”

Despite her B&B having double glazing, she said there were still problems.

“In peak times particularly, people complain about the noise.”

Davidson said the noise got so bad in busy periods she had to close the B&B between Christmas and New Year’s.

She said after seeing multiple accidents and many close calls, she was confident the reduction would make a significant difference.

“There’s a big reserve across the road from us and it’s really popular, when people are coming out of there it’s really unsafe, people come around the corner and hit people coming out of the reserve.”

“It means that we can open up our windows in summer, easy to get in and out of our properties and safer on the road for everyone.”

Davidson said she felt great about the change and hoped it would help keep the “gobsmackingly beautiful” area safe for residents and visitors.

Three other 1km stretches of SH25 will also have speed limits reduced.

Two sections of road near Kūaotunu will drop to 50km/h from 70km/h. A 1km stretch at Wharekaho from near Leah Road to near Harbour Lights Terrace will also be reduced from 80km/h down to 50km/h.

A section of State Highway 1 near Lake Taupō was also getting a speed reduction – a short section of road either side of Motutere Holiday park dropping from 100km/h to 50km/h.

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Do the All Blacks need more coaches, or less?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Analysis – Even in the increasingly chaotic environment of rugby coaching, the news that Jason Holland has returned to the Hurricanes feels odd. Holland was the head coach in Wellington from 2020-23, before leaving to take up an assistant coach role with the All Blacks. His departure from Scott Robertson’s set up sees him back at the Hurricanes, albeit in an office down the hall as Clark Laidlaw is the head coach now.

  • The one thing everyone’s missing in the All Blacks coaching situation
  • Explainer: what the World Cup draw means for the All Blacks
  • NZ Rugby boss calls on government to use the sport for international investment
  • All Blacks: What will the end of season review reveal?

    • It said a bit that not only Holland, but Leon MacDonald gave up head coaching roles to be All Black assistant roles. They’re not alone either, John Plumtree followed the same route as Holland out of the Hurricanes to an ultimately unsuccessful stint in Ian Foster’s set up, and while Foster himself is probably the best example of someone going from helming a Super Rugby side into an assistant coaching job with the All Blacks, the history of those making that transition isn’t great.

    Jason Holland Photosport

    Because really, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from an employment point of view. Despite Holland’s well-earned reputation as an easy going personality, he went from being the loudest voice in the room to one who had to wait for his turn to speak. Just how the dynamic will work between Holland and Laidlaw will be interesting, but right now the Hurricanes have bigger issues to worry about off the field.

    The wider dynamic is worth having a look at too, because there is no certainty Holland will be replaced in the All Blacks or simply folded into the other coaches’ responsibilities. It’s understood that Robertson is looking at candidates, but one of the main issues in the job market right now is just who is available.

    Then, now and comparing coaching set ups

    Scott Robertson and Rassie Erasmus. ActionPress

    That’s because an awful lot of the people that may well be All Black assistant coaches are already employed. One of Robertson’s great strengths during his time at the Crusaders was the ability to assemble heavyweight coaching groups, to which he’d delegate the day to day running of the team, but that was Super Rugby.

    Test rugby isn’t an environment for staff to learn on the job, so Robertson needs proven performers at test level like other teams have assembled and probably more than what he’s got right now. The common historical perception among New Zealand rugby followers is that too many cooks spoil the broth, but one look at the All Blacks’ main opponents reveals a completely different story.

    Rassie Erasmus currently has eight coaches on his staff, including Tony Brown, and it’s strongly rumoured that Jacques Nienaber will rejoin the Springboks sometime before the next World Cup.

    England have eight coaches as well, with the most notable development lately being former rugby league great Kevin Sinfield focusing on individual skills and the kicking group. Really that’s a role Robertson should be looking to add to his group, especially since both of the aforementioned teams are picking players out of kick-heavy domestic competitions.

    Closing the gap

    Will Jordan competes for the ball with Tane Edmed. Daniel Carson/Photosport NZ

    The addition of a dedicated skills coach would very much help close the gap in an area that has become a somewhat problematic one for the All Blacks. Super Rugby Pacific’s incentivisation for the running game has been fantastic for the competition as a product and long may it continue, but it does come at the cost developing kicking and high ball skills.

    That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, with the business end of this year’s competition seeing a big change in approach, culminating in a tense but ironically dour final. But this is more about exposure and repetition of those core skills overall, given that the average young outside back coming through the New Zealand school, club and domestic system would’ve fielded far less bombs than his South African or English counterpart.

    There’s a conversation to be had about coaching philosophy in general around the country, but the pressing concern is for that gap to be closed, and this is a situation where the job market is a bit richer. Rugby isn’t the only sport that deals in high kicks and skills related to it, so potentially Robertson can look across the Tasman and find someone in the NRL or AFL.

    It’s that sort of compromise that needs to be reached, especially since part of Robertson’s appointment in the first place was his ability to bring what he needed to his staff and work on overall strategy. That second part is what he’s certainly been trying to do with the All Blacks, but it only works if he gets the first part right and the team is winning.

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    Weather: Large hail, torrential rain forecast as thunderstorm warning issued for South Island

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Hail at Dunedin Airport. Supplied

    Thunderstorms are forecast to bring torrential rain and large hail to the South Island.

    MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Otago on Thursday afternoon.

    The forecasting agency said the thunderstorms are moving quickly towards the east, and could be accompanied by torrential rain and large hail.

    It warned torrential rain could cause surface or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous.

    “Large hail can cause significant damage to crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles, and make driving conditions hazardous,” it said.

    Pictures from Dunedin Airport showed the tarmac was blanketed in hail.

    Hail at Dunedin Airport. Supplied

    A storm watch is also in place for the Canterbury Plains, Canterbury High Country, North Otago, and Clutha until 10pm on Thursday. As well as up north for, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupō, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.

    It comes after much of the country experienced sweltering heat over the weekend, with temperatures in the high 20s or even early 30s.

    MetService said on Thursday there was a reprieve from the heat on the way, with temperatures across the country heading back down towards normal.

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    Hawke’s Bay community moves to highest level of water restrictions

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    123rf.com

    The Central Hawke’s Bay beach community of Kairakau has just been put under the highest level of water restrictions.

    Central Hawke’s Bay District Council chief executive Doug Tate said it wasn’t a decision they made lightly.

    “It became a necessary move due to the inability to extract enough water from the bore and the spring – the water sources for Kairakau.”

    He said due to the lack of water, the bore is only able to draw approximately a tenth of its consented take and, at this rate, it would take almost three days to refill the reservoir.

    The council is investigating whether there are any other underlying causes, but suspects the current dry conditions are the main problem.

    “We’re having to use tankers to maintain the supply, until the issue is resolved. That’s why we’re having to take such urgent action and implement Level 4 restrictions. We need everyone to work together to reduce water use and share the message in Kairakau,” Tate said.

    The Hawke’s Bay region has been sweltering under 34 degree temperatures this week, and some areas have had just half the average rainfall for this time of the year.

    The council is asking Kairakau residents to:

    • ONLY use water outside for emergencies – no washing boats, cars, houses etc
    • If you have a pool, don’t top it up.
    • Conserve water wherever you can.
    • Don’t use your dishwasher. Wash your dishes by hand and use that water elsewhere.
    • Limit how much you use your washing machine.
    • Don’t rush to flush the toilet – if it’s yellow, let it mellow.
    • Limit your showers to two minutes only.
    • Check out water saving tips for other ways that you can save water.

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    NZX ends year ahead of where it began

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    Top picks for the year included Sanford, A2 Milk, dairy co-operative Fonterra and apple and pet food exporter Scales. RNZ / Angus Dreaver

    The New Zealand Exchange Top 50 Index is ending the year slightly stronger than where it started, with a few out-performers more than offsetting weakness in others.

    Harbour Asset Management portfolio manager Shane Solley’s top picks for the year included seafood company Sanford, speciality milk company A2 Milk, the dairy co-operative Fonterra and the apple and pet food exporter Scales.

    “Over the year, certainly the New Zealand share market performance has improved,” Solley said.

    “People are seeing the market is getting this earnings recovery, but we will want to see confirmation, and so a lot of investors will be watching for the December period results that should come through in February, just to confirm that momentum.”

    Generate investment specialist Greg Smith said the dairy sector had been particularly strong, with A2Milk’s share price up about 60 percent and Fonterra’s 40 percent, while Fletcher Building rose 25 percent, despite having had a difficult time over the past few years.

    “It’s had its fair share of problems in recent years, but investors seem to be seeing some light there on a number of fronts and also the fact that it is a name that should benefit as the economy turns around.”

    He said an easing in interest rates, as well as a notable increase in building consents.

    “Could make for a much better 2026 for Fletchers and others in that sector.”

    Solley said the second half of the calendar year had seen some big swings in the economy, as large cuts to the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate helped improve the outlook for a number of businesses.

    “But really that first half of the year, we were rolling through negative earnings downgrades, and so that’s been a real battle for the market. If I look over the full year, there’s a couple of themes that come through.

    “The share prices that have done better are Tower and Turner’s Auctions, with really strong franchises that could deal with that slower economy.

    “Businesses like Fonterra, Sanford, A2Milk, Scales – great businesses run by people who are really focused on improving returns.

    “We’ve also had some really strong infrastructure franchises with purchasing power. Channel Infrastructure, Napier Port – they have got some great growth opportunities, so the markets rewarded them.

    “And then finally, over the full-year period, we’ve seen Tourism Holdings, for example, with merger and acquisition activity.

    “But we’ve actually seen some of these domestic improvement names start to come back up the list of the best performers over the last six months – Oceania, Heartland Group, Freightways, Sky TV – and the market has rewarded that.”

    Solley said a number of companies with exposure to the domestic economy have had a tough time, but so have technology companies such as Gentrack and Vista, and some big names, including Meridian, Spark, SkyCity, EBOS and Meridian Energy.

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

    Posted on

    Waikato trio accused of copper thefts

    Source: Radio New Zealand

    In recent years there have been reports of copper being stolen. Supplied

    Three people have been arrested following an investigation into ongoing thefts of copper.

    They were arrested after raids in rural Gordonton and Cambridge, Waikato. Two were women, aged 37 and 50, and a 44-year-old man.

    They will appear in Hamilton District Court next week, charged with burglary.

    Police said they became aware of a commercial property in Frankton, Hamilton, which had been repeatedly targeted by thieves.

    An investigation found 200kg of it had been on-sold in Auckland.

    “This investigation highlighted the importance of quality, multi-layered security systems on commercial premises including CCTV, alarm systems and outer perimeter measures,” police said in a statement.

    In recent years there have been reports of copper being stolen from power poles, rail bridges and a hospital.

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