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Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti: A year on from one of Aotearoa’s largest protest movement

Source: Radio New Zealand

Scenes from Day 3 of Hikoi mō Te Tiriti in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

One year ago, a dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua marked the beginning of Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti – a nationwide march opposing the Treaty Principles Bill and government policies impacting Māori.

Organisers framed it as more than an activation, calling it a step “towards our own liberation as a people” and a reminder of tino rangatiratanga.

The ACT Party’s Treaty Principles Bill was a key driver of the hīkoi, with organisers hoping to reach Parliament for its first reading.

The Waitangi Tribunal’s interim report said the government breached its Treaty obligations in developing the Bill, warning it could advance assimilation and undermine Māori as tangata whenua. The legislation was introduced shortly after, earlier than expected.

Across nine days, thousands walked, sang waiata and carried the colours of tino rangatiratanga across the motu, united in a call to protect Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

On the final day alone, an estimated 100,000 people filled the streets of Wellington, arriving on Parliament’s doorstep.

While the hīkoi was massive nationwide, its impact was global – captivating audiences around the world.

These are some of the faces and moments that defined that haerenga (journey).

Marchers in the hīkoi gather before dawn at Cape Rēinga. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

From the mist-covered peaks of Te Rerenga Wairua

A mist-covered dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) on 11 November marked the beginning of the hīkoi to Parliament.

Hundreds were welcomed onto Pōtahi Marae in Te Kao the night before, some travelling from as far as Waikato.

Speaking at the pōwhiri, Hone Harawira celebrated the wave of new, young leaders taking the helm of the protest movement, calling them the “sunrise generation”.

Riders in the mist at Cape Rēinga. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Hīkoi leader Eru Kapa-Kingi addresses the crowd in the early morning mist at Cape Rēinga. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

The next stop was Kaitaia, where thousands marched through the town’s main centre. Supporters lined the streets with flags, and local cafes offered free water and coffee. The sound of waiata and chants echoed across the town.

From there, the hīkoi travelled to Kawakawa and on to Whangārei, where hundreds were welcomed at Kaka Porowini Marae after covering around 280 kilometres.

Marchers carry a banner down Kaitāia’s Commerce Street. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Tahlia, 10, has made sure she’s got the best view as the hikoi arrives in Kawakawa. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Children from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Taumarere line the main street in Moerewa. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

On day two, thousands gathered at Laurie Hill Park in Whangārei, where rangatira acknowledged the scale of support and significance of the kaupapa.

The hīkoi then made its way to Dargaville, where manawhenua Ngāti Whātua, Te Roroa and Te Uri o Hau welcomed marchers. Hundreds filled Selwyn Park for waiata and kanikani, ready to activate.

The ordinarily quiet streets of the small town heard waiata and haka echo through them as the hīkoi made its way through the main centre.

Residents could be seen peeking through windows to watch the hīkoi pass, with locals leaving their workplaces to see the march.

The group later visited the Kaipara District Council to deliver a statement of support for former Māori ward councillor Pera Paniora, whose seat was disestablished by the council after changes to the Local Government Act.

A young kōtiro gets a better view of the crowd making its way down the road. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Young kaihoe usher the hīkoi through the street. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The hīkoi passes through Dargaville, Tuesday, 12 November 2024. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The hīkoi at the Kaipara District Council building. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Auckland’s Harbour Bridge sways

On day three, the hīkoi crossed Auckland’s Harbour Bridge under a sea of tino rangatiratanga flags.

Led by kaihaka, tamariki and kaikaranga, the bridge shook beneath thousands performing waiata and haka – a sight reminiscent of the 1975 Land March and the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed protest.

Kaumātua Herbert Manupiri, the son of a 28th Māori Batallion, reflected on that legacy, saying it was vital for young people to carry it forward.

“It has to come through our young people,” he told RNZ. “Our old people have to teach them.”

After stops at Takaparawhau (Bastion Point) and Ihumātao to acknowledge past struggles over Māori land, the hīkoi reached Huntly, where they were welcomed by mana whenua.

Trees were planted at Ihumātao, and organisers reaffirmed their call for kotahitanga before moving on to Rangiriri Pā – the site of a major Waikato War battle.

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

A participant in Hikoi mō Te Tiriti stands near State Highway One before the group crosses the Habour Bridge holding the United Tribes of New Zeland flag. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi leads the hīkoi over Auckland’s Harbour Bridge. RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

Crowds await hīkoi at Ihumātao. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The following morning, the hīkoi entered Hamilton, where thousands gathered in Garden Place.

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke welcomed the crowd, shifting the chant from “Ka whawhai tonu mātou” (we will fight on) to “Ka ora tonu mātou” (we will live on).

Organiser Eru Kapa-Kingi told the crowd the hīkoi was not about politicians in Wellington but about “standing up for future generations of Māori”.

Up to 6000 people filled Hamilton’s streets, with locals crowding balconies and side streets to watch. Waiata filled the air, kai was shared, and tamariki from Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa joined in support.

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

The hīkoi fills Hamilton’s Victoria Street as it makes its way to Garden Place. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

Haka in the streets and in Parliament

That same day, the Treaty Principles Bill had its first reading in Parliament.

The debate grew heated. Labour’s Willie Jackson was ejected after refusing to withdraw comments accusing ACT leader David Seymour of “rewriting the Treaty” and being a “liar”. Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick urged National MPs to “listen to their conscience”.

When the final votes were called, Maipi-Clarke stood and interupted, leading the haka Ka Mate – a moment that shook a nation. Speaker Gerry Brownlee later ruled her actions “grossly disorderly”, suspending her from Parliament for 24 hours.

Despite opposition from Te Pāti Māori, the Greens and Labour, the Bill passed its first reading and went to the Justice Select Committee.

Te Pāti Māori’s Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke interrupted the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill’s first reading with a haka taken up by members of the opposition and people in the public gallery. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipa-Clarke was among those to perform a haka, at Parliament, after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, on 14 November, 2024. RNZ/ Samuel Rillstone

Te Pāti Māori’s Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke interrupted the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill’s first reading with a haka taken up by members of the opposition and people in the public gallery. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

VNP/Louis Collins

The cavalry arrives

From Hamilton, the hīkoi pressed on through the rain to Rotorua, where an estimated 10,000 people filled Fenton Street, undeterred by the weather.

Marchers left Apumoana Marae at dawn, heading to Village Green Park for kōrero and waiata.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told the crowd that neither the rain nor politicians in Wellington could dampen the kaupapa.

“This is about the mana and tapu of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, nobody in that House has a right to debate that,” he said.

He also praised MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for performing a haka in Parliament the day before, calling it a continuation of tikanga Māori in debate.

As the hīkoi moved through the city, a group of horsemen – dubbed by RNZ kaimahi as “the cavalry” – joined the front line, while prominent Māori activist Tame Iti walked alongside marchers.

Steam rising from Rotorua’s geothermal fields marked the end of the march, as thousands gathered beneath flags and raincoats.

Patariki Hill holds a Tino Rangatiratanga Flag atop his horse Shadow. RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

Young wāhine holds a picture of Māori war hero Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies, who died the week before the hīkoi began. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

Rotorua activates. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

From there, the hīkoi travelled to Hawke’s Bay, where more than 3000 people marched through central Hastings chanting “Treaty Principles Bill nehua” (bury the Bill).

Despite the rain, spirits remained high.

Toitū te Tiriti spokesperson Eru Kapa-Kingi said the scale of support had been “unfathomable”.

“Everywhere we go, there’s whānau on every corner waving flags,” he said. “It hasn’t let up once.”

As the hīkoi moved south, locals across Manawatū and along State Highway 2 staged their own roadside hīkoi, waving flags and joining in as the convoy passed through.

The runners

Alongside the main convoy, groups of runners were seen hitting the pavement – rain, hail or shine.

Each group covered part of the distance travelled by the wider hīkoi, often starting before dawn and rejoining the convoy each evening.

Organisers had said the running crews played a special role, keeping alive a tikanga from the 1975 Land March.

“The runners or the running crew are almost like an elite unit,” Kapa-Kingi said, “because it’s one of the tikanga from the ’75 march that the whenua is covered.”

“I suppose that’s a representation of tangata whenua, tūrangawaewae, those things.”

Each region the hīkoi passed through organised its own group of runners to carry the kaupapa across their rohe before handing it on to the next.

Tipene Kapa-Kingi, chief executive of iwi organisation Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri and triplet brother of hīkoi leader Eru Kapa-Kingi. Peter de Graaf / RNZ

Some participants in the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti are opting to run parts of the route. These runners arrived in Kawakawa on Monday afternoon after travelling the hard way from Moerewa. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, 11 November 2024. RNZ/Peter de Graaf

For the next leg of the hīkoi, the Square in central Palmerston North was packed with about 5000 people ready to activate.

From there, the convoy continued south to Levin for another rally before heading to Porirua for a rest day.

A contingent from Te Waipounamu had also travelled from Christchurch to Picton, crossing by ferry to join the North Island convoy in Wellington.

Arriving on Parliament’s door

The final day of Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti brought thousands to the capital, marking the end of a nine-day journey from the very top of the North Island.

Marchers set off from McEwan Park in Petone before dawn, walking the 14 kilometres into Wellington alongside convoys from across the motu. Māori wardens and police helped guide the hīkoi, while passing motorists tooted in support.

A carkoi destined for Parliament moves through the city as the sun rises in the capital. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

By mid-morning, Wellington’s waterfront was painted red, white and black as crowds gathered at Waitangi Park. From there, thousands moved through the city’s main streets towards Parliament, where Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po joined them – only months after the passing of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia.

Those marching performed waiata such as Ngā Iwi E, while Tapeta Wehi and his students revived Tiriti o Waitangi – a haka written by his father Ngāpo Wehi in 1986.

At Parliament, the forecourt and surrounding streets quickly filled. Police estimated around 42,000 people attended, though some placed the number much higher.

ACT leader David Seymour was met with chants of “Kill the bill, kill the bill” when he walked out of the Beehive for a brief appearance at Parliament’s forecourt, before waving to the crowd and returning into the building.

RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

Speaker Gerry Brownlee watches the protest from the tiles ahead of Question Time on Tuesday afternoon. RNZ / Anneke Smith

The hikoi against the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill reaches Parliament. VNP / Phil Smith

The hīkoi protesting against the Treaty Principles Bill in Wellington on 19 November 2024. RNZ / Reece Baker

Scenes from the 2024 Hikoi to Parliament in protest against the treaty principles bill. VNP / Louis Collins

RNZ/Mary Argue

Hīkoi participants outside Parliament perform a well-known haka written by Ngapo Wehi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

A Ngāti Whakaue rangatahi-led petition signed by more than 200,000 people opposing the Treaty Principles Bill was then presented to MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke.

Kapa-Kingi thanked attendees for their kotahitanga, and told the crowd the hīkoi was not a reaction, but rather, a response.

“The Māori nation has been born today,” he said. “Te Tiriti is forever.”

The day ended with kai, waiata and a concert at Waitangi Park, closing a historic week-long movement that drew an audience from across Aotearoa and beyond.

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

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Hopes a vast fire at Tongariro won’t turn the tourists away

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Tongariro National Park fire is leaving the surrounding sky covered in hazy smoke Supplied

In Tongariro, locals pin their hopes on rain to put out a massive blaze, so their summer incomes don’t get burnt with the regions vegetation.

Rain carries the hopes of a region, as it comes to the aid of fire fighters battling a massive blaze at Tongariro National Park.

Locals are worried that the destruction of part of this unique area will add to the string of setbacks that’s hit tourism in the region.

The burning tussock and regenerating native bush has seen the Tongariro Crossing, the major attraction for visitors in the area, close for at least a week.

But it’s not just the economy that could be dealt a blow.

“I’m grieving today. I’m feeling quite impacted by it to be honest,” says ecologist Nick Singers.

This is the kind of highly flammable vegetation which has been burnt showing inanga (Dracophyllum filifolium) (red front), mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and mountain toatoa (Phyllocladus alpinus) Nick Singers

He’s the Technical Advisor for Project Tongariro, a volunteer group that works closely with the Department of Conservation in the area where the fire has ripped through.

Singers says the blaze has undone decades of work by conservationists, and put back its reforestation by more than a century.

“The Tongariro National Park is an area that’s regularly affected by disturbance – whether it’s volcanic disturbance – ash showers, lahars, lava flows, etcetera – and so it’s quite a dynamic landscape. It’s also been affected by humans, both Māori and European.

“The area that was burnt was successional vegetation, so it had regenerated from past fires. There was a very large fire in 1918 and then there was another one in 1947, and so that vegetation is around 78 to 105 years old. Or was.

The fire in the Tongariro National Park has covered 2800 hectares. Supplied

“Historically it would have been forest, and that’s where it was heading. There was lots of woody vegetation. But – one of the key things about that area were that it was full of plants with very oily resinous wood material – things like turpentine scrub; phyllocladus, which is alpine celery pine; manuka; and there was also the exotic weed calluna.”

Most of the calluna had been killed by the heather beetle, and Singers believes that’s why the fire was so vigourous.

Smoke from the Tongariro National Park fire can be seen from a property more than 25km away. Supplied

“A lot of that was sitting as dry tinder kindling that had been killed, so it was sort of this layer of thatch ready to go up,” he says.

“The vegetation was full of volatile oils so once it gets going, all of that stuff burns very, very hot.”

In the podcast, Singers explains the history of heather in the park and how the eradication of it became the world’s most successful weed bio-control operation, defoliating thousands of hectares.

A Ruapehu District local can see smoke from their property over 25km away Supplied

Other victims of the fire will likely include freshwater fish, insects and birds.

While species such as the kārearea (falcon) would have been able to get themselves out of reach of the flames, Singers says the smaller creatures may well have been caught.

That includes endangered species such as the whio (blue duck) which lives near the Whakapapa River, pīwakawaka, riroriro (grey warbler) and mātātā (fernbird).

A view of plumes of smoke billowing from the fire in the Tongariro National Park, taken from Bruce road. Supplied

“Particularly fernbirds, they don’t actually fly particularly well, they sort of hop from bush to bush to bush.

“So some of those I suspect would have just been caught up. They wouldn’t have been able to escape. That area was a particular stronghold for the North Island fernbird, it was low and scrubby – that’s what they love. That’ll be a real major loss for that species.”

But he says the greatest threat is the return of weeds such as gorse, broom and heather. Their seeds will be hiding in the soil ready to break out again. Wilding pines had been eliminated from the area too, but after the fire it will be extremely vulnerable to those being re-established.

The fire in the Tongariro National Park is sending clouds of smoke into the air Supplied

This winter hasn’t been a great one for the Ruapehu District as the famous Chateau remains closed, and there’s been uncertainty over the fate of the ski fields that saw a drop in advance bookings. A couple of weeks ago floods closed State Highway 4 into the area. Now, State Highway 47 is closed as firefighters do their work.

Mayor Weston Kirton says initially we were talking about 100 hectares which we thought “was a lot, but now we’re talking about 2800. That’s huge, and it’s left a big scar in our DoC estate, which of course is valuable to our communities,” he says.

Firefighters are likely to be in the area for at least a week and there will be hotspots for a long time.

“We only need a couple of hot days and things start evolving from that,” he says.

A view of the fire in the Tongariro National Park from a popular tourist photo spot along SH47 Supplied

Kirton points out that while this will have some effect on tourism in the northern part of the district, it’s business as usual for most of the rest.

“But what I’m saying here is we might need a helping hand to actually make a recovery, because this has come at a point where we’d normally be buzzing with people going across the Tongariro Crossing.”

His district has been hit by eruptions, floods, mill closures, the Covid downturn, thin ski seasons, ski operators going bust and the historic Chateau closing.

Smoke fills the sky above the Tongariro National Park where a wildfire has been raging since Saturday evening Supplied

“It seems to be a mayor that attracts all these disasters,” he jokes.

But Civil Defence Minister Mark Mitchell and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka have been to visit and he’s optimistic there will be some sort of ‘bounce-back’ funding from the government, whether it’s for replanting or to help encourage tourists to come back.

“They’ve been fully briefed on the situation, they understand the dynamics of this, they understand this is DoC estate that needs to be preserved, and they apparently are going to give us some financial support.”

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

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Biosecurity New Zealand expands hornet search

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Biosecurity New Zealand is continuing to ramp up its response to yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) detections on Auckland’s North Shore, says Mike Inglis, north commissioner, Biosecurity New Zealand.

“We have staff working fulltime on the response, including incursion investigators, laboratory staff, and people working in the field, engaging with the community, and carrying out surveillance alongside the public’s great efforts to date,” Mr Inglis says. “This week we’re adding to our response work on the ground to methodically track the hornet.” 

Mr Inglis says a plan of work is under way that includes: 

  • 142 traps laid in targeted areas where females have been found. Every trap is checked daily. No hornets have been found in traps to date.
  • Enhanced on the ground surveillance in the areas where the queen hornets have been found that involves visual inspection of common nesting areas such as trees, roof eaves, fence lines, and other potential habitats.   
  • A trial will start soon using protein bait traps in addition to those already out. 
  • We have also pulled together a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of independent scientific experts with expertise in the biology, ecology, and management of social wasps. The TAG will consider options for ongoing work.
  • We continue to encourage public surveillance and had people at local markets over the weekend alongside our updates for industry groups.

Mr Inglis says the use of protein traps will increase over the summer months when hornet activity is expected to rise.

“We will continue to adapt our work as we gather more information about the hornet’s movements.” 

Since 17 October, Biosecurity New Zealand has confirmed and safely removed 5 queen hornets and their nests – 4 in Glenfield and one in Birkdale, around 1.3 kilometres from the first detection.

“We’ve found and confirmed one queen in the past week after a public notification,” says Mr Inglis. 

A queen and 2 males are also suspected, but not confirmed, based on photographs provided. 

Mr Inglis says Biosecurity New Zealand is aware of members of the public taking previously published photos of the hornet and posting them on social media, with claims it is a new discovery, making confirmation from photographs alone unviable.   

“We encourage people to notify us of finds and we’ll come to try collect a sample.”

Mr Inglis says staff have also been visiting local businesses that receive international cargo to provide information about the hornet. 

Reporting from the public remains the best way to track down the hornet, Mr Inglis says.

“We’ve had an incredible response from the public so far, with more than 2500 notifications. We’re asking everyone in New Zealand to keep an eye out. 

“While detections are currently limited to Auckland’s North Shore, nationwide vigilance gives us confidence these hornets are not elsewhere.”

Members of the public are urged to report suspected hornets or nests, but only if they have a specimen, a clear photo, or have located a possible nest.

Reports can be made:

  • at report.mpi.govt.nz
  • through Biosecurity New Zealand’s exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 809 966.

Look out for hornets – Pamphlet [PDF, 637 KB]

For further information and regularly updates on hornet, visit Yellow-legged hornet sightings in Auckland in 2025

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328. 

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List of products, businesses on Consumer NZ’s anti-awards

Source: Radio New Zealand

Among its winners were Pams plasters, which did not stick for as long as they needed to. 123RF

A lack of understanding from consumers and a lack of enforcement from regulators could be combining to give shoppers a raw deal, Consumer NZ says.

It has released the results of its latest “Yeah Nah” awards, which are designed to highlight consumer problems such as confusing messaging or products that don’t do the job they are meant to.

To be eligible, products had to either fail a legal standard, include hidden charges, make false claims, be an “absolute rip off” or have unclear messaging or design so that consumers were confused.

Pams plasters

Among its “winners” were Pams plasters, which did not stick for as long as they needed to.

“Alongside Pams, we trailed two basic plastic plasters from Elastoplast and Band-Aid.

“Each volunteer chose a place on their body, like their arm or leg, and stuck all three plasters there. Pams plasters just couldn’t hold on,” Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said.

Foodstuffs has been approached for comment.

HelloFresh

HelloFresh made the list due to hard making it for customers to unsubscribe. RNZ / Dan Satherley

HelloFresh was also given an anti-award for how hard it made it for customers to unsubscribe from the meal kit service.

“The fact that it took four separate confirmations of cancellation before the cancellation was actioned didn’t help – it’s a bit like being stuck in an escape room,” Duffy said.

He said research respondents said it felt like HelloFresh did everything it could to stop them cancelling and one person compared it to a bad relationship break-up.

“Signing up to the service is so easy. But cancelling is significantly harder, which makes HelloFresh’s online design all the more frustrating.”

HelloFresh did not respond to RNZ queries.

It told Consumer NZ that it had a new pause and cancellation process but Duffy said it was not an improvement.

He said it should be as easy to unsubscribe as it was to subscribe in the first place.

“Fair play, If I’m looking to unsubscribe from your service, maybe offer me a special deal to retain me… that’s potentially good business, but the layers upon layers of hurdles and web design that is designed to lead you away from actually what you want to do is quite something to behold with HelloFresh.”

He said there was no law that stopped a business putting someone in a “20-minute downward spiral” of trying to interact with it to unsubscribe.

“We’re arguing there needs to be an amendment to the Fair Trading Act to cover what are called dark patterns. So that’s manipulative web design that’s designed to do what you don’t want it to do, to do something that’s in the interest of the business to your detriment as a consumer.

“Other jurisdictions are beginning to introduce what are called prohibitions on unfair trading practices, which cover this.

“But at the moment our Fair Trading Act has a big gap in it where a business isn’t misleading you by making it difficult for you to unsubscribe. They’re not saying you can’t unsubscribe, they’re just making it virtually impossible for you to technically do it. Which is legally compliant at the moment, but we don’t think it should be.”

Harvey Norman

Consumer NZ also raised concerns about Harvey Norman’s pricing.

Consumer tracked 10 products online over a nine-week period and found that Harvey Norman promised a “great price”, “super deal”, “huge deal” or a “massive stock sellout” every week on most of the 10.

“If a business constantly sells a product at a special price, that ‘special’ becomes the usual selling price. A sale must be a genuine opportunity to save, for a limited time,” Duffy said.

“When something says it’s on sale – you need to be able to trust it really is. Harvey Norman makes that surprisingly difficult to do.”

He said when Consumer asked a Harvey Norman spokesperson about its pricing practices, the spokesperson said the company’s practices were consistent with the “industry approach to pricing and labelling decisions”.

“If that’s the case, we’re giving the ‘industry approach’ a ‘yeah, nah’, too,” Duffy said.

Barkers

Barkers was highlighted for its potentially misleading terms and conditions.

Duffy said Consumer reviewed 30 online returns policies and found Barkers had potentially broken the rules by implying some items could not be returned.

“Our spot check found that Barkers’ online returns policy wasn’t up to scratch. You have the right to return any product that doesn’t meet the guarantees under the Consumer Guarantees Act. It’s that simple.

“A returns policy can’t overrule the law, and we think Barkers risked misleading their customers by setting out a range of limitations that are at odds with the customer’s rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act.

“Our interaction with Barkers has been really good and they’ve certainly taken on board our feedback and are looking to urgently review their policies. So that’s a really beneficial side of us doing this process.”

Other shops had similar issues but not to the same extent, he said.

“They’re obviously concerned that people are buying clothes, perhaps wearing them out to a party and then trying to get a refund for them by claiming that they’re faulty. But actually you’re not covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act if you do that.

“If clothes don’t genuinely have a fault and you just change your mind, you’re not entitled to a refund or a replacement.

“So Barkers don’t need to sail close to the wind with the wording in their policies that say things like there’s a 30-day limit for returning clothes. There is no limit in the law for returning an item if it’s not fit for purpose or it’s broken, or has a fundamental fault with it, you have rights.”

Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy. Jon Duffy

He said another issue that was seen was shops trying to ask people to pay to return items.

“The Consumer Guarantees Act says that it’s the retailer’s responsibility to manage returns.”

He said New Zealand consumers lacked an understanding of their rights and there was a lack of enforcement from regulations.

“I can remember in my 20s, there were quite active campaigns out of what used to be the Ministry of Consumer Affairs publishing set texts around refunds that stores would have on their counters.

“And we don’t see that level of activity anymore… consumer issues generally across government have been sidelined, I think, and particularly under the current government, they’re not a high priority.

“So the funding’s not there to do mass market campaigns and educate consumers.

“Secondly, we’re often dealing with multinationals here where they will write terms and conditions for their bigger markets and New Zealand just becomes a tack-on.

“There might be a lawyer sitting in Los Angeles trying to write a returns policy that complies with New Zealand law, and they might not get everything right because they’re not specialists in the jurisdiction.”

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

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Te Pāti Māori MPs’ expulsions questioned by law expert, former co-leader

Source: Radio New Zealand

'Rogue' Te Pāti Māori MPs Ferris and Kapa-Kingi expelled from party

Te Pāti Māori’s National Council has decided to expel Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris. RNZ/Liam K. Swiggs

A former co-leader of Te Pāti Māori has expressed his sadness and disappointment at the expulsion of two of its MPs.

Te Pāti Māori’s National Council has decided to expel Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris, a decision both MPs said was “unconstitutional”.

The MPs have vowed to challenge the decision, which one electoral law expert said would hinge on whether the party appropriately followed its constitution, particularly its dispute resolution processes.

Representatives from Kapa-Kingi’s electorate Te Tai Tokerau were excluded from voting, following a resolution to ‘reset’ the electorate executive last month.

The electorate executive in Te Tai Tonga, Ferris’ electorate, abstained. Ferris’ social media post claimed the Hauraki-Waikato electorate also abstained.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said that still meant the decision was “without opposition”.

Former co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said three electorates out of six voting for expulsion was “not consensus”, and he was saddened and disappointed by the outcome.

“There was an element of hope, that the parties would come together and work things out, especially since our constitution talks about decision-making being by consensus, where you work away and try to get to middle ground.”

Te Ururoa Flavell, Co-Leader of the Maori Party in his office at Bowen House in the lead up to the 2017 election.

Former Te Pāti Māori co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Flavell said members would expect to see “both sides of the story” first, and for the party to follow a “fair, open, and transparent” process.

“It must have been building for some time. And the downside is it’s so complicated, involving issues of leadership, issues of who said this and who said that, issues of who did this and who did that,” he said.

“And we haven’t necessarily got both sides of the story on the table, and the whole issue investigated to at least determine ‘OK, what have we got here?’ The rhetoric has very much been from one side of the story, and that’s disappointing because you sort of think in the spirit of a fair process and transparency, that all parties get a shot to put their case. That should have, could have, happened at the AGM.”

Flavell said at a time when Māori were facing big issues and looking for someone to challenge and offer alternatives to what the government was doing, the battle had “overshadowed” things, and the negative reaction made him worry about the next election.

“Everything I’ve seen or heard, either social media or personally to myself, has been really negative about what’s going on. And people just want to say come on, come together, show some example, work together, and let’s focus on the big issues that our people face right now.”

Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber, who as representative of the National Iwi Chairs Forum had sought to get both factions to a hui this week, said Te Pāti Māori was entitled to go down the path it did under its constitution, but maintained there was still merit in meeting face-to-face.

“What we’ve been hoping and trying to broker between the groups is that hui under our tikanga, on our marae, would be the ideal. It’s not the solution, but it’s a pathway towards reconciliation. So yeah, so this has put a different slant on the context, totally,” he told Midday Report.

Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber

Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber. RNZ / Kate Green

What does the party’s constitution say?

Ferris and Kapa-Kingi have rejected the decision, with both saying it was “unconstitutional”.

Kapa-Kingi has vowed to appeal the decision “in all respects,” while according to The Post Ferris was engaging legal counsel.

While the co-leaders said the resolution took effect on Monday, Te Pāti Māori’s consitution allowed a member whose membership has been cancelled to appeal the decision at the next national hui.

That hui is set down for 7 December.

University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis said such an appeal would hinge on whether the party appropriately followed its constitution in expelling the MPs.

The constitution contains a section on dispute resolution, as well as a clause to cancel membership if the council believed that member had ceased to accept or abide by the constitution.

Geddis said a challenge could come if the MPs did not believe the disputes resolution process was properly used.

“They’ll be saying, well, if you had a dispute with us or thought we were acting improperly, you should have used the disputes resolution process to bring the dispute in front of our electorate committee, and then take it further if need be, and so on, rather than jumping straight to I guess you would call the nuclear option, just kicking us out with no process at all, using this general power to remove membership,” Geddis said.

Professor Andrew Geddis

University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The co-leaders have not publicly said what the breaches of the constitution were that merited Kapa-Kingi or Ferris’ expulsions, only that the constitution had standards of duty, budgetary responsibility, and behaviour, and that the breaches were “serious”.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi had “absolute confidence” the party had followed its constitution, and insisted every attempt was made to resolve the disputes before the National Council turned to expulsion.

“We have had many a conversation one-on-one, two-on-one, group MP huihuis, we have had interventions, we have had many, many hui to try and get to the bottom of this, and we have come short of a resolution and we have tried our best,” he said.

“When tikanga hasn’t been able to do that, then we turn to the kaua.”

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi speaks to media on 10 November 2025 after announcing two party members have been expelled from the party.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Waiariki missed out?

Questions have also been raised about consultation in the lead up to the National Council hui.

RNZ has seen emails sent to Te Pāti Māori Waiariki electorate members on Wednesday 5 November, alerting them to a meeting on the afternoon of Sunday 9 November, ahead of the National Council that evening.

“In preparation for this National Council hui, we are wanting to meet with our Waiariki electorate to hui in person,” it read.

“We understand the short notice and apologise.

“We hope to see you there.”

Another email seen by RNZ stated it was cancelled because Rawiri Waititi was “unavailable” to attend.

On Friday 7 November, a follow-up notice was sent out cancelling the Sunday afternoon meeting.

“It has been great to have been able to connect with some of our branches this week!” it read, before stating the scheduled in-person hui was cancelled.

“We apologise for any invonvenience in cancelling this hui.”

On Monday morning, an email went out ahead of the 10am announcement, detailing the decision to remove Ferris and Kapa-Kingi from the party.

“Last night the National Council unanimously decided that Takuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa Kingi were in breach of the Constitution and therefore decided that the appropriate action is the immediate removal of their memberships from Te Pāti Māori.”

It mentioned meeting with all Waiariki branches, despite the in-person hui being cancelled.

“After meeting with all of the Waiariki branches, we wanted to thank you all for the courageous conversations and the unanimous decision to enable our Waiariki Executive to represent Waiariki at the National Council hui held on Sunday, 9th of November.”

RNZ understands members are frustrated at missing out on an opportunity to discuss the decisions.

A Te Pāti Māori spokesperson told RNZ all electorate matters were managed by their respective electorate executives.

“In Waiariki, all branches were consulted prior to the National Council hui.

“The proposed in-person hui was cancelled once branches confirmed they would not be attending, as their positions were already clear and formally communicated.

Te Pati Maori stand up - Debbie Ngarewa-Packer & Rawiri Waititi

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi speak to media after announcing two party members have been expelled from the party. RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

Will the MPs be waka-jumped out?

The next step is for Te Pāti Māori to inform the Speaker that Kapa-Kingi and Ferris are no longer Te Pāti Māori MPs.

The Speaker then tells the House that the MPs are now regarded as independent members.

That then gives the party an opportunity to use the party-hopping, or waka-jumping, legislation to remove them from Parliament entirely.

That would require the party leaders writing to the Speaker of their belief the MPs were disrupting the proportionality of Parliament.

The legislation requires a party to use all of its internal processes first, with Te Pāti Māori’s constitution allowing for an appeal at the national hui.

Rawiri Waititi said using the legislation had not been a consideration at this stage, and any consideration would be for the National Council.

Since the law was re-introduced in 2018, it has been used once, with the Green Party deciding to expel Darleen Tana in 2024.

Geddis said the Greens had used a process that went above and beyond their own constitution in ousting Tana.

“The Greens actually gave Darleen Tana more natural justice, more of a chance to be heard than the constitution actually required of them. In this case, Te Pāti Māori seems to have used the quickest, neatest, cleanest way to get rid of these MPs.”

RNZ/Reece Baker

Former Green MP Darleen Tana. RNZ / REECE BAKER

In Tana’s case, she had already resigned from the party, while Kapa-Kingi and Ferris have been expelled strongly indicating they want to remain in Te Pāti Māori.

“Here, you’ve got a party that has kicked MPs out, and it’s the party’s action that is going to distort Parliament’s proportionality. And so one of the questions is going to be can you use the party-hopping law against an MP that you have kicked out, thereby distorting proportionality, or do you have to point to something that that MP did that caused you to kick them out and therefore cause the action?” Geddis said.

Who will Labour work with?

Rawiri Waititi said Te Pāti Māori had begun “serious and constructive” conversations with Labour and the Greens.

But Labour leader Chris Hipkins denied that was the case, saying there had been no meetings since September’s Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

bridge

Labour leader Chris Hipkins. RNZ / Mark Papalii

While there had been the occasional chat from time to time, including a courtesy call about the expulsion, Hipkins said there had been nothing on any future partnership or any governing arrangement, and re-iterated his stance that Te Pāti Māori needed to sort through its internal issues first.

“I’d like to see Te Pāti Māori, focused on representing the people who voted for them, showing up in Parliament, constructively participating in debates, coming up with some new ideas. I think those are all things that are opportunities available to them.”

Hipkins indicated he would not meet with Kapa-Kingi or Ferris either, especially if they were challenging the decision to expel them from the party.

“That’s something I’m not getting involved in in any way.”

The Prime Minister called Te Pāti Māori a “joke” and also ruled out working with Kapa-Kingi or Ferris.

“To me, it’s just a sheer soap opera. I don’t want to work with them, I won’t be working with the independents, I won’t be working with Te Pāti Māori, I’m pretty clear about that.”

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

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‘We’re desperately due’: Trainer Cran Dalgety hopes for first win at Trotting Cup

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cran and Carter Dalgety. SUPPLIED

The veteran trainer of a New Zealand Cup front-runner says a maiden win following a string of podium results would serve as a long-awaited milestone.

Republican Party, trained by Canterbury’s Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, remained the leading homegrown contender for Tuesday’s 122nd running of the New Zealand Trotting Cup at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway.

After more than 30 years, Cran Dalgety’s run at the marquee harness racing event had been marked by a string of near things.

The West Melton trainer has finished with two second places and three thirds in previous cups.

The main prize had however continued to elude him.

“I’d like to think I’ve done my apprenticeship. I’ve been trying to win this race for 34 years,” he said.

“We’ve had 18 shots at it. A lot of seconds and thirds, but second is first beaten so it doesn’t count.

“We’re desperately due.”

Other notable results include a third place for Christen Me in 2013, an historic year in which the Graham and Paul Court-trained Terror to Love triumphed in becoming only the third horse to win the Cup for a third time.

Dalgety’s Bettor’s Strike also had to settle for a second place finish in 2009.

An integral part of the family’s hopes was 22-year-old son Carter who would be driving Republican.

The talented driver had made a gradual rise up the ranks, turning heads by securing the Junior Drivers Premiership which capped a red letter year.

“He’s making more positive results than the negative ones. It’s exciting to have him associated with the horse,” Dalgety said.

“If something really good happened and he got victory it would be quite a buzzy day.”

The Republican Party team was buoyed by a good run of recent form courtesy of three straight wins over the past month.

“Like all sport, you prepare and you try your best, and then come the day, you hope for the best,” Dalgety said.

“Everything’s fallen into place and we go in with a bit of confidence.”

New Zealand Cup day was one of the big events on the Canterbury social calendar and the Cup, with a purse of $1 million, was also one of the country’s pinnacle racing events.

“The mana that comes with this particular race is hard to explain. Everyone who can relate to racing, can remember who won the last New Zealand Cup,” Dalgety said.

Last year, Republican Party finished third at Addington, behind Don’t Stop Dreaming and Swayzee, the latter clinching a second straight NZ Trotting Cup.

They will, however, have to overcome the bookies hot pick from across the Tasman.

Leap To Fame, trained and driven by Queensland’s Grant Dixon, sat at $1.60 at the TAB on Monday to win the Cup.

Dalgety was excited by the challenge that laid ahead.

“I’m not an emotional person, but it would test the emotions if it did happen.”

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Darfuri diaspora – grief and hope from afar

Source: Radio New Zealand

Displaced Sudanese who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), arrive in the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan’s western Darfur region on 28 October, 2025. AFP

Kadambari Raghukumar produces and presents Here Now, RNZ’s weekly series on people from various global backgrounds living in Aotearoa. Her work in media has taken her from Kenya, to Sudan and across Asia.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

What began as a power struggle between two generals has devolved into a horrific humanitarian crisis.

More than 40,000 people have been killed and nearly 12 million people have been displaced.

In 2019 I spent time in Khartoum just days after President Omar Al Bashir’s 30 year authoritarian regime ended, and before the transitional government was put in place.

I distinctly recall a sense of optimism on the streets during the revolution and people saying how it felt like a “freedom festival”.

How did such a hopeful time, seemingly the start of a transition to democracy, turn into the unimaginable violence we are seeing now?

In this week’s episode of RNZ’s Here Now podcast, I speak to Darfuri Aucklanders Fathima Sanussi, Izzadine Abdallah, Hassaballah Hamid and Kaltam Hassan.

Hassaballah Hamid came to New Zealand a year ago through the UN refugee pathway. He’s from Darfur, where in the past few weeks, death and destruction is everywhere.

On Oct 26, the RSF took over Al-Fasher, the last major city of Darfur held by the Sudanese army.

The RSF have killed nearly 2000 people there, while tens of thousands are still stranded the city as the militia seize more territory from the army in the south-west and center.

“This is now beyond tribalism, this is a proxy war on Sudan,” Hamid said.

(L to R) Kaltam Hassan, Fathima Sanussi and Izzadine Abdallah. Supplied

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is widely accused of providing military support to the RSF, but UAE officials deny the allegations despite evidence presented in UN reports and international media investigations.

Famine has gripped the region, a once fertile part of the country known for growing food and pasture lands. While hospitals and schools have been destroyed across the Darfur region.

Over the weekend, Fathima Sanussi, an activist and former refugee from Sudan, organised a solidarity rally in Auckland, calling for an end to the violence.

“I’m from Darfur, it’s more of a reason why this work is so important to me,” she said.

“Right now, with everything that’s happening and being away from home, it allows us to kind of understand the functionality of the way the world works.

“My parents were forcibly displaced. More than ever now, as a Sudanese person and someone that’s particularly from Darfur, I want to be able to go back home one day.”

Darfur is a complex and diverse region where the Fur people, the Masalit and Arab Sudanese have lived for centuries – some semi-nomadic, pastoral communities, others, indigenous to those lands.

Ethnic tensions between what are called Arab and non-Arab groups have simmered for decades in these parts.

Kaltam Hassan and her son Izzadine are Masalit, from Al Genina in Darfur. It’s a region that is familiar with conflict.

In 2003, the Darfur Civil War brought extensive violence to the people of Al Genina, many of whom fled.

Sudan’s vast natural reserves – gold, copper, iron ore, while not the only reason, are said to be one of the major reasons this war has been prolonged and attracted support from external players.

Sudan is Africa’s 3rd largest gold producer and has reserves of iron, uranium ad copper across the country, particularly Darfur and Kordofan.

Fathima said: “It’s not fair that our people have to bear the burden of it all, meanwhile feeding the rest of the world and giving the world luxury goods at the expense of their death.

“The violence in Darfur is a modern-day colonial project. And I think once we start reframing the language of how we start speaking about Sudan is when we’re going to see effective conflict resolution.”

Kaltam Hassan recalls a peaceful childhood and past life in the region, until ethnic tensions spilled over and the Janjaweed militia (from whom the RSF were formed) unleashed violence.

But like others, she also sees external support to the RSF amplifiying the scale of this current conflict.

“What happened in the past, it’s already happened,” Kaltam said.

“But once those people stop funding the RSF, the Janjaweed, then we can figure out how to stop the fighting. But with other people from outside us funding them, giving them more power, it doesn’t matter how much our people are fighting, the problem won’t stop because it’s not just our problem anymore.”

Sudanese across the diaspora wait and watch for the viciousness of this war to end, continuing to wish for a return to how things used to be.

“People in Darfur are agricultural people. If the war stops, all the people even in the refugee camps, they will all go back to Darfur because there’s nowhere like home and they will start growing again.

“And that’s the one thing I want to see, our people going back home and building what’s already been broken down, growing our own food and just living the life that we used to live before all this started” Kaltam said.

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Short staffing directly led to man’s death from fall in Taranaki Base Hospital ED, coroner rules

Source: Radio New Zealand

A coroner says the risk of catastrophic events happening at Taranaki Base Hospital’s Emergency Department remains high. Google Maps

A coroner has warned that five years after the death of a “sociable” and “straight-talking” former publican at Taranaki Base Hospital’s Emergency Department, the risk of catastrophic events happening there remains high.

Hāwera man Leonard Collett died following a fall at the ED in July 2020, aged 78, after being admitted with shortnesss of breath.

An inquest was held into his death in September.

Coroner Ian Telford found the primary cause of death was bleeding from injuries caused by the fall, which ultimately led to terminal cardiac arrest.

He said Collett’s fall was both “foreseeable and preventable” and shortcomings in the nursing care provided in the ED – which was 15 full-time staff short and five patients over capacity at the time – directly contributed to his fall

There was evidence that significant changes had not been made and the risk of another ‘catastrophic event’ occurring remained high.

In a statement provided to the inquest and reproduced in full in the Coroner’s finding, Collett’s wife, Vicky, said “everyone knew Leonard as ‘Lenny’ or ‘Len’ and that she called him Len”.

The couple, who were married 39 years and had a blended family with four children, got into the pub business in New Plymouth 1976.

“We started at the Breakwater Tavern and had a real mix of patrons including all the ‘wharfies’. Len was well liked and respected by everyone. Len had a great sense of humour and a real way with words.

“He was sociable but a straight talker as well. He treated everyone the same regardless of their background. I remember that in our first week there Len had to jump the bar seven times to sort things out! It wasn’t unusual to have the bar full by 11 each morning.”

The couple took over the Ngāmotu Tavern in New Plymouth and Rahotu Tavern before retiring from the pub business about 20 years ago.

Collett was then employed at Works Infrastructure and the Manaia waste management centre, before retiring aged 67 due to health problems.

On the afternoon of 16 July 2020, Collett was referred to Hāwera Hospital by his GP Dr R Bruce, who arranged for an ambulance.

Collett had become increasingly short of breath over the preceding two weeks and had low haemoglobin.

Ambulance staff decided instead to take him to Taranaki Base Hospital ED and he arrived at about 5.30pm, was triaged and taken to a bed space.

At around 10.10pm, while waiting to be transferred to the ward, Collett was seen struggling to get back to bed after visiting the toilet (unassisted).

A nurse went to get him a wheelchair. However, he was then seen sitting on the end of the bed.

Around a minute later, a loud noise was heard, and Collett was found on the floor. It was immediately assessed that he was in a critical condition.

Emergency treatment, then resuscitation, was started immediately.

Unfortunately, despite extensive efforts, he could not be revived, and one of the attending doctors formally verified Collett’s death.

An internal inquiry into Collett’s death found that the fall was preventable, the falls assessment protocol was not followed, and a falls risk assessment was not completed.

At the time, the Emergency Department was five patients “over capacity”.

A review recommended a falls risk assessment on all patients be undertaken within two hours in the ED and six hours in wards, as per the updated policy.

An audit was to be completed within six months – to show at least 90 percent compliance – while a “falls icon” was also to be used on the department’s whiteboard to improve awareness of potential falls risk to patients.

In his findings, Coroner Telford noted that a falls risk assessment had not been implemented by February 2024 and there was no evidence of a further audit being done within the six month timeframe.

After considering the evidence of an expert witness on nursing practice and the prevention of falls, the coroner found the nursing assessment of falls risk was either inadequate or entirely absent, and there was a failure to implement appropriate interventions and monitoring to safeguard someone as vulnerable as Collett.

Coroner Telford said oral evidence given at the inquest provided some assurance that improvements to nursing processes were underway and continued to be developed.

“However, it was evident that such changes will have only limited impact unless and until the broader systemic issues are also addressed.

“Put simply, if this Emergency Department continues to operate without adequate staffing and an appropriate skill mix to safely care for and monitor patients, the risk of another catastrophic event occurring remains high.

“At the very least, it is hoped that Len’s case puts a face to the consequences of consciously deciding to operate an ED with 15 fewer full-time staff than it has been assessed as requiring.”

Coroner Telford said Collett’s death, and the trauma surrounding it, continued to be deeply felt by his wife, family, and all who knew and loved him.

“HNZ Taranaki has advised me that those involved in this incident were significantly affected. I accept this without hesitation and recognise that, in the context of the ongoing under-resourcing described [in evidence], some staff members may be left questioning their role and future within a healthcare system that is in such urgent need of their dedication and expertise.”

Coroner Telford said although resourcing issues were well known, a copy of his findings would be provided to the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand and likewise to the Nursing Council and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation.

He made a raft of recommendations including:

  • That ED’s nursing admission documentation have its Falls Risk Assessment section revised to align with expert evidence and literature in a way that leads to the clear identification of risk status.
  • Its Fall Prevention Actions Taken section be revised and simplified to reflect the recording of nursing actions should be individualised, clear, easily read, and identifiable. This section should also record that risks and actions have been communicated to the patient and family.
  • Adapt the admissions documentation and departmental policy to require nurses to routinely assess falls risk at triage or at the same time as their primary assessment when patients are received into the treatment area.
  • Revise current policy and provide educational opportunities for all staff to foster a culture in which falls risks are communicated to patients, family and amongst staff members using direct, focussed, and targeted language.

Heath NZ Taranaki has welcomed the recommendations and intends to incorporate them.

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Fires crews start ‘grunt work’ at Tongariro park

Source: Radio New Zealand

Favourable conditions on Monday meant the fire appeared to be extinguished. Fire and Emergency NZ

Fire and Emergency crews in Tongariro National Park will be back at the scene of wildfires, hoping for more rain to keep hotspots damp.

Favourable conditions on Monday meant the fire appeared to be extinguished.

Thermal imaging drones were expected to be used overnight to check for hotspots after fires that had turned more than 2800 hectares of land to ash.

MetService forecasts rain clearing in region from early Tuesday morning and then fine, aside from isolated showers.

Incident Controller Nigel Dravitzki told Checkpoint the favourable conditions had helped reduce the fire, but there was still a lot of work to be done.

“Visibility it looks out, but we are doing thermal imaging and drones over it tonight to see if we can pick up any activity or hots spots we can’t see.”

He said this type of fire would require walking the perimeter edge and digging up hot spots to confirm there was no fire activity.

“It is tough grunt work,” he said.

Next steps were working on how to manage the situation going forward, he said.

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November health strike grows to 16,700

Source: Radio New Zealand

The strike is set for Friday 28 November. RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

Another 5200 health workers will walk off the job at the end of the month, the public sector union says, bringing the total number on strike to about 16,700.

The Public Service Association said more than 3500 mental health nurses and assistants and public health nurses, plus 1700 policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist workers (PAKS) – who provide vital support for health care – have voted to strike on Friday 28 November.

The strike was to support claims for safe staffing and a pay rise that kept pace with the cost of living, national secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, Fleur Fitzsimons said.

The PSA said these members would join 11,500 allied health workers, including physiotherapists, social workers and technicians, who have also voted to strike on 28 November, after mediation failed.

Fleur Fitzsimons. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

“These health workers are reluctantly taking strike action. They care deeply about their patients and their work and will ensure life preserving services continue. But they feel they have no choice when their concerns are not responded to,” Fitzsimons said.

“The pay offers for the three collectives still doesn’t keep pace with inflation – they are effectively a pay cut. Meanwhile, there are simply not enough health workers to provide the level of care New Zealanders need.”

Mental health nurses and assistants and public health nurses would have another round of mediation on Friday 14 November, and the PAKS collective on Tuesday 25 November.

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