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One dead after car crashes into hedge in Auckland’s Stanmore Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am today. RNZ/Nick Monro

One person has died after a single vehicle crash in Stanmore Bay, on the Whangaparāoa peninsula north of Auckland.

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am on Wednesday.

It sent one ambulance, one operations manager and one rapid response vehicle to the scene.

Police say Vipond Road is closed between Doyly Drive and Lea Place.

The Serious Crash Unit is at the scene.

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am today. RNZ/Nick Monro

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

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Rule change to make ‘green’ bonds easier to use

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Financial Markets Authority has granted a class exemption for ‘green’ bonds. Wikipedia

Bond issuers will now have less paperwork to deal with when taking a so-called ‘green offer’ to market.

The Financial Markets Authority has granted a class exemption allowing bond issuers to make offers of green, social, sustainability or sustainability-linked (GSSS) bonds to forgo the full disclosure requirements.

“The exemption levels the playing field, if you like,” said Liam Mason, FMA executive director of governance, policy and strategy.

“If I have bonds listed at the moment and I want to do a second offer, they’re both vanilla bonds, then I can just do it with a simple term sheet. It’s called a cleansing notice and it’s straight to market.”

The exemption allowed the same with green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds, he said.

“If I’ve already got bonds listed and I want to offer a green bond, or I want to offer a sustainability-linked bond, I just have to set out in a simple term sheet what the sustainability projects are, how it’s going to be measured, and then it allows me to get into market quickly, which is really important in the debt markets.”

Mason said the change stemmed from talks with the finance sector as well as the FMA’s own research, which suggested burdensome disclosure requirements could be holding issuers back from offering more GSSS products.

“What we’re hearing from investors is that they want to be able to invest consistently with their values, whether it’s products that have an environmental link, whether it’s social or sustainability-linked projects that the issuer commits to as part of their offering, there’s real demand for this.

“This [change] makes it easier for these products to be offered to public investors.”

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

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Should students qualify for fuel relief?

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Yiting Lin

Auckland university students are asking for free public transport and financial support as the fuel crisis continues.

The Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland students associations, have launched a joint petition, saying fuel prices are impacting university students disproportionately.

AUT student association president James Portegys said they were calling on the government to give them free public transport as long as the fuel crisis lasts and to include them in the government $50 support package.

Full-time tertiary students in Auckland receive a 40 percent discount on their bus and train fares but Portegys said students were finding it too much with the increases in the price of food and petrol.

Some students were having to travel across town in Auckland just to get to campus, he said.

“So students, particularly AUT, they live at least half an hour from any of our campuses usually. We don’t have much accommodation within the city due to cost and just due to students choosing to live further out cause it’s cheaper.”

There were also a number of nursing students who had to travel some distance for their placements, he said.

At the moment, the university was following the government’s four-step plan and monitoring the situation, but “it’s businesses as usual”, he said.

Research based on an Auckland University survey of nearly 350 students which was published on Tuesday indicated there were high levels of food insecurity amongst students with about 45 percent of those surveyed saying they were lacking reliable access to affordable and healthy food.

Food insecurity was significantly more common among students living away from home, compared with those living at home with parents or family, the survey showed.

Portegys said the experience at AUT backed that up.

“Since 2020 year-on-year we’ve seen an increase in our foodbanks, so we were in the 150 sort of packages a week in 2020 and we’re well into the 1800s last year in 2025.”

Portegys said like other students he was finding that food was much more expensive, it was difficult to get around and you had to plan on how to get from one campus to another with some students skipping lectures due to the cost of fuel.

The rising costs meant that it was becoming increasingly difficult for students to move away from home, he said.

He said he wanted the government to give students access to the $50 support package.

“We’d love to see free public transport given to students throughout this fuel crisis to get us to and from campus and help us out just that little bit.”

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

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Fatal crash, Stanmore Bay

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a single vehicle crash in Stanmore Bay this morning.

Emergency services were called to Vipond Road, Stanmore Bay at around 10.25am.

Sadly, one person was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Vipond Road is currently closed between Doyly Drive and Lea Place.

The Serious Crash Unit is attending, and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS.

Frankie Le Roy/NZ Police

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Kapiti takes aim at ‘possums of freshwater’

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  01 April 2026

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has partnered with mana whenua to eradicate introduced koi carp from stormwater retention ponds on private land in Paraparaumu.

DOC Freshwater Technical Advisor Phoenix Hale says koi carp are “an absolute menace” to freshwater plants and animals, outcompeting them for food, preying upon native invertebrates, and churning up sediment.

“Although we only know of a few remaining koi carp populations in the lower and eastern North Island, they breed like crazy and could easily spread further. They’re like the possums of freshwater.”

DOC, partners, and the landowners planned the eradication project following landowners’ reports of koi carp in the stormwater retention ponds several years ago.

“We attempted to remove koi carp by draining the ponds last year, but excessive rainfall refilled them before we could get to the fish,” Phoenix says.

“Our plan then changed to using rotenone, a plant extract that’s toxic to fish, which is the most effective koi carp control tool we’ve got.”

The koi carp eradication using rotenone took place in March 2026, following a massive translocation effort where DOC moved more than 21,000 native fish from the stormwater ponds to safe waterways nearby.

The eradication team is monitoring the ponds closely to make sure all the koi carp were removed. To confirm the eradication was successful, the site must be carp-free for three years.

Northland Regional Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council supported DOC and mana whenua with the eradication operation. Northland Regional Council staff travelled to Kapiti to lend a hand and learn more about how to run a rotenone operation.

DOC led an eradication of a Dannevirke koi carp population last year, and all signs point to it being successful, though final results are still a couple of years away.

Phoenix says there is another suspected koi carp population is in Lake Waitawa, also in the Kapiti area.

“Waitawa is a large lake and a popular spot for recreation, so an eradication operation would be complex. Any work on koi carp at this site would be done in close collaboration with the landowners, Fish & Game, and mana whenua.”

DOC is asking for the public’s help to eradicate koi carp from the lower North Island. If you see a koi carp – they’re large orange fish with a ‘moustache’ – do your bit for naturing and call 0800 ASK DOC (0800 275 362) to report it.

For more information on koi carp

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

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Latest fuel stock update shows overall figures down

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Unsplash

There is a slight decrease in national fuel stock across petrol, diesel and jet fuel since the last update, but “supply remains within normal levels”.

That’s according to the latest fuel stocks update, which says the change remains within expectations and shows normal patterns.

Data released on Wednesday afternoon by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment showed that as of 11.59pm on Sunday evening, there were 58.7 days of petrol available, 52.2 days of diesel and 46.2 days of jet fuel.

The data combines the stocks that are in-country, on the water within New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone (meaning ships with fuel unloading, ships at berth yet to unload, and ships moving between ports), or on the water outside the EEZ (up to three weeks away).

There were 29.3 days of petrol, 21.6-day supply of diesel, and 22.1 days’ jet fuel in-country.

There were six ships on the water within New Zealand’s EEZ, containing 4.3 days’ petrol, 8.4 days’ diesel, and 11.4 days’ jet fuel.

A further 10 ships were on the water outside the EEZ, carrying 25.1 days’ petrol, 22.2 days’ diesel, and 12.6 days’ jet fuel.

Data released on Monday showed there was 59.3 days’ cover of petrol, 54.5 days’ cover of diesel, and 50.4 days’ cover of jet fuel.

The US and Israel’s ongoing war on Iran has caused a global fuel crisis which is now in its fifth week as Iran continues to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz which is used to transit about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas.

It has hugely disrupted key supply chains and pushed Brent crude oil over $115 a barrel, pushing up prices at the pump.

In New Zealand on Wednesday morning, the Gaspy website showed the price of unleaded 98 was $3.75 a litre, diesel was $3.51, unleaded 95 was $3.63 and unleaded 91 was $3.43.

The government has a National Fuel Plan in place outlining measures that would be taken if supplies start running dry.

It has four phases and New Zealand is currently in phase one.

Phase 2 would see homes, businesses and the public sector encouraged to conserve fuel.

The higher phases are still under consultation.

Phase 3 would see fuel prioritised for life-preserving services and phase 4 would see stricter intervention in fuel distribution.

Moving up or down levels is decided by a ministerial oversight group based on fuel stocks, restrictions and supply chain data.

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

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Kiwis aren’t getting their five-plus a day – vege boss

Source: Radio New Zealand

Process Vegetables New Zealand chair David Hadfield said there has been a significant drop in the demand for frozen vegetables. Unsplash/ Yoav Aziz

At a time when both Wattie’s and McCain have announced factory closures, supermarket retailer Woolworths says sales of frozen vegetables have been declining.

Process Vegetables New Zealand chairman David Hadfield said there has been a significant drop in the demand for frozen vegetables, noting that diets and demographics are changing in Aotearoa.

“With Uber Eats etc, there’s not a lot of vegetables in the package that you get to eat. You know there will be a piece of meat, potentially some rice, or you might have potato and a sprinkling of vegetables on top – not the amount that you would have if you cooked the meal at home.”

Hadfield added that they were pushing through programmes in schools to teach year seven and eight children how to cook vegetables, but despite this “consumption seems to be dropping”.

He said with the current cost-of-living pressures they expect demand for cheaper frozen vegetables will increase, but added supermarket profit margins were not helping the situation.

According to Woolworths, 62 cents of every dollar spent in stores went to suppliers, describing their business as “low-margin, high-volume”.

“We keep about 2.3 cents and the remainder goes to paying wages and other operational costs, and investing in our store network,” a spokesperson said.

According to Stats NZ, the cost of fruit and vegetables combined [https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/selected-price-indexes-february-2026/

increased by 9.4 percent between February 2026 and the same time last year].

Meanwhile,Ministry of Health figures for the 2024-2025 year showed just 6.8 percent of adults on average were eating the recommended portions of vegetables.

President of United Fresh New Zealand Incorporated and 5+ A Day, Jerry Prendergast, said he had not seen a drop in demand for fresh vegetables, but he echoed Hadfield’s comments about having to compete with more processed fast food options.

Prendergast said he felt for families under pressure and there was a place for the likes of Uber Eats, but said fresh produce from supermarkets or other retailers remained a cheaper and healthier alternative to takeaways.

“There’s some exceptionally good value out there. Right now you’re into the change of seasons with your autumn crops, so we’re seeing more of the celery, silver beets, spinach being available [and] cabbages and cauliflower and even broccoli at this time of year.

“So, utilising what’s in season is the ideal for consumers to reduce their cost of living.”

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

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Car crashes into hedge in Auckland’s Stanmore Bay

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am today. RNZ/Nick Monro

Emergency services have rushed to a single vehicle crash in Stanmore Bay, on the Whangaparāoa peninsula north of Auckland.

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am on Wednesday.

It responded sending one ambulance, one operations manager and one rapid response vehicle to the scene.

Hato Hone St John says it was notified of the incident on Vipond Road, at 10.26am today. RNZ/Nick Monro

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

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Do you have travel plans this year? What you need to keep in mind

Source: Radio New Zealand

Christopher Walsh, the founder of the financial advice website Moneyhub, is halfway through an extensive business and pleasure trip through Europe, Africa, the US, and various stopovers in between, including Qatar.

When I first spoke to him for this story, he was in Sierra Leone. By the time I got around to asking some follow-up questions, he was in Liberia.

The Middle East conflict and the resulting fuel price surge have upended his trip, just as they have for other New Zealanders overseas. His return flight is – or was – through Qatar, under bombardment of Iranian drones and missiles. The result is a closed airspace and limited flights through what is normally a busy travel corridor for New Zealanders.

Christopher Walsh, the founder of personal finance website, Moneyhub, at a restaurant in Liberia during a recent trip.

supplied

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

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Hunt for the Wilderpeople: Ten years of ‘the most New Zealand film ever made’

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sam Neill has seen iconic New Zealand film Hunt for the Wilderpeople twice. The first time was its premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and the second was last night at a 10th anniversary screening in Auckland.

“You had no idea what was going to happen there [at Sundance], whether the American audience are going to respond to it at all, but they were amazing,” Neill told RNZ at the Auckland cinema screening on Tuesday night.

The film tells the story of young urban misfit Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), who sparks a national manhunt when he and foster ‘uncle’ Hector (Neill) escape into the bush.

New Lynn Reading Cinema was packed with fans for the special event, some young enough to be seeing the Taika Waititi-directed film for the first time.

A rollcall of stars showed up to mark the occasion including Waititi and actors Neill, Rachel House, Rima Te Wiata, Rhys Darby, Oscar Kightley, Troy Kingi, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Cohen Holloway, Mike Minogue and Hamish Parkinson.

Noticeably absent was the film’s young star, Julian Dennison, currently overseas filming How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Rhys Darby said the movie struck a cord with international audiences because it captured the Kiwi spirit in a way few had.

“I think this is the most New Zealand film ever made in some ways because of the comedy, because of the plethora of characters… how we kind of interact with each other,” Darby said.

“It’s so New Zealand and I think that really resonated with everyone overseas because it was like, ‘wow, these people are different, but they’re funny’.”

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