Source: New Zealand Police
Motorists are being advised to expect delays following a crash on the Southern Motorway, Ōtara this morning.
Emergency services are responding to the three vehicle crash, near the East Tamaki off-ramp, which was reported to Police at about 9.38am.
At this stage there are no reports of injury.
Two northbound lanes are blocked and motorists are advised to expect delays or seek an alternate route.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Government
The first tranche of overseas building products has received the stamp of approval to be used in New Zealand following a law change to expand access, bringing more than 90,000 products onto the market.
“The reputable certification scheme WaterMark, which guarantees plumbing products are suitable for use in Australia, has now been recognised as an endorsed standard in New Zealand,” Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.
“That means it’s now easier for Kiwi tradies, businesses, renovators, and homeowners to choose from tens of thousands more tapware, water service products, sanitary drainage, and stormwater drainage products already widely used across the ditch.
“Increasing access to building materials will boost competition and put downward pressure on costs while also strengthening supply chain resilience, so builders are not left short of essential products during times of high demand or disruption.
“By amending the Building Act earlier this year, the Government has cut through regulatory barriers and made it easier to approve quality overseas building products.
“This allows the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to recognise building products, methods and standards that are already certified under overseas schemes.
“WaterMark products are already familiar to many in New Zealand, but until now, builders and designers have often had to prove these products meet Building Code requirements when applying for a consent.
“This change means Building Consent Authorities must accept these recognised products as compliant with the Building Code, which provides certainty across the system and ensures products that have already been certified under an approved overseas certification scheme can be used here without unnecessary delay.
“There is much more to come, and officials will continue to evaluate WaterMark certified products throughout the rest of the year, potentially bringing the list of new products up to 200,000.
“I have also approved the endorsement of 11 standards, in addition to the WaterMark products recognised by MBIE and announced today.
“These recognitions will benefit building owners, designers, and builders by giving them greater confidence when specifying or using products that may be unfamiliar in New Zealand.
“I am pleased to see one of the practical steps the Government has taken to cut red tape in the building system and reduce unnecessary costs come into effect.
“Recognising more overseas building products will give Kiwis greater choice, making it easier and more affordable to build the homes and buildings our communities need.”
Notes to editor:
The official term for approval of an overseas product or standard is a “recognition notice.”
Recognition notices are now publicly available at www.building.govt.nz, along with a diagram showing how these overseas standards fit within New Zealand’s building regulatory framework.
The Government released the first version of the Building Product Specifications document in July, which lists international standards for products like plasterboard, cladding, windows, and external doors.
Guidance and public information were published in early September to ensure stakeholders understand the benefits of the new pathways and how they can utilise them, including the recognition of overseas standards.
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government’s relentless focus on growth and pragmatic solutions to help New Zealand get ahead are features of its work programme for the rest of the year, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
“A lot more yes and a lot less no. That is the ethos of this Government and it’s what we will be delivering this quarter.
“We are making construction easier and faster, delivering smarter solutions to finance new projects like social housing developments, and pushing for more competition and growth in important sectors.
“There is no shortage of New Zealanders with great ideas for exciting projects, but they face too many obstacles bringing them to life. The sum of the actions in our Q4 plan will help get things moving. Growth will boost job opportunities and help increase incomes around the country.
“The planning system we will introduce to Parliament this quarter will enable farmers, building owners and businesses to do more with their own property, cutting through the reams of red tape that have been holding them back.
“We’re also pressing go on urban growth and more houses by introducing a law that will modernise how housing developments and infrastructure are financed.
“We’re pushing for more competition by creating an express lane to build new supermarkets under Fast-Track.
“And we’re getting on with introducing a new system for managing earthquake-prone buildings that is expected to save New Zealanders more than $8.2 billion and take away anxiety and stress.
“These aren’t just words on a page. These genuinely transformational actions will change the game for ambitious Kiwis who want to build things, grow their businesses, employ more people and contribute to a stronger economic future for New Zealand.”
Notes on Q3 2025 Plan
Source: New Zealand Police
A man will face court today following an incident in Flat Bush yesterday where an officer was shot.
Just after 9.30am, officers were at a property in Chapel Road conducting enquiries when a firearm was discharged at Police.
Counties Manukau District Commander, Superintendent Shanan Gray, says a range of Police resources were deployed to the scene.
“The man refused to exit the property despite numerous attempts to engage with him.”
He says Police surrounded the property and evacuated nearby residents, and the Police Air Support Unit Eagle temporarily closed the airspace over the address while cordons were put in place.
“After more than three hours, the decision was made for members of the Armed Offenders Squad to enter the property and arrest the man.
“A search of the property located an air rifle and the man has now been charged.”
Superintendent Gray says the officer shot was struck in the leg and transported to hospital, and she was later discharged to recover at home.
“She’s in good spirits and is being provided wraparound support.
“This could have had a very different outcome, and we’re incredibly thankful she only suffered a minor injury.
“Our staff often face dangerous situations and I’m thankful to all those who brought the matter to a swift resolution.”
A 47-year-old man has been charged with using a firearm against a law enforcement officer, injures with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two counts of breaching Electronically Monitored bail.
He will appear in Manukau District Court today.
As the matter is before the Court, Police are limited in providing further detail.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Government
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is changing how the Government contracts school attendance services to increase capacity to reach chronically absent students.
Budget 2025 added $140 million to improve attendance over four years, that included $123 million more for frontline services. All previous contracts have been stopped and replaced with new contracts, with 83 contracts awarded to Attendance Service Providers (ASPs) around the country to carry out this service. In addition, 170 schools with high numbers of chronically absent students have now been awarded contracts to provide additional in-school support to some of these students.
“School attendance has steadily improved over the last year, but there are still too many students absent. These new contracts fix what matters for kids and families,” says Mr Seymour.
“In 2024 Ministry and ERO reviews found that the attendance services system wasn’t working. Funding was scattershot, distributed inefficiently, and failing to get results.
“We’ve re-organised the provision of attendance services, awarding new contracts and increasing support for services providing excellent results.
“We’re also developing new software. A new case management system will enable better data collection, analysis and monitoring at a student level. I was impressed by the systems some services had developed by themselves, so we want to spread that excellence across the entire country.
Under the new model, attendance services will:
“By the start of next year frontline attendance services will be better resourced, more accountable, better at effectively managing cases and more data driven,” says Mr Seymour.
“Also, from Term 1 2026 it will be mandatory for all schools and kura to have an attendance management plan in place, aligned to the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR).
“Our goal is clear: by 2030, 80 per cent of students will attend school more than 90 per cent of the time. School attendance is the first step to better learning, better health, higher incomes and stronger communities. Every student deserves that chance and we’re fixing what matters to make it happen.”
Notes to editors: Students who are chronically absent or non-enrolled can be referred to an ASP, usually once the school concerned has exhausted its own efforts, and the ASP will provide specialist support to help the student get back to regular school attendance. In Term 2 2025 around 9.3% of students were chronically absent.
Source: New Zealand Government
New Top Up Community Grants to boost local mental health initiatives have been launched by Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey and Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand Chief Executive Shaun Robinson as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2025.
“The Government has partnered with the Mental Health Foundation to establish Top Up Community Grants. These small grants are designed to help grassroots community organisations deliver events, activities, and projects that bring the theme of Top Up to life in their local communities,” Mr Doocey says.
“Communities know what works best for them. By backing local initiatives, this fund supports meaningful, community-led action, from small towns to neighbourhoods in our biggest cities.
“It’s especially meaningful to launch these grants at the Mental Health Foundation, an organisation that has led the way in breaking down stigma and supporting better mental health across the country.”
Minister Doocey has been listening to the sector and acknowledges the advice of Shaun Robinson, who has highlighted the importance of enabling communities to deliver activities that strengthen mental health outcomes.
“The Mental Health Awareness Week theme this year is Top Up Together, which is exactly what these grants are about. Good mental health doesn’t happen by accident – it comes from the small, everyday actions we take to recharge, connect, and look after ourselves and those around us,” Mr Doocey says.
“The Top Up campaign and launch of the new grants are a part of our mental health plan for faster access to support, more frontline workers and a better crisis response.
“Whether it’s you, your child, a friend, or a family member reaching out for support, this Government is committed to ensuring support is there.”
Note to editor:
• There is $250,000 per annum available to distribute through the scheme over the next two years, with grant amounts between $10,000 and $40,000 per initiative.
Source: New Zealand Police
Police would like to advise motorists that traffic lights are out at the intersection of Neilson Street and Princes Street, Onehunga.
Police officers are on the scene to help direct the traffic, however there are significant delays in the area near Onehunga Mall.
Motorists are being urged to be patient and avoid the area if possible.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police
Attributable to Wellington CIB Investigations Manager, Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:
Police are releasing further details six months on from the homicide of 63-year-old Abdul Nabizadah, including that multiple people are thought to be involved.
The investigation continues as no charges have been laid in relation to his death.
Mr Nabizadah was critically injured on Camperdown Road in Miramar about 12.30am on Monday 17 March.
Police believe Mr Nabizadah was assaulted and robbed after he was lured to the area as part of a premeditated attack.
The offenders, who stole nothing more than his car keys, then callously left him bleeding and unconscious on the footpath with serious head injuries.
Mr Nabizadah’s head injuries were un-survivable, and he later died in Wellington Hospital despite best efforts from medical professionals and experts.
The investigation team previously identified a connection between the homicide and the aggravated burglary of a Darlington Road property that occurred 90 minutes after Mr Nabizadah’s assault.
At around 2am, a man was discovered inside the Darlington Road address, leading to a physical altercation and injuries to one of the home’s occupants.
A 28-year-old man has been charged in relation to the aggravated burglary.
A cell phone left behind at the Darlington Road property by the offender was allegedly used to lure Mr Nabizadah to Camperdown Road, where the assault took place.
After an extensive investigation, we now believe there was more than one person involved in the plan to rob Mr Nabizadah, and that this may have included the use of a weapon.
There has been varying levels of co-operation from those we understand to be involved, as well as information from the public regarding both incidents.
We continue to ask anyone who has information and is yet to contact us to please come forward.
While we understand it may be difficult for people to speak with us, if it was your family member, what would you want someone with information to do?
Six months on from this tragic incident, the Nabizadah family has not received the closure they need to move on.
Mr Nabizadah was a husband, father, and grandfather, who brought his family to New Zealand from Afghanistan seeking a better life.
Instead, his life was taken in a violent and senseless way.
Police are determined to get justice for Mr Nabizadah and will continue to investigate the matter for his family and the community.
It is not too late to provide Mr Nabizadah’s family with answers – if you know something, we encourage you to speak with us.
Every piece of information, no matter how small you think it may be, is vital to our investigation.
If you have any information that could assist our investigation team, please get in touch with us online through 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please use the reference number 250317/6324, or reference Operation Celtic.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
Motorists are being advised to expect delays following a crash on the Southwestern Motorway, Hillsborough following a crash.
Just before 7am, Police received a report of a two vehicle crash on State Highway 20 near the Queenstown roadway.
There are no reports of injury.
One southbound lane is blocked and motorists are advised to expect delays or seek an alternate route.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police
Please attribute to Auckland City District Commander, Superintendent Sunny Patel:
Police have charged a person following an incident where a window was smashed during a protest last night.
Police were called to a residential address in St Marys Bay at about 5.40pm after received a report of an unknown person smashing a window at the property.
The alleged offender left prior to Police arrival.
At about 8pm, a man believed to be responsible for the damage handed himself into Police.
A 29-year-old man will appear in Auckland District Court on 10 October charged with burglary.
I know these ongoing occurrences have caused angst and frustration amongst residents.
Police recognise the right to lawful protest, however we will not condone protest action where property is damaged.
Police continue to urge protestors to remain within the bounds of the law, especially in residential areas.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police