NZ Engine

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is backing innovation to grow New Zealand’s high-value aquaculture exports, with a $455,000 investment from the new Primary Sector Growth Fund to support the development of specialised feed for King salmon, Agriculture, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay announced today.

The $1.2 million project—led by global aquafeed company Skretting—will design feed tailored specifically for New Zealand’s King salmon, supporting the growth of open ocean farming and helping reduce costs for local producers.

“This funding comes from the Primary Sector Growth Fund, announced in Budget 2025 to support forward-leaning, high-impact projects that will drive productivity, innovation and export growth across the sector,” Mr McClay says.

“Feed is the biggest cost for salmon farmers. Getting it right is essential if we want to scale production and lift farmgate returns.”

“This is part of our plan to grow aquaculture into a $3 billion industry. With the launch of Invest New Zealand this month, we’re also making it easier for world-leading innovators like Skretting to invest and grow here.”

The initiative comes as New Zealand’s first open ocean salmon farm—Blue Endeavour—receives final resource consent. Once operational, it is expected to produce 10,000 tonnes of salmon annually and generate up to $300 million in export revenue each year.

“This is about backing technology and expertise to lift productivity and strengthen the global competitiveness of our salmon industry,” Mr McClay says.

Research will focus on optimising feed for King salmon in New Zealand’s unique conditions—supporting sustainable, low-impact farming while boosting returns at the farm gate.

“This is another practical step in our wider plan to double the value of New Zealand’s exports over the next decade. We’re backing sectors with high growth potential and supporting the science that will help get them there,” Mr McClay says.

Source: New Zealand Police

A teenager who allegedly attempted to steal a car from the Sunnyvale park-n-ride had the brakes put on his plans after Police showed up.

Waitematā West Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Kelly Farrant, says officers were out patrolling yesterday morning at local park-n-rides due to recent reports of vehicle and number plate thefts.

While in the area, a report of a person breaking into a vehicle came through.

“Officers responded immediately, blocking in the vehicle in question and taking the young person into custody.”

Inspector Farrant says a 13-year-old male was arrested and has been referred to Youth Aid Services.

“It was fantastic work by our local staff, patrolling recent hot spots and acting quickly to hold those responsible to account.

“Thanks also to the public and our partners for calling 111 when they saw suspicious activity. 

“Police take all crime seriously and work hard to be in the right place at the right time to prevent crime and harm.” 

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  04 July 2025

Threatened-Nationally Vulnerable shortjaw kōkopu are found only in Aotearoa. As juveniles, they are one of six species known as whitebait.  

Over the past year, DOC Ranger Suze Harris has inserted 12.5 mm-long PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags under the skin of 41 shortjaws living in a tributary of Kaniere River, Hokitika.  

The inserted PIT tags allow her to track individual fish via a detector blue-toothed to her phone. 

“We need to know the females’ spawning time so we can track down nesting sites. This helps us target conservation efforts such as trapping – since rats eat shortjaw kōkopu eggs. We can also make recommendations under the Resource Management Act on the timing of activities, like earthworks, that sometimes occur along stream margins.” 

Suze also says although the West Coast remains a shortjaw stronghold, with enviable populations compared to the rest of the country, some streams with previously strong populations are being claimed by other whitebait species – and the shortjaws have either significantly decreased or gone altogether. 

“The usual freshwater monitoring methods, like electric fishing, don’t work well on shortjaws. Their preference for deep rocky pools and their flitty behaviour makes them hard to survey. 

 “PIT tagging the fish means I don’t have to keep recapturing them. Instead, when I’m monitoring in the field, my phone might ping, I’ll look at a summary of the fish on my phone and think, ‘oh, that’s Charlie Brown, who is male – I’ll leave him alone because I’m looking for females at the moment’.”  

Shortjaw reproduction occurs in late autumn, with males producing milt (sperm) and raring to go earlier than females. 

“Males dominate the Hokitika site. We still haven’t managed to tag a female – they’re so elusive. But tagging males helps because their presence indicates the right conditions for spawning, meaning females are likely to show up soon. 

Suze was granted animal ethics approval to tag up to 50 shortjaws. She tagged a total of 41 in February 2024 and 2025. Of those, 39 are giving signals from live fish.  

New Zealand’s native species, like shortjaw kōkopu, are unique and special, with 88 per cent of our fishes found nowhere else in the world. DOC freshwater rangers throughout the country are identifying populations of shortjaw kōkopu so DOC can work with iwi, hāpu, councils, landowners and community groups to protect them. 

Background information

Shortjaw kōkopu are a migratory galaxiid species (named for their skin which looks like a galaxy of stars). Their largest populations are in Northland, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Tasman, Marlborough and the West Coast.

PIT tags are the same technology used to microchip dogs and cats, with a variety of sizes as appropriate for the animal.

As the fish being tagged are adults, and it is the juvenile fish which are eaten as part of the whitebait catch, there is no chance of a PIT tag being eaten by a human.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

State Highway 54/Waughs Road, Aorangi is closed following a serious crash.

The crash involving a car and a pedestrian happened around 7:50am, near the Feilding Golf Club.

Indications suggest serious injury to the pedestrian.

Motorists are asked to take alternate routes if possible and expect delays.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Police

Police advise motorists travelling on the Harbour Bridge this morning to expect delays.

A crash has occurred heading northbound, just after the Curran Street on-ramp.

There are no serious injuries to report.

While the vehicles are being cleared there is an extensive backlog of traffic in both directions.

Please allow additional time to reach your destination safely this morning.

ENDS.

Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising drivers that critical safety barrier repairs and other maintenance work on State Highway 2 in Upper Hutt will begin on Sunday 13 July, weather permitting.

• One-week of night closures for various sections of State Highway 2 are planned, for Sunday, 13 July to Thursday, 17 July between 9 pm and 4 am.
• State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Silverstream and Whakatiki Street on Sunday 13 July and Monday 14 July. 
• State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Whakatiki Street and Gibbons Street on Tuesday 15 July night.
• State Highway 2 will be closed overnight between Gibbons Street and Totara Park Road on Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July.

Three sections of wire rope barrier and one section of roadside barrier require repairs. Because the barriers are next to live traffic lanes, road closures are required to keep road crews safe.

Resurfacing patches and line marking will also take place to make the most of the road closure. These works will make the state highway safer and more resilient.

Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says the work is essential because safety barriers can literally be the difference between life and death.

“Median barriers virtually eliminate head-on crashes and reduce deaths and serious injuries from run-off-road crashes by around 40 to 50 percent.

“For the safety of all road users it’s vital that we repair barriers after they are struck and damaged. Investing in repairs helps reduce crash risk and the chance of people being hurt or killed. The sooner we do it, the safer road users will be.” Ms Hilliard says.

“NZTA understands that the delays for road users while repairs are carried out are inconvenient, but serious crashes cause even greater delays and can see roads closed for hours,” Ms Hilliard says.

Works schedule and detour routes

• 13 July and 14 July, 9pm to 4am
  • SH2 closed between Silverstream and Whakatiki Street
  • Local road detour via Silverstream bridge, Fergusson Drive, and Whakatiki Street
  • Residents of Riverstone Terraces will have access at all times when travelling northbound. Residents travelling southbound will need to take the detour south, then travel back north to Riverstone Terraces.

• 15 July, 9pm to 4am
  • SH2 closed between Whakatiki Street and Gibbons Street
  • Local road detour via Whakatiki Street, Fergusson Drive, and Gibbons Street

• 16 July and 17 July, 9pm to 4am
  • SH2 closed between Gibbons Street and Totara Park Road
  • Local road detour via Gibbons Street, Main Street, Fergusson Drive, and Totara Park Road

More information

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are asking people to drive to the conditions and avoid travel, if possible, across Taranaki.

Driving conditions are deteriorating across the region, with several reports of surface level flooding and heavy rain.

Anyone needing to travel should make sure their headlights are on and maintain safe following distances.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre.

Source: New Zealand Police

Northland Police investigating a spate of suspicious fires in the area are appealing to the public for information.

Detective Sergeant Paul Overton says Police and Fire and Emergency services responded to reports of a fire on on Pataua North Road, Whareora on the morning of 20 May.

“At around 7am, about 15 T8 Traffic Control cones were taken from a stretch of road under maintenance, stacked in the middle of the road, covered in diesel and set alight.

“A second set of stacked cones were set alight further up the road.”

Detective Sergeant Overton says in the past seven months Police have also received a number of reports in relation to suspicious bush and scrub fires in the Matapouri, Tutukaka, Ngunguru and Pataua areas.

“We encourage anyone who was in these areas or has any information about any of these fires to get in touch.”

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 250520/3428.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have charged a 20-year-old man in relation to a fatal crash on Niagara-Tokanui Highway on 15 February 2025.

At around 8.35pm, Police were alerted to a single-vehicle crash where a ute had rolled between McManus Road and Quarry Hills Fortification Road.

Sadly, despite best efforts by emergency services, 20-year-old Jack Victor Hugh Stephens from Tahakopa died at the scene.

Two other occupants received serious to critical injuries.

At the time, the Serious Crash Unit conduced a scene examination and Police’s investigation was established.

Today, Police charged a 20-year-old man in relation to the incident.

He is due to appear in Gore District Court on Wednesday 30 July 2025, charged with manslaughter.

As the matter is before the courts, Police are unable to provide further information in relation to the matter.

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

Overly rigid insulation rules are being removed to ease costs for designers, builders and homeowners, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced. 
 
“I’ve heard clearly from the industry that the current one-size-fits-all approach to insulation requirements is needlessly driving-up costs. 
 
“The most prescriptive compliance pathway currently available for insulation – known as the Schedule Method – doesn’t allow for design trade-offs that can affect a home’s energy efficiency, like adjusting window size. 
 
“This has led to designers and homeowners having to over-insulate in certain areas to achieve Building Code compliance, offering little extra energy efficiency benefit at a significant cost. 
 
“To address this, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will remove the current Schedule Method in favour of more flexible alternatives.  

“Smarter online tools now let us take a balanced, whole-of-home approach to energy efficiency – enabling builders and designers to measure a home’s total heat loss instead of being locked into prescriptive requirements. 
 
“Using adaptable Calculation and Modelling Methods is shown to cut the cost of an average new build by up to $15,000. 
 
“The government will now work closely with the sector to ensure a smooth transition before the change takes effect. 
 
“The Schedule Method will be removed from the Building Code’s Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods for Energy Efficiency by the end of the year, followed by a 12-month transition period to give the sector time to adjust. 
 
“I’ve also directed officials to explore designating the Far North as a separate climate zone under the Building Code, responding to calls from local leaders to ease insulation rules in the region. 
 
“The Far North District Council made a strong case in its energy-efficiency review submission, highlighting that the region’s warmer climate and need for affordable housing allow for a more tailored approach. 
 
“I’ve heard from the district council that building costs in the Far North are approaching $5,000 per square metre. They’re pushing for change to deliver more homes for locals at a reasonable price – an ambition I fully support. 
 
“In my view, recognising Northland’s unique climate with a separate zone is a sensible step that could lower costs and unlock much-needed housing supply. 
 
“MBIE will consult on any proposed changes to the region’s climate zone designation before final decisions are made, and I look forward to hearing feedback from the public. 

“This Government is committed to making commonsense changes and cutting construction red tape to make building easier and more affordable – putting more roofs over Kiwi heads, while ensuring those homes stay safe and dry for our families.” 

Note to editors:    

• In the context of thermal performance in buildings, insulation refers to materials that reduce heat transfer by acting as a barrier between two areas. This includes products like fibreglass, wool, and glazing.
• Updated documents with the Schedule Method removed are expected to be published in November 2025. A 12-month transition period will run thereafter, so designers can continue using the old documents with the Schedule Method.
• MBIE will support the sector with guidance on how to use the more flexible Calculation Method to demonstrate compliance with the Building Code.