NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

Warbirds Over Wānaka organisers are confident the withdrawal of modern military planes will not make a big dent in visitor numbers, with both Easter weekend days sold out for the biennial air show.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) would not participate in the event because of fuel costs, with the United States Air Force also withdrawing from the show, which means the F-22 Raptor fighter jets would no longer be taking part.

A Defence Force spokesperson said air force participation in displays and flypasts were always contingent on operational considerations.

“We always ensure our resources are focused on maintaining operational readiness and given the current international fuel situation, all Royal New Zealand Air Force activities have been reviewed,” they said.

“As a result, those not directly related to operational readiness have been de-prioritised and regrettably this includes air display support to Warbirds over Wānaka.”

The spokesperson said RNZAF engagement with communities and participation in aviation events was important and it was not a decision made lightly.

“We understand this will disappoint people attending the event but we appreciate the continued public support and understanding,” they said.

RNZ also approached the United States Air Force for comment.

Warbirds Over Wānaka general manager Ed Taylor said a few tears were shed when organisers received the news but they could not guarantee the appearance of any aircraft at the show and the military had withdrawn before for operational reasons.

The event had taken place every second year in Central Otago for almost 40 years.

Taylor was confident the change to the line up would not affect visitor numbers, with at least 64,000 people expected to attend the sold-out show on Saturday and Sunday and tickets still selling for Friday, despite the military pulling out.

“It’s still an action-packed weekend, we’ve got some magnificent aircraft here. I always say that Warbirds over Wānaka is far more than any one or two aircraft, it’s the sum of many parts,” he said.

Taylor said the event used around 50,000 litres of aviation fuel over five days, including practice flights.

“Most of our display aircraft are not big consumers of fuel, some of the jets can get through a bit, but they’re only doing like a 10-minute display,” he said.

The figure did not include fuel used to fly to Wānaka for the event.

Taylor said the biggest fuel consumption was people travelling to the air show.

“We have to pay to get our aircraft here, especially our civilian aircraft, we have an agreement with each of the owners and they don’t get rich out of it, they just cover their costs,” he said.

New Zealand consumes around 24 million litres of fuel per day, of which around four million litres is jet fuel.

Taylor said the trust had no issues procuring fuel for the event, just at a higher price, but it was covered by the cost of ticket sales and organisers had a contingency built into their budget.

“We’ve got a bit of leeway there in terms of funds, so we’re happy we’ll be financially OK at the end of it, we’re run by a community trust, we’re not here to make money, we’re here to give back to our community,” he said.

Accommodation in Wānaka and the surrounding towns like Cromwell, Alexandra and Omarama was booked out for the event, which was crucial to businesses in the region, Taylor said.

The airshow was tipped to inject at least $40 million into the regional economy.

Cardrona Hotel general manager Warren Barclay said rooms were fully-booked heading into Easter, with Warbirds over Wānaka a major drawcard.

“It’ll be interesting this year with a lot of the military pulling out. It is understandable and we’re not blaming anyone but we just feel a little bit kind of disappointed that this has happened at this time,” he said.

Barclay said there had not been any cancellations because of the change to the show’s line up or the fuel crisis but that could change.

“We’re just busy, we haven’t seen any drop off or anything so there’s nothing at this stage that we would do differently, fuel crisis or not, but time will tell and hopefully this thing will be over before it really kicks in and starts to really jeopardise our whole economic of recovery,” he said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Anglican Bishop of Auckland is being urged to intervene in a messy dispute over the ownership of a central Auckland sports ground.

The Hallyburton Johnstone Sports Club has hosted lawn bowls, tennis, and croquet at its Point Chevalier site since 1928.

But a charity, the Anglican Trust for Women and Children (ATWC), argues it is the legal owner of the land, which had a capital value of $5.15 million.

The trust was taking the sports club to the High Court as it wrestled to control the site.

Point Chevalier Bowls Club president Simon Munro said they were preparing for the legal fight.

After over 700 people turned up to a community meeting last month, the club raised $28,000 from the community.

Bowls Auckland also loaned the club $25,000.

But Munro said this would not this be enough for the court hearing, which was expected next year.

“I don’t want to go to the High Court. We can’t afford it as a club.

“We’ve spent close to $50,000 on legal fees so far, but our lawyers are telling us that it’s going to be hundreds of thousands of dollars by the time this goes to the High Court.”

He said the Anglican Diocese of Auckland had influence over the appointment of ATWC trustees.

“The club understands that while the Bishop has distanced himself from the ATWC’s actions, the Church does have the power to remove and appoint Trustees under the Anglican Church Trusts Act (1981).

“There’s a meeting of the Synod, which is the governing body of the church [Auckland Anglican Diocese], which happens every September.

“That meeting is chaired by the bishop, and it’s also where the trustees are appointed, but they can also be removed.”

In a statement, ATWC chairperson Kevin Brewer said they were approached by The Public Trust six years ago, suggesting the Hallyburton Johnstone trust was at an end, and the land could be transferred to them.

He said their trustees had a responsibility to consider how the ATWC could best sustain its mission of supporting vulnerable families across Auckland.

“We understand this is a matter people feel strongly about and our intention is simply to resolve the issue responsibly and allow the appropriate legal process to determine the next steps.”

In a statement, Reverend Ross Bay confirmed the ATWC did social service work within the Diocese of Auckland and under the umbrella of the Anglican Church.

But he said the ATWC was independently governed.

“The Diocese of Auckland has a strong relationship with the ATWC but has no power to direct or interfere in its governance processes.

“I recognise that the claim taken by the Trust in relation to land occupied by various Pt Chevalier sports club is a sensitive issue. I understand the concerns that this has evoked within the local community as a whole and especially among the members of the affected clubs.

“I will continue to monitor the process and hope that a fair resolution can be achieved for all parties.”

He said the ATWC did not have any plans for the future of the site should a ruling fall in their favour.

The MP for Mount Albert, including the suburb of Point Chevalier, Helen White, said forcing a local sports club to spend money it does not have to fight for land they have occupied for almost a century is not a good look.

“The community would be deeply upset [if the sports club was no longer there], and I think it would hurt the reputation of both the Anglican Church and the trust involved.”

She said taking away the site, which also had a community garden and playground, from the sports club, would be of no benefit to women or children.

“I think it’s going to do real damage if this litigation continues or if, in fact, that charity won, that would be a terrible outcome for women and children and for that community.

“This is actually a very special club. It has a whole lot of different community activities in it. It doesn’t have pokies because it is mindful that it needs to support families.

“These are the very sorts of things that help women and children. They keep our children out of violent situations. They support our families. And at this time, when it’s really hard out there, this is an affordable space for everybody in that community.”

White said it was clear the original benefactor, Hallyburton Johnstone, intended for his land to be used for community sports.

The MP had written to Reverend Bay, asking him to step in.

“I would love to speak to that trust, and I would like to speak to the trustees, not a PR person. I would like to speak to the bishop.

“These are issues of concern that both of those parties should be taking some notice of the community interest in.”

She said when she contacted the ATWC to share her concerns, she was referred to a PR company.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Finding replacement flights for a group of students whose ferry sailing was cancelled after they competed at the Maadi Rowing regatta added nearly $500 to the cost of each child’s trip.

It has been nine days since sailings were halted aboard the embattled BlueBridge ferry Connemara due to a technical fault.

This morning, BlueBridge extended cancellations with the ferry no longer expected to resume services until at least Tuesday evening.

Vicki Feeberg – one of five parents overseeing a group of six Taupō-nui-a-Tia College students – said they were competing at the rowing regatta on Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel, when they learned their sailing was cancelled.

She said it was important to get the children back on time for their classes, but two parent helpers had to stay behind and reschedule the group’s two vehicles to alternative sailings.

“We managed to get some Jetstar flights for our kids to get home, [but] it has probably added around about $3000 to our total costs,” Feeberg said.

Feeberg said she was disappointed the children had to spend extra money from fund-raising that could have been put towards the rowers’ team activities.

“It would have been really nice for that to go into equipment for the kids and travel to other regattas [and] not be spending that on last minute travel hiccups,” Feeberg said.

She said what should have been a fun and social ending to the regatta was tainted by the stress of having to find out what was happening and book alternative travel.

“It’s been really, really hard to get information. We received a text just as we were turning up for one of the races. You had to phone to try and get on to other boats – you couldn’t get through on the phones – my husband sent an email as well and we were just left scrambling to look at other arrangements to get our kids back.

“It would have been really nice to know what was happening and why,” Feeberg said.

She said the group had taken advantage of special fares for the event and so had chosen to use Bluebridge.

“It’s not very good business is it? If you give a whole lot of people a discount to snaffle up the market and then don’t deliver. So it is disappointing,” Feeberg said.

Feeberg said she had never thought of taking out travel insurance for domestic travel, but after experiencing the added strain the situation had put onto the group’s time away, she would be looking into it for future trips.

Another traveller – who did not want to be named – said the ferry’s failure had added about $2100 to their family of three’s costs for returning home after a short holiday and wedding in Nelson.

The traveller said they were texted at 3am last Monday that their scheduled 2pm sailing would not go ahead.

They said the nearest passage available – on either ferry service – would have been 11 days later, so the family had to arrange homeward flights at a cost of $1500.

One family member then had to fly back at the end of last week to pick up their car, luggage and the family dog – which they had been forced to leave with relatives – and catch an Interislander sailing, which added another $600 to their bill.

“I understand that issues arise with machinery but the lack of support to a [situation] that has been generated by their vessels along with no compensation on extra costs added to travellers in trying to return home… is very frustrating,” they said.

The traveller said they had another booking in place for the end of the week and hoped the Connemara would be up and and running by that point.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Supreme Court will tomorrow release its decision on David Tamihere’s last attempt to clear his name, 36 years after his double murder conviction.

Tamihere was found guilty in 1990 of murdering Swedish tourists Urban Höglin, 23, and Heidi Paakkonen, 21, in the Coromandel in a case that shocked the world.

Höglin’s body was found in 1991, Paakkonen’s never was.

Tamihere appealed to the Supreme Court last year, arguing the Court of Appeal should have quashed his convictions in 2025 when it found there had been a miscarriage of justice. Instead, the appeal court had said the convictions should remain.

Tamihere has been out of prison since 2010 but has been on a renewed quest to have his convictions overturned since a prosecution witness, prison informant Roberto Conchie Harris, was found guilty of perjury in relation to the case in 2017.

In 2024, the Court of Appeal judges said despite the miscarriage of justice, there was enough other evidence that meant they remained convinced beyond reasonable doubt Tamihere was guilty.

Last year, when Tamihere and his legal team appealed that decision, they argued the 1990 trial was “fundamentally defective” and argued the crown case was now different to the one it advanced then.

Crown lawyers countered that the case at trial still stood – even without Harris’s evidence, and the only reasonable conclusion to draw from the facts was that Tamihere was guilty.

There were some irregularities in the original trial but none of them reached the standard of making it an unfair trial, they said during the hearing.

They said if the Supreme Court did quash the convictions, the Crown would seek a retrial.

But the defence said a retrial would be almost untenable after more than 35 years. Some key witnesses had died.

Höglin and Paakkonen were last seen in Thames in 1989. They had been tramping on the Coromandel Peninsula.

Tamihere had been living in the bush in the area, having been on the run from police for about three years for an earlier rape.

In evidence presented in the original case, Tamihere had admitted stealing the Swedish couple’s car and selling their goods, but denied ever having met them.

Two trampers said they saw Tamihere in a bush clearing sitting with a woman fitting Paakkonen’s description and wearing a distinctive poncho later found in Tamihere’s home.

In the original trial, the now discredited Harris said Tamihere told him he had killed and sexually assaulted the couple and taken Höglin’s watch.

Höglin’s body was discovered the following year, in the Wentworth Valley, almost 70 kilometres away from where trampers said they saw Tamihere, and there was evidence he had been killed close by. Höglin’s watch was still on his wrist.

Tamihere maintains he did not kill the couple.

The court will release its decision tomorrow afternoon.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

One of New Zealand’s most prolific sellers of illegal drugs on the dark web has been arrested, police say.

A “concoction of drugs” alongside $55,000 in cash was seized during a search warrant at a rural property in north Auckland.

A 35-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were arrested, police said.

The search was part of Operation Lava, which is aimed at putting pressure on drug importers and suppliers operating on the dark web.

Detective Senior Sergeant Reece Sirl said police will allege an account was used to carry out around 2,800 individual drug transactions between June 2025 and March 2026.

“We estimate the value of these transactions over nine-months is around $1.2 million,” sergeant Sirl said.

“These transactions involved around 13 different types of drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, GBL and ketamine.”

The man and woman are due to appeared before the North Shore District Court on a “significant number of charges” including the sale and supply of class A, B and C controlled drugs.

Further charges have not been ruled out and investigations are ongoing.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Biosecurity officers are wrapping up a large-scale fruit fly eradication operation in South Auckland.

Fruit and vegetables can move freely in and out of Papatoetoe for the first time since February as of Monday.

Restrictions were put in place after a single male Oriental fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap.

Biosecurity’s north commissioner Mike Inglis said despite three more males being found in the suburb in early March, he was confident the pest had been eradicated.

“It comes after no further evidence of the oriental fruit fly being in the area, and it brings to an end five weeks of intensive trapping and inspection of nearly 4000 kilograms of fruit.”

Inglis said there were 172 surveillance traps in the Papatoetoe area during the operation, which were regularly inspected by biosecurity officers.

“During this period, we’ve made over 1900 individual visits to check the 172 fruit fly traps, so it has been a significant effort.”

He acknowledged the cooperation of Paptoetoe residents, who had already dealt with an Oriental fruit fly incursion in 2025.

“There’s an imposition on individuals, whether that’s on their own produce, at markets, or businesses. People have been absolutely fantastic in understanding the importance of these restrictions and that we get this right, and we appreciate the community’s efforts.”

Biosecurity said 8000 traps nationwide had been checked regularly during this year’s peak fruit fly season.

Ingliss said these traps, as well as managing risks at the border with detector dogs and educating visitors about produce rules, would be important to prevent any future incursions.

“We’re not taking our foot off the gas.

“We’re protecting a massive primary industry, particularly in the horticulture space.

“With changing weather patterns and longer, warmer summers and an increased number of passengers coming through cargo, its important we continue to focus on this.”

Of the 172 traps, nine were part of Biosecurity New Zealand’s existing network of fruit fly traps across the country, including more than 4600 in Auckland. These will remain in place.

Biosecurity confirmed the remainder would be taken down and stored for any potential future use as needed.

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