NZ Engine

Source: Independent Police Conduct Authority

29 May 2025

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has completed a review of the Police’s use of the Complex Investigation Phased Engagement Model (CIPEM) interviewing method and found that, although it was a laudable attempt to enhance officers’ investigative interviewing skills, its implementation fell short in several respects.

The Authority’s review was prompted by criticism that arose after evidence in a murder case was ruled inadmissible in September 2021 and concerns were subsequently raised in the media. We also received several complaints. However, the review ultimately focused on examining the development and use of CIPEM, rather than tangential allegations of misconduct that could not be substantiated.

The Authority found that CIPEM had a heavy focus on engagement skills and building rapport, which is consistent with international best practice. However, the normal processes for quality assurance and implementation of the training were not followed, and the model was not reviewed by an independent expert until about two and a half years after the training began.

We reviewed five cases in which CIPEM-trained interviewers had been brought in to assist investigation teams. In two of the five cases, we found that the questioning itself departed from good practice and failed to comply with the Judges’ Rules on Police Questioning. However, these failures were generally not integral to CIPEM and were due to poor practice and inadequate oversight.

We also found that Police leadership should have done more to support the individual officers impacted by persistent media criticism and proactively correct the perception that CIPEM alone caused the downfall of the case in which evidence was ruled inadmissible.

Police have taken steps to identify and address the problems they are experiencing with interviewing. A recent review has resulted in recommendations for improvement, including creating a new Manager of Investigative Interviewing role.

The Authority recommends that Police proceed with establishing that role, which should focus among other things on improving investigative interviewing and engagement training and making it available to all staff; ensuring that the interviewing trainers have a high level of operational experience and excellent engagement skills; and developing training for interviewing suspects and hostile witnesses.

Public Report

Police Investigative Interviewing and the Complex Investigation Phased Engagement Model (PDF 628 KB)

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Commissioner Richard Chambers:

Police acknowledge and fully accept the findings and recommendations of the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report into Police’s use of the Complex Investigation Phased Engagement Model (CIPEM) interviewing method.

The CIPEM interviewing programme was implemented in 2018 with the knowledge and support of the Police Executive, and the staff involved acted in good faith striving to improve an acknowledged gap in our interviewing capacity.

While there are lessons to be learned for Police, the staff involved displayed passion and dedication in working to try to advance difficult and complex cases. Police acknowledge that more support should have been afforded to the officers involved at the time and apologise to the staff involved for not providing that support, particularly during a prolonged period of media reporting.

The murder case interview referenced in the IPCA media statement was subject to an independent review, which found that those involved in that interview were not involved in the wider investigation management, including making key decisions relevant to progressing the investigation or prosecution. They were brought in to conduct an interview phase only. In these circumstances, it would be both wrong and unfair for conclusions to be drawn that these staff were to blame for the charges being withdrawn.

Consequently, the internal review also focussed on the way the Police lead, review and manage serious crime investigations and an examination of those areas specific to that case. Police are unable to release a full copy of that review as it contains sensitive information that would prejudice further investigation and potential prosecution outcomes. A summary of the review (previously released under the Official Information Act 1982) is provided with this release.

Police also commissioned a broad review of interviewing practices across all of Police, which was completed in November 2024. The recommendations of that review and the recommendations of the IPCA review are accepted and are being implemented as a programme of work. A full copy of this review is provided with this release.

Police is also establishing a new position, the Manager Investigative Interviewing, to lead this programme of work, as was recommended by the IPCA. Police expect to recruit for this position in coming weeks.

Engaging with and interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects is a core policing skill and pivotal to advancing all investigations and other aspects of policing.

The Police Executive is committed to ensuring that NZ Police’s interviewing training programme is world leading.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

Good morning.
Thank you for the invitation to address this conference. Foreign Affairs responsibilities require us to be elsewhere today, so it is with regret that this address to you all must be delivered in this format.
Let us begin by acknowledging the board members and management of the Australasian Railway Association; leaders from KiwiRail, Metlink, Auckland Transport, Auckland One Rail, infrastructure firms, and heritage operators, as well as our Australian freight and metro counterparts. 
As the Minister for Rail – that’s for rail – the chance to share our record and vision was not to be missed.
We had responsibility for rail during the 2017-2020 term and we turned things around. Contrast our legacy for rail with any other and you will see who is out in front.
We are rebuilding rail
In 2020, we changed the law – rail is now funded like roads. A common-sense reform.
We funded the third main line between Wiri and Westfield – Auckland’s busiest rail section – and planning is underway for a fourth main line across the whole Auckland southern corridor. New stations are being built in South Auckland and electrification has extended commuter trains to Pukekohe.
Northland’s line can now take standard-weight trains and hi-cube containers. Marsden Point’s spur – stalled under the previous Government – is now in Fast Track legislation, alongside the Avondale-Southdown corridor.
Remediation and upgrades are occurring across Auckland and Wellington, lifting the quality, reliability and frequency of services. A city rail link in Auckland’s centre and new trains in Wellington.
Our regional investments are also about positioning New Zealand for global trade: port connections, less truck congestion, and more freight competition.
Just a fortnight ago, the Honourable Shane Jones announced $8.2 million to fund a three-track rail siding connecting Southern Link Logistics to the network.
Freight is about getting from A to B. Freight is the lifeblood of our economy. It’s no good making something if it doesn’t go to a customer.
Inland freight hubs mean local road freight operators and rail freight can feed regional goods into the hub, and have rail take the combined heavy haul to port. 
Rail is the clearing house for busy ports, moving vast quantities so ports can handle more ships. More ships enable more exports, more imports, more trade.
And, last week, we announced in Budget 2025 the commitment of $604 million for rail. $461 million for the national network, and $143 million to the metro networks in Auckland and Wellington.
Both investments continue our focus on arresting the decline of the networks, contributing to better reliability.
Freight must pay its way.
KiwiRail must cover all its operating and capital costs—just like any other business. Freight volumes are down, as they are across the board.
So the turnaround begins with cost. Competitive pricing requires leaner operations, better use of its assets and better, more responsive systems for customers.
The second issue is reliability. Big players like Fonterra get a good service from KiwiRail – but KiwiRail must compete on speed and certainty for domestic and export freight. 
We know that KiwiRail is alive to these issues. They are hungry for customers, and as shareholders we are as eager as their customers are to see that lift in performance.
We’re doing our part. Sixty-six new locomotives from Spain will replace the South Island fleet and support the North Island fleet.
We’re refurbishing the Hamilton-Palmerston North electric fleet, and planning is underway on electrifying the line to Mt Maunganui. Electric engines haul heavy weights, cost little to run, and emit nothing.
We’ve rebuilt Dunedin’s Hillside Workshops and new wagons are rolling out of there. A total of 1,350 wagons will be assembled, creating local jobs and capability, and wagons to reliably move customers’ freight. 
It is on KiwiRail to deliver a strong freight business on the back of our investment. You will be measured on volumes, reliability, and earnings. Succeeding will open the door to new customers and then we can truly begin to rebalance transport in this country. 
It is up to freight movers to come to the party, too. The Government is making the investment in rail that’s needed, so use it. The greater the use of the rail network, the greater the savings on reduced road congestion and road maintenance costs. 
Every person who sees a wagon of logs moving by rail is a person who is not stuck behind a logging truck on the road.
Finally: the ferries.
We shut down the bloated iReX project. No Taj Mahal in Picton, no Opera House in Wellington. Just safe, reliable efficient ferries for road and rail – by 2029 – and infrastructure that works.
Ferry Holdings has two jobs: deliver ferries by 2029 and build low-cost infrastructure to serve them. Picton will get dual linkspans and faster load times. In Wellington, we’ll build on what’s already there. Rail is a primary customer across Cook Strait, and it will be served.
We will deliver, and rail is here to stay.
In closing: We back rail. Not with words, but with deeds. 
But do not mistake this for unquestioning support. Let iReX be a lesson to the whole rail system: we do not tolerate waste.
As rail people, the delivery is up to all of you and your teams at this conference. 
All of New Zealand expects you to succeed. 
Thank you and have a great historic conference.

Source: New Zealand Government

Health Minister Simeon Brown today announced an additional $59 million in funding for the Taranaki Base Hospital Redevelopment, ensuring Stage Two is completed by the end of 2025.

“This redevelopment is a critical investment in modernising healthcare for the people of Taranaki,” Mr Brown says.

“The additional $59.2 million is required to meet cost pressures that have emerged since 2022 – ensuring we can complete Stage Two of the project on schedule and deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose hospital that can meet the region’s needs now and into the future.”

The funding will support the delivery of the new East Wing Building – a six-storey, 20,000-square-metre facility due to open by the end of 2025.

“This building will house many of Taranaki Base Hospital’s core acute and specialist services, including the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, maternity, neonatal, and radiology services.

“It will increase the number of patient spaces to 151 – an additional 55 to current capacity – and provide a total of 34 laboratory workstations. It has also been designed with future expansion in mind.

“The East Wing Building will also include a modern acute assessment unit, a primary birthing unit, an Integrated Operations Centre, a rooftop helipad, and a tūpapaku viewing room – a reflection of a more culturally responsive and patient-focused model of care.

Mr Brown said the redevelopment would help meet the growing and changing needs of the Taranaki region.

“This is about delivering smarter, more efficient healthcare. It’s about ensuring the system can meet the needs of a growing and ageing population, while also supporting the workforce with modern, integrated facilities.

“We are making the long-overdue investments needed to strengthen our hospitals and ensure the health system delivers better outcomes for New Zealanders.”

“Modern infrastructure helps reduce wait times, improve care, and ensure patients get the high-quality treatment they expect and deserve.

“The completion of the East Wing Building will be a significant milestone for healthcare in the region and a key part of our Government’s broader commitment to a stronger, more resilient public health system.”

“We are focused on delivering the hospital infrastructure New Zealand needs – with clear outcomes for patients and communities,” Mr Brown says.

Source: Maritime New Zealand

The Port Health and Safety Leadership Group enthusiastically welcomed the Approved code of practice for loading and unloading cargo at ports and on ships (ACOP) when it came into effect late last year.

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  29 May 2025

The North Canterbury ranger’s job is to not only clean public toilets at DOC sites but also replace the toilet paper.

Now DOC has revealed how much toilet paper was ordered by regional offices around Aotearoa for the 2024/2025 period, a whopping 15.5 million metres nationally.

That’s roughly 15,500 kilometres of paper which would stretch the length of New Zealand nearly ten times.

The figures reveal across DOC’s operational regions the most toilet paper was ordered by the Southern South Island which includes Fiordland and the Great Walks (3,103,037 metres), followed closely by the Northern South Island which includes Abel Tasman Great Walks and the iconic Tōtaranui campground (3,069,369) and in third place, Hauraki Waikato Taranaki (which includes the Coromandel) 2,727,160 metres.

Daryl Sweeney looks after DOC sites in Canterbury including the toilets at the hugely popular and culturally significant Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill on the highway to Arthurs Pass and the West Coast.

“What we do outdoors makes all the difference for New Zealand’s unique nature. This includes toileting responsibly. How and where we go is key to ensuring we do no harm to our great outdoors.

“Visitors are encouraged to go to the toilet before they start their trip and plan stops at toilets along the way. Those heading further into the backcountry need to know what to do when there’s no toilet – you can find this advice on DOC’s website.”

And it’s not just about using the facilities provided, says Daryl Sweeney.

“It’s shocking how much toilet paper is used. Sometimes it’s piled up beside the toilet in a mountain. The state some of the toilets are left in is also appalling to be honest,” he says.

“You wouldn’t do this at home so why would you do it in public toilets. Everyone has a role to respect the natural environment and not leave rubbish in and around these places.”

North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says Daryl is just one of the hard-working rangers nationally who drive kilometres every day across multiple sites to replace toilet paper and keep facilities clean, including over the weekends and on public holidays.

“Many people don’t realise this is a core role DOC undertakes. It takes a huge amount of time for our rangers and some of what they deal with would turn your stomach,” she says.

With the opening of bookings for all the Great Walks this month, and on the eve of Kings Birthday holiday weekend, DOC says it’s a timely reminder for people to look after public facilities at DOC sites, to read the signs and not leave rubbish around for others to pick up.

Daryl Sweeney says everyone has a part to play in looking after nature and says it would be a huge bonus for him if the toilets were left in a better state.

“I’m answering other people’s calls of nature,” he jokes, “but it’s about time people answered their own, and respected the amazing places they are visiting. I feel like if people had to do my job for a day, they’d understand. My message is use the toilets provided, use less toilet paper, put it in the toilet or the bin and leave the toilet in a tidy state. It’s simple.”

Find out more on the DOC website.

Poo in a loo – and be prepared for when there isn’t one: Know before you go

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

A pedestrian who was seriously injured after being struck by a car in Christchurch last week has died.

The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by the car in Halswell Road at around 10.45am on 23 May. Sadly he passed away in hospital on 24 May.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

[Remarks during press engagement in Kathmandu with the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr Rana Deuba, Kathmandu, Nepal]

Thank you Foreign Minister Deuba for the warm welcome to Nepal.

We are very pleased to be here on this historic occasion; the first visit by a New Zealand Foreign Minister to Nepal and, tomorrow, the 72nd anniversary of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary’s summit of Mount Everest Sagarmāthā.

Norgay and Hillary’s achievement in 1953 was a watershed moment in the histories of both of our countries, and a formative event in the bilateral relations between our countries.

The legacy of that shared history continues today, and is reflected in our long-standing, warm relationship.

With Minister Deuba, we discussed New Zealand’s support for over 70 years to the Himalayan Trust established by Hillary to support development and education in the Everest region.

We also discussed our long-standing development and education ties. Beginning with assistance under the Colombo Plan and supported under a number of different scholarship initiatives since, Nepalese students have been studying in New Zealand for more than 70 years. Education cooperation is a strong strand of our bilateral relationship, and one which we will continue to nurture.

We were pleased to confirm that New Zealand will continue this support by contributing NZ$2.5 million to development projects and scholarships in Nepal over the next three years.

We acknowledged Nepal’s positive contribution to climate action and noted that Nepal is able to draw on New Zealand’s NZ$15 million contribution to the Global Green Growth Institute.

Earlier today we were pleased to also meet President Paudel and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

In these meetings we reiterated our shared interests in regional and global security and acknowledged Nepal’s significant troop contribution to UN peacekeeping.

We discussed New Zealand’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the importance of working together to uphold the rules-based international system.

We also discussed the multiple pressures on the global trade and economic system, and ways we can strengthen bilateral cooperation.

We spoke of our ambition to have an Air Services Agreement between New Zealand and Nepal in place in the near future to support the growth of tourism and trade. 

The New Zealand Government is committed to bringing more energy to our relationships in South and Southeast Asia, and we are pleased to count Nepal amongst our most long-standing relationships in the region.

Thank you once again to Foreign Minister Deuba, the government, and the people of Nepal for your generous hosting of our delegation, and for continuing our friendly and constructive relationship.

Thank you.

Source: Green Party

The Government’s latest move to unwind the ‘pay parity’ regime carefully negotiated between government and the sector is a kick in the teeth for already undervalued and underpaid kaiako.

“Make no mistake, this is a move by the Government to ensure that pay increases for teachers stay low, while cutting costs to employers,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Early Childhood Education, Benjamin Doyle (they/them).

“Today, the Ministry of Education announced that, following a decision by Minister Seymour, centres in the pay parity scheme don’t have to offer new teachers pay parity rates. So while they can’t cut the pay of their existing workers, they don’t have to maintain these rates for new employees – meaning reduction in wages over time. 

“This is another blow to kaiako – already undervalued and let down by this government by the pay equity debacle. Slashing pay sends a clear message that teachers don’t matter.

“Driving down wages means more teachers walking away, and it’s our tamariki and their whānau who will pay the price. We can’t gamble with their futures by short-changing the very people who shape them.

“This news comes less than a fortnight after we learned the dire state of sector’s confidence in the direction the Government is taking ECE, with 82 per cent of those at the coalface saying it’s going in the wrong direction.

“Every child in Aotearoa deserves the best start in life. That demands an ECE system that places tamariki at its core by supporting and valuing the important work of teachers and educators.

“Our Green Budget has shown that we can pay every ECE teacher fairly—if we make the sector not-for-profit, public, and community-led.

“Take out the corporate greed and put every dollar into tamariki and kaiako – that’s how we can lower costs for parents and pay teachers what they deserve,” says Benjamin Doyle.

Source: New Zealand Police

Northland Police investigating the death of Horeke man Daniel Hepehi are continuing to build a picture about events that led up to an incident at his property.

Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, of Northland CIB, says the investigation team are working on fresh lines of enquiry following an appeal for information yesterday.

“We have a motivated team building a picture of what happened to Mr Hepehi and we continue to ask people with information to come forward,” he says.

Police are appealing for sightings of the 77-year-old, who was also known as Danny Whitson, on Wednesday, May 21.

“We’d like to hear from anyone who saw or interacted with Mr Hepehi on May 21,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.

“We know he shopped for groceries in Kaikohe around 10.30am last Wednesday.”

Police are continuing an appeal for sightings of a green and gold 4-wheel-drive with the number plate LCP129 on May 21.

“Police are investigating a connection between the vehicle and Daniel Hepehi,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.

Anyone with information is asked to update Police online or call 105.

Please quote the reference number 250522/0155. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Nicole Bremner/NZ Police