Source: New Zealand Police
Location:
Police can advise the 45-year-old woman previously reported as missing from the Manurewa area has been located safe and well.
We would like to thank those people who provided information.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police
Police are appealing for information following a firearms incident in Napier today.
At around 3am this morning [Wednesday 4 February], Police responded to an incident where it was reported that a firearm had been discharged on Thackeray Street, Napier.
Police attended and found one person nearby, with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound. They were transported to hospital in moderate condition.
The alleged offender fled the scene in a vehicle but was located later at a Barker Street address.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm with a firearm and is due to appear in Napier District Court tomorrow.
Police would like to hear from any who may have witnessed this incident, or who has any information around what happened, to please get in touch.
Information can be provided through 105, either online at 105.police.govt.nz or by calling 105. Please reference file number 260204/2691.
You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Radio New Zealand
Senior All Blacks have closed ranks around Ardie Savea after the superstar flanker bore the brunt of public backlash for Scott Robertson’s sacking.
Rumours of a Savea-led revolt against Robertson have been rife but firmly rejected by both players and NZ Rugby.
All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor staunchly hit back at the criticism of Savea.
“The way the narrative has been put onto Ards is totally unfair. When someone of his calibre goes away to a different comp, it’s easy to point fingers but that’s not the case at all. I know for a fact he wants the best for this team and he really respected Razor.”
Rumours of a Savea-led revolt against Robertson have been firmly rejected by both players and NZ Rugby. Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Patrick Tuipulotu said Savea was an easy target.
“He’s been used as a scapegoat where he’s just expressed his views in a review where everyone on the team does. I suppose it’s just easy to latch onto him because he is probably the best player in the world at the moment. So yeah, bit disappointing, but people are going to say what they say.
“It won’t bother him. He’s the type of guy just carry on.”
Fellow loose forward Wallace Sititi reiterated that Savea will be unfazed by the speculation.
“He’s my brother, so yeah it’s a bit disappointing, but the fans are passionate about their footy, but we all know who Ardie is as a person and that’s the main thing.”
Sititi said putting the politics aside, the reality of the saga is that a man has lost his job.
“We’ve got to acknowledge the human factor of it. The jersey demand’s the best but I just wish Razor and his family the best.”
Having worked closely with Robertson with the Crusaders, Taylor said it was a hard personal pill to swallow.
Codie Taylor playing against the Pumas in Nelson. Photosport
“It was pretty tough. Came as a bit of a shock. I have got a lot of respect for Ray as a person, as a coach, what he’s achieved and for with what’s happened I feel for him and his family but I suppose from a high performance point of view, they’ve made the decision and now it’s looking to the future.”
Taylor said Robertson was incredibly passionate about the position.
“I know he gave everything, and wanted to give everything for the All Blacks every week and he wanted the best of the players, and for a coach to be like that, I know he was good for the group and there’s just some things that probably haven’t shaped up the way they should have.”
Having reached out to Robertson to offer support, Taylor said the enigmatic Robertson was struggling.
“He’s not great as anyone would expect when you get the honour of his job and then it’s taken away, and he’s feeling it. New Zealand’s a small place, so I feel for him, I feel for Jane (his wife), and his kids.”
Tuipulotu said there was also a real feeling of indecision amongst the players.
“Especially with the head coach vacancy. I suppose it’s the chance for players to step up and keep the group gelled. A lot of unknown and interesting times. Not knowing what’s going to happen, that’s the uneasy bit. However, in this day and age, high performance sport [is] really cut-throat and it just shows how it cut-throat it is. So it just means we have to be on our game a bit more.”
The injured Blues lock said senior All Blacks have been sure to stay connected during the fallout.
Tuipulotu and other senior All Blacks have been in close communication after Robertson was fired. ActionPress
“After it was announced about Razor, we had a team Zoom to sort of make it clear what happened and what the decision was, and it was important for the playing group to focus on Super Rugby, play well, and then hopefully by the time Super Rugby’s done, there’s a new coach and something in place for them and for us to come into.”
As for whether change was needed?
“Yes and no. I think there’s always change for improvement and certainly probably felt there was improvement needed.”
Tuipulotu said players have shared their hopes for the new man to take the reins.
“There’s a list there, but none of us know who the shortlist is. So I think we’re sort of asked what we see in a coach, what we want in a coach personally. So I think that was delivered to a panel.”
He said the reaction to the news by the public was just part and parcel for the All Blacks.
“I think we just have some die-hard fans who want to see us do well and that’s all part of the game.”
Taylor reiterated this notion.
“I think it’s sort of expected, right? It’s a high performance environment. It’s pretty ruthless. A process was played out and this is the outcome of it, It’s been done now, we just have to look forward to what’s ahead and hopefully we get back on that stage and be dominant.”
While a turbulent time for the team, Sititi believes the All Blacks remain a force in world rugby.
“I think we’ve still got our aura. I’m going to back my brothers, and back the black jersey.”
Wallace Sititi. Daniel Carson/Photosport NZ
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Source: Radio New Zealand
A cordon is in place on Ulster Street in Hamilton. Libby Kirkby-McLeod
A man is in a critical condition after being shot by police in Hamilton.
About 10am, police swarmed a Hamilton street and closed off a hotel.
In Inspector Will Loughrin said police responded to reports of a vehicle driving “erratically” in Te Awamutu just before 9am.
Information suggested the driver was wanted by police in relation to other serious incidents.
When police caught up to the vehicle on Ulster Street in Hamilton, the man allegedly pointed a shotgun at police.
“Police appealed for the man to put the shotgun down, which he failed to do.
“An officer then fired two shots at the offender.”
Medical assistance was given to the man immediately before he was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
He was now in a moderate condition, Loughrin said, and his injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
“A second occupant of the vehicle was taken into custody at the scene,” Loughrin said.
“Thankfully, no police staff were injured in this incident.”
Loughrin said Ulster Street remains closed off from the Mill Street intersection and the public is urged to avoid the area.
“We want to reassure the community that there is no ongoing public safety risk following this incident.
“Police are conducting reassurance patrols around the area. The community can also expect to see an increased police presence in the coming days.”
Earlier, an RNZ reporter at the scene said police cars could be seen parked in the street and police officers were going door-to-door speaking with people.
They declined to answer questions.
Alpha Motel manager Ford McArley, inside the cordon, said he also heard something before police arrived at the scene.
“I started drilling in the rooms to put TVs on the wall and just heard what sounded like two car tyres, and didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
“And then right outside the motel, there were police everywhere.”
McArley said police weren’t saying much about what happened.
He said it wasn’t typical of the street.
“I’ve been here just about three months now, and we’ve never had the street blocked off like this,” McArley said.
Police were expected to speak to media on Wednesday afternoon.
Loughrin said a critical incident investigation was underway and the incident will also be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
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Source: New Zealand Government
The growing number of people in work is good news for New Zealand, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
“Stats NZ data released today shows an additional 15,000 people got jobs in the final three months of last year.
“In addition, the hours worked and the number of people actively seeking work also increased. Together with other recent surveys showing rising business and consumer confidence, these are signs of a growing economy in which people see increased opportunity.
“The unemployment rate increased 0.1 per cent in the quarter to 5.4 per cent, fractionally below the 5.5 per cent rate forecast by the Treasury in its December Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update.
“Obviously, we would prefer the rate to be lower still but the underlying details are positive and economists are expecting the unemployment rate to fall this year as the economy recovers.”
Nicola Willis says it is also pleasing to see that the number of young people not in education, training or employment declined from 13.7 to 13.2 per cent in the quarter.
“Many Kiwis are still doing it tough and there is heaps to do. But all the signs are that the steps the Government has taken to fix the basics and build the future are making it easier for businesses to invest, innovate, grow and employ more people.”
Source: Radio New Zealand
Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater treatment plant has been shut down and staff evacuated from the site, after an equipment failure flooded multiple floors.
Untreated wastewater is being discharged into the sea and that may continue for some time, Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty said.
“This is a serious situation and we anticipate the plant will be shut down for an extended period,” he said.
Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater treatment plant on Wednesday. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Dougherty strongly advised the public to stay away from south coast beaches, and said a rāhui would be placed over the affected area.
“We will have boots on the ground today, with our customer teams distributing information about public health and advice.
“An environmental team will be undertaking water quality testing. More information will be provided at lunchtime today. This is a complex incident, and all necessary resources are being utilised,” he said.
Dougherty said it was unacceptable.
A sign warning of a sewage discharge from Moa Point. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
“We apologise to the public, local community and our iwi partners for the public health and environmental impact caused.”
The mechanical failure began at 1am on Wednesday.
Fire and emergency shift manager Murray Dunbar said three fire trucks responded to a fire alarm activation there about 12.40 am.
The crews reported they were unable to access the lower building due to flooding and they were going to wait for a building representative to be contacted and respond, Dunbar said.
The Moa Point problem followed two other wastewater discharge notices on Tuesday night, which were caused by heavy rain.
Wellington Water’s Moa Point treatment plant (file photo). Wellington Water
Partially treated wastewater was discharged into Wellington’s Karori Stream at 10.45pm on Tuesday, which flows into the sea on the south coast.
About half an hour before that, fully treated sewage was released at 10.18pm into Waiwhetū Stream in Lower Hutt, which flows into the sea near Petone beach.
Water monitoring body Land, Air, Water Aotearoa advised people to stay out of the sea for two or three days after heavy rain.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
The adult pūteketeke didn’t see the danger as they don’t perceive ducks as a threat, DOC says. Supplied / Department of Conservation
Three murderous mallards have been euthanised after preying on pūteketeke chicks in Canterbury’s Mackenzie basin.
Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers were shocked when a person sent in photos of three ducks hunting and killing freshly hatched native pūteketeke (Australasian crested grebe) chicks next to Lake Alexandrina, south of Lake Tekapo.
The pūteketeke garnered international attention in 2023 when comedian John Oliver successfully campaigned for it to win the Forest and Bird’s Bird of the Century crown.
In a press release, DOC principal biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson said staff were horrified to see graphic photos of the chicks being eaten alive, as it was unusual for ducks to prey on other birds.
“Mallard ducks usually eat plant material, with a little bit of protein from insects and snails during the breeding season,” he said.
“It was shocking to see them eating pūteketeke chicks. We went out there straight away and I observed three mallard ducks in the outlet creek where the grebe nests are.”
Nelson said the ducks were “actively scoping out the pūteketeke nests to see if they had chicks”.
Pūteketeke are classed as nationally vulnerable birds. Supplied / Department of Conservation
“The adult pūteketeke didn’t see the danger as they don’t perceive the ducks as a threat.”
Duck behaviour of this nature was unknown to DOC’s experts, with further concern it could spread, as ducks learnt from each other, Nelson said.
“There was a case which was referenced in a research paper from a Cambridge University scientist describing how a group of mallard ducks were attacking and eating the chicks of two common bird species in Romania in 2017. It claimed this was a world first and the ducks may have been searching for a source of protein before laying eggs and nesting,” he said.
The person who raised concerns did the right thing by calling the department and taking photos as evidence, Nelson said.
“This is a great example of people taking action for nature and looking out for our vulnerable species. While some people think the pūteketeke is introduced because of its name (the Australasian crested grebe), the reality is they’re native and are classed as nationally vulnerable,” he said.
“We want the public to be really engaged with nature. People can be our eyes and ears out ‘naturing’ and that’s fantastic for us, as our rangers can’t be everywhere.”
Campers and boaties around Canterbury’s popular Lake Benmore shoreline were asked to look out for pūteketeke over the summer period last December following reports of nests being disturbed at the Ōhau C campground.
Many nests neighboured the boat ramp and spread out around the lake shore.
The pūteketeke colony had 40 to 50 nests annually for the last five breeding seasons and birds had raised their young much later than usual in the outlet creek next to Lake Alexandrina.
DOC staff had caught the three ducks in question with nets and removed them from the site and humanely euthanised them.
Staff were also heading out again on Wednesday to check no other mallard ducks had repeated the behaviour.
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Source: New Zealand Police
Please attribute to Inspector Will Loughrin, acting Waikato District Commander:
A man is in Waikato Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being shot at by Police in Hamilton this morning.
Police responded to reports of a vehicle driving erratically on Cambridge Road, Te Awamutu just before 9am.
Initial information suggested the driver was wanted by Police in relation to prior serious incidents.
Police monitored the vehicle’s movements, and deployed units to Ulster Street, where the vehicle was located trying to leave a carpark.
Officers stopped the vehicle from leaving, before the man presented a shotgun.
Police appealed for the man to put the shotgun down, which he failed to do.
An officer then fired two shots at the offender.
Officers provided immediate medical assistance, and St John transported the man to hospital, where he remains in a moderate condition. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
A second occupant of the vehicle was taken into custody at the scene.
Thankfully, no Police staff were injured in this incident.
Ulster Street remains closed from the Mill Street intersection. Traffic is being diverted down Richmond Street.
Members of the public are advised to avoid the area, as road closures are expected to remain in place for several hours.
We want to reassure the community that there is no ongoing public safety risk following this incident.
Police are conducting reassurance patrols around the area.
The community can also expect to see an increased Police presence in the coming days.
Support will be provided to the attending officers.
A critical incident investigation into the incident is under way and the incident will also be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), as is standard procedure for any incident involving a Police shooting.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Radio New Zealand
Dane Coles PhotoSport
NZ Rugby (NZR) has confirmed today that Dane Coles is the recently retired player on its appointments panel for the next All Black coach.
NZR had previously announced the five-person panel would include Board Chair David Kirk, 132-test All Black Keven Mealamu, interim CEO Steve Lancaster and former Black Sox coach Don Tricker.
Coles comes back into the All Black environment after retiring in 2023, having played 90 tests over 11 seasons.
The panel will find a successor to Scott Robertson, who was sensationally sacked as All Black coach last month.
Robertson guided the team to 20 wins in 27 tests over two seasons, however Kirk said that the NZR board had concerns over the trajectory of the team before next year’s World Cup in Australia.
The leading candidates appear to be Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie, after the confirmations that Joe Schmidt will stay in his role as Wallaby coach, and Vern Cotter’s move to the Queensland Reds next season.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Wellington Phoenix player Pia Vlok has been called up to the Football Ferns for the first time. photosport
Fresh from scoring Wellington Phoenix’s first hattrick in the A-League Women, Pia Vlok will make her senior debut with the Football Ferns as the team begins the qualification process for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
Head coach Michael Mayne has named two new faces in the 23-player squad for this month’s qualifying journey in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Seventeen year-old Vlok, who captaining New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup last year, is joined by Newcastle Jets’ standout Charlotte Lancaster in a new cycle for the Football Ferns.
Lancaster is having a breakout A-League season and has scored three goals in eight games from midfield.
Goalkeeper Maddie Iro is also selected as part of the initial squad for the first time after joining as an injury replacement for October’s games in Mexico and the USA.
“It is great to get this group together ahead of an important year and start the journey to achieve the first of our goals, qualifying for Brazil in 2027,” Mayne said.
“This tour presents some different challenges, especially with the global nature of our squad and players both in the middle of competitive seasons or in preseason and looking to establish themselves, so we have had to account for a number of factors when selecting the final 23.
“I am confident we have the right balance of those who were available for selection and a group that are able to get straight to work when we arrive in Honiara to secure our qualification for the semi and finals back in New Zealand.”
Mayne said he wanted competition to be high in every position but was also working to ensure players “can thrive mentally and physically at this level with the high demands to perform as a cohesive team”.
“What has been exciting to see, and aligns with our strategy to build capability, is seeing players performing well and consistently in their leagues, so rewarding Pia and Charlotte, who have earned call ups after making a big impact in the A-League Women, is great to be able to do.”
The Football Ferns will begin their FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifying journey, as part of Group A at the Oceania Qualifiers, on 27 February against Samoa, before facing hosts Solomon Islands on 2 March and American Samoa on 5 March.
All games will be played at the National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The top two sides in Group A will then take on the top two from Group B, played in Fiji, in the Semi-Final and Final of the Oceania Qualifiers, played in New Zealand, to secure a place in Brazil for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
The full squad is:
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