Posts

Posted on

US agents involved in Minneapolis shooting placed on leave – reports

Source: Radio New Zealand

A photo of Alex Pretti is displayed at a makeshift memorial in his honor in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 26, 2026. AFP / OCTAVIO JONES

At least two federal agents who were involved in Saturday’s fatal shooting of a US citizen in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave, two US media outlets say.

The Department of Homeland Security said the two immigration agents who discharged their weapons during the deadly encounter with Alex Pretti were put on leave as part of standard procedures, Fox News reported on Wednesday (Thursday NZT).

MS NOW earlier reported that agents involved in the shooting of Pretti were being put on leave, citing an unnamed source.

Representatives for DHS could not be immediately reached to confirm the reports.

Immigration agents on Saturday fired multiple shots at Pretti, an ICU nurse at a hospital for veterans. His death was the second fatal encounter between Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and US citizens in Minnesota this month, sparked a national uproar.

US Customs and Border Protection has said it is reviewing the shooting.

More to come…

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Fire and Emergency faces tough questions over decision to ground its watercraft

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ngāruawāhia volunteer fire station’s jet skis assist police with a water rescue during Cyclone Hale in 2023. Supplied

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) faced tough questioning at the Governance and Administration Select Committee in Parliament on Wednesday, much of it focused on the organisation’s banning of all powered watercraft used by local fire stations during water emergencies.

FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory acknowledged that the decision not to deliver a service was tough on communities, but said the organisation had to prioritise what capabilities they were willing and able to invest in.

He also said that FENZ was trying to work with the local councils, iwi and other community groups in Waikato to see if the Ngāruawāhia and Huntly rescue vessels could be run by someone else.

“There’s no doubt that those vessels add value into the community, the question is whether it’s Fire and Emergency’s [job] to allocate resource and financial impact into there to build that capability or whether that sits somewhere else in the community,” Gregory said.

He said it would cost millions to build that capability for New Zealand.

Waikato MP Tim van de Molen, who was on the committee, pushed back against this.

He said the brigades had built their own capability and had never asked FENZ for financial support or resources.

“In this instance we are not asking you to spend millions of dollars. The community fund-raised for the boat themselves, it funded all their own training requirements, they get donations to fund the fuel for it, it’s zero cost on FENZ to operate that and it has been operating safely for decades, why will you not let it continue?” van de Molen asked.

He suggested that FENZ was putting a checklist ahead of the safety of the community.

Kerry Gregory acknowledged that the decision not to deliver a service was tough on communities. File picture. RNZ

Gregory rejected that assessment.

“It’s not a checklist, it’s a responsibility of the organisation and we take that very seriously, the safety of our people, because they work in such dangerous situations,” he said.

FENZ deputy national commander Megan Stiffler told the committee she had international recognition for swift water rescue work. She suggested that the vessels used by Ngāruawāhia and Huntly volunteer fire stations were unsuitable.

“The motorised watercraft that I have seen you would never build in a swift water or water rescue programme of work,” she said.

Instead, she said FENZ supplied unmotorized watercraft to provide water rescue. This included land-based rescue where firefighters might throw a bag to someone in the water for them to grab, or paddled inflatables which can travel over shallow water.

Gregory said that what was offered by local stations was a legacy of a time before urban and rural fire services where unified under a new funding model and legislation in 2017.

“Eight years in it’s the right time to look at our organisation and say ‘are we fit-for-purpose, are we right-sized, where do we need to invest, where do we need to divest in and how to we make sure we are sustainable as an organisation going forward so that we can support New Zealanders’ so that’s what we are focused on,” he told the committee.

Van de Molen did not seem to accept this when it came to the grounding of Ngāruawāhia and Huntly’s watercraft.

“They’re both volunteer brigades, they have had for several decades motorized water response capabilities, they have had sign-off for that from the CEO of FENZ post-merger, they have compliance certificates from Maritime NZ to operate that, they have skipper courses for the personnel that operate that, they have MOSS system [Maritime Operator Safety System] – have a certificate of compliance for that – so I’m interested in what has changed?” he asked Stiffler.

She replied that FENZ had to authorize and task the crews for rescue and they would not be building that capability.

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

Posted on

Babyboomers and middle-aged New Zealanders struggle with UK’s new border rules

Source: Radio New Zealand

Older New Zealanders with British heritage are grappling with border rule changes. 123RF

Older New Zealanders with British heritage are grappling with border rule changes – and question marks over citizenship – as they prepare for visits to see relatives in the United Kingdom.

UK migrants have discovered they need to get British passports to go on holiday to Britain, or to visit elderly parents and grandparents, from the end of next month.

Many families emigrated in the post-war period. Their children can be citizens by descent but others will not because of when and where they were born, said British High Commissioner Iona Thomas on Wednesday.

Travellers should check online if they are uncertain about their citizenship or their children’s, she added.

Younger generations of UK migrants have discovered they may need to get British passports for their families, too. Citizens can instead get a certificate of entitlement, but that is more expensive than buying a UK passport.

Wellington-based Thomas said the change to ETAs and passport rules from 25 February is for security reasons. “I do understand that travelling can be very stressful and making arrangements for travel can be difficult. And so I am sorry that people are finding these changes difficult but it is important that people travel with the right documentation all the time.”

British High Commissioner to New Zealand Iona Thomas (L) and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro in 2022. Supplied

In the numbers

The High Commissioner did not say whether demand for passports had risen, what processing timeframes now looked like, or who was classed as a citizen.

The UK’s Office for National Statistics figures from its 2021 census showed New Zealanders were the most likely migrants in the UK to have dual citizenship (49.2 percent), ahead of South Africa (49.0 percent) and Australia (47.4 percent).

The proportion of dual citizenship among non-UK-born other passport holders has increased since 2011.

In 2008, the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) estimated the country’s diaspora population, finding that at least 80 percent of New Zealanders had some British ancestry – higher even than Australia.

“Some 17 percent (estimated) are entitled to British passports,” said the FCO, adding “Britain remains a favoured destination for young New Zealanders for their ‘Overseas Experience’.”

If accurate, the estimate would mean 765,000 people in New Zealand needed passports if they wanted to visit Britain.

The New Zealand census showed UK citizens numbered about 208,000 in 2023, although it is not known how many people instead chose the ‘New Zealand European’ option in the count.

Across the Tasman, with a larger population, more people were affected by the passport changes. About 1.1 million people there were born in the UK, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2024 figures. Their median age was 59.4 years. The British still made up the biggest foreign-born nationality in both countries.

One traveller said social media comments from Australia in particular suggested the ‘£10 Poms’ – named after the postwar Brits who emigrated to both New Zealand and Australia after the Second World War – were badly affected.

“A lot of these people are now in their 70s, their 80s, and they’re really, really stressing about trying to get paperwork together to go, essentially, to visit family or the relatives that they haven’t seen in decades for the last time,” she said. “It’s just all been very rushed through.”

Her primary concern, however, was knowing whether children would need British passports to travel to the UK.

“[They’re] essentially being forced to get British citizenship or get a passport now to enable their family to go and visit grandparents,” she said. “There’s lots of families that are already booked to go back and see relatives in the Easter holidays, in the July school holidays. And they don’t know whether they can actually enter the UK on their New Zealand passport. So they’re at the moment panicking and going and getting British passports because nobody can get an answer out of the British government.”

Asked for clarification on that point, Thomas said: “All British citizens must travel on UK passports. If that child is a citizen, they cannot use an ETA, and will need a British passport.”

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

Posted on

Biggest bank downgrades house price forecast

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s biggest bank has downgraded its forecast for house prices this year. RNZ

New Zealand’s biggest bank has downgraded its forecast for house prices this year, but new research shows not everyone is feeling the same way.

ANZ said house prices had been broadly flat for three years and there was clear evidence the economy had improved in the second half of 2025, which should be a tailwind for the housing market.

“However, house prices are starting 2026 with little momentum, and uncertainty from the upcoming election – including the prospect of a capital gains tax – may keep some buyers on the sidelines this year,” the bank’s economists said.

“Moreover, the OCR [official cash rate] looks set to rise sooner rather than later after growth and inflation have both come in hotter than the Reserve Bank expected.”

They had brought forward their expectation of the first upward movement in the official cash rate, to December. Previously, they had thought it would happen in February next year.

“As OCR hikes draw closer, mortgage rates are shifting from a tailwind to a headwind for the housing market. Weighing it all up, we have reduced our house price inflation forecast for 2026 to 2 percent from 5 percent previously.”

They said there was clear divergence between different parts of the country. Wellington prices were down 4 percent over six months. Auckland’s had also fallen, but not as much.

Canterbury, Otago and Southland prices continued to rise.

“Indicators of the balance between demand and supply suggest prices will continue to be flat through the early part of 2026. The ratio of sales to inventories is a useful indicator of heat in the housing market and tends to give a three- to six-month lead on house price momentum. It is flat as a pancake, suggesting prices will be too.”

Meanwhile Cotality research had found that survey respondents from real estate, banking and related sectors expected price growth this year, and 14 percent expected price rises of more than 5 percent.

Head of research Nick Goodall said while sentiment had lifted from recent lows, expectations remained more conservative in New Zealand than in Australia, reflecting a weaker economy and jobs market and persistently high levels of homes for sale.

Cotality head of research Nick Goodall. Supplied / Cotality

“The survey provides an important industry pulse on how confidence is rebuilding across housing after a prolonged period of subdued conditions,” he said.

“Sentiment around price direction has clearly improved, but expectations remain grounded with the majority of respondents anticipating modest gains rather than a rapid rebound, which reflects the cautiousness of borrowers and the stuttering economy.

“Supply is still high, but I think demand’s coming back, interest rates have obviously come down, and are set to stay low for a wee bit, even though there’s a bit of doubt as to how long that wee bit is. And so that sort of brings more, not just willing but able buyers to the market who will be a bit more active.

“I think also the lending restrictions loosening up mean more people are going to be coming forward.”

He said the gap between New Zealand and Australian expectations highlighted the different stages of recovery across the two markets.

Canterbury was the most confident region, with 87 percent of respondents expecting prices to rise and almost two-thirds forecasting growth above the national average.

Auckland sentiment had improved but remained cautious, with 73 percent anticipating price growth amid concerns around employment conditions, affordability and lending appetite.

Wellington continued to lag, with 63 percent expecting prices to rise, though only 7 percent foresaw growth above 5 percent and most expected underperformance relative to the national trend.

“On the whole New Zealand’s housing market is showing tentative signs of improvement, but the same rate of recovery can’t be applied everywhere, it’s quite fragmented,” Goodall said.

“Improving confidence is being tempered by affordability constraints, the jobs outlook and cautious lending conditions, particularly in larger urban markets.”

Planning reform had added a layer of longer-term optimism to New Zealand’s housing outlook. Almost half of respondents believed recent changes to planning laws and the Resource Management Act would benefit their region over the next two to three years, though most said it was too early to assess the impact on development activity or housing supply.

Goodall said the reforms were expected to support supply over time, but there would be limited immediate impact and market conditions would continue to be affected by demand-side constraints.

“Policy reform has the potential to improve total housing supply with greater build intensification, but the effects are likely to be gradual rather than immediate,” he said.

“In the short term, price outcomes will continue to be driven by sales volumes, listing levels and borrowing capacity.”

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Why do we have ‘meet the teacher’ days and how do you get the most out of them?

Source: Radio New Zealand

So, what’s the point of meeting my child’s teacher or Wānanga?

“It’s about strengthening the home-school partnership,” explains education consultant and former high school teacher Mark Osborne.

“We talk about the golden triangle or the magic triangle between the child, the teacher, and the family … research shows that when parents are actively involved in their child’s education those kids are likely to have better outcomes from education.”

Mark Osborne, education consultant and director of Leading Learning.

Supplied

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Small businesses not exempt from cyber-attacks, internet watchdog Netsafe says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Small businesses are not exempt from cyber-attacks, internet watchdog says. 123RF

An internet watchdog has reminded small businesses they are not exempt from cyber-attacks, after a law firm in Napier was hit in January.

Langley Twigg Law said it was hit by a cyber attack affecting internal information about the firm as well as client documents on 11 January.

The firm said it was working with digital forensics and cyber specialists over the attack.

Netsafe’s chief online safety officer Sean Lyons said the attacks were not always targeted and could be random.

“It can happen in two ways, it can absolutely be targeted, somebody could decide that a particular entity is holding information that they want.”

Lyons said many of the attacks occured when a hacker found out a method or a mechanism they could breach and then took a scatter-gun approach to try and find places that were vulnerable.

“That might be sending out emails with fake invoices or attachments, it might be sending other messages, it might be getting them to click on pages on compromised websites.”

Lyons said once a hacker was in, their criminal intent took over.

“Once they are in they will be trying to find out just about everything about that organisation and see what’s of value in there, that they can take to either sell or exploit the original owners of that information to blackmail them into giving them money.”

He said it was often harder for small business to keep protected, as bigger organisations often had their own cyber-security departments.

“For smaller businesses, it is being aware that these things can happen, that the data they store is of value to other people.

“Some people might think what could be the value, why could I be a target, but like I said, people aren’t always initially a target, but the information that is in there could be of value to somebody, and blackmailing organisations might be a good way for a criminal to make money,” he said.

Netsafe chief online safety officer Sean Lyons. RNZ

The attack came not long after the Law Society sent out advice to its members on how to best manage them, and how to keep safe.

Chief executive Katie Rusbatch said attacks among the sector were becoming more common.

“We’ve seen this on the rise recently and we have identified a need for some guidance and training in this particular area and that’s been a focus for us.

“So really in terms of the guidance that we’ve shared, it’s focusing on how these things like cyber attacks can happen, what those common threats to law firms are, whether that’s things like e-mail compromise or phishing and things like that.

“And then some also some guidance that law firms and lawyers can take to minimise the risk and create an environment for stronger security.

“So providing some really practical guidance in that space so that lawyers can be prepared and also create a culture where they have an awareness of what those risks are.”

Practical steps available

Rusbatch said there were simple things firms could do to keep safe.

“So things like secure access and authentication, there is a lot talked about now about multi-factor authentication for things like emails, trust account systems that law firms might have, keeping systems up to date, so regularly applying software and security updates.

“Training, testing your people, so really making sure that staff have an awareness of phishing and safe e-mail practices and running through some tests in that regard so that people are able to see how they respond if there might be a phishing e-mail.

“So really creating awareness with your staff and then planning for incidents as well, if something does happen, making sure that you have an incident response plan that you know who to contact that who the cyber specialists are that you might need to contact.

“And then other things that backup and recover systems, making sure you have backups offline and the secure cloud and that sort of thing as well,” she said.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner confirmed Langley Twigg Law had been in touch about the incident.

“We will continue to work with them as they further investigate this incident, including ensuring they are aware of their legal obligations in relation to a privacy breach that either has caused or is likely to cause anyone serious harm.

”We would expect Langley Twigg to provide any further detail they would want to share in relation to this,” a statement said.

The police said they were also investigating.

The attack came about a month after a major breach of patient health information portal ManageMyHealth.

The service connected patients with clinicians and allowed people to access their medical records.

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

Posted on

$35k lost in online car sale scam

Source: Radio New Zealand

A man who lost $35,000 buying a car that turned out to be stolen has complained to the Banking Ombudsman. 123RF

Consumer NZ is calling for scam protection to apply to online marketplaces, after a man lost $35,000 buying a car that turned out to be stolen.

The man complained to the Banking Ombudsman about the scam.

He transferred $35,000 from his account into someone else’s, trying to buy a car online.

But the car was later proven to be stolen. He reported the fraud to the bank and the police. His bank tried to retrieve his money, the ombudsman scheme said, but was unsuccessful.

He complained the bank had not acted quickly enough to recover the funds, did not keep him informed and did not reimburse him.

He also asked why the transaction was not identified as suspicious.

The ombudsman scheme investigated and said the payment did not raise any suspicions that should have prompted the bank to make further inquiries.

“The bank was not therefore obliged to reimburse his loss. We also found the bank made reasonable efforts to recover the money. It contacted the receiving bank within 30 minutes of [the man] notifying it about the scam and asked for the money to be recalled. It also confirmed to [him] that it had taken this step.

“It contacted the receiving bank several more times, but the receiving bank eventually advised that it could not recover the money. In short, it acted promptly and communicated reasonably throughout.”

His complaint was not upheld.

Consumer NZ spokesperson Jessica Walker. Supplied / Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ spokesperson Jessica Walker said it was an awful situation.

“Even the new scam reimbursement policy that the banks kicked off in December wouldn’t protect this person. We want protections to extend to online marketplaces. We also want social media and digital platforms to take accountability for scams that are happening on their watch. In the meantime, we urge ultra caution for anyone making purchases online. Because if things go wrong, right now there’s not much you can do.”

Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden said the scheme was seeing fewer scam-related complaints this year.

“However, the financial impact of scams remains significant, with losses continuing to rise – reminding us that scammers are adapting quickly, and we must stay vigilant.

“Scammers target people of all backgrounds and ages. If you share personal information like bank account passcodes online, you could be at risk of a scam. You also need to be on guard when it comes to buying things online. Be wary of people or organisations advertising online. Check who you are paying before sending any funds.

“We encourage anyone who thinks they’ve been scammed to contact their bank as soon as possible. If you are not satisfied with the bank’s response, you can contact the Banking Ombudsman scheme.”

At the end of last year, updates to the Code of Banking Practice introduced new protections.

Banks now gave pre-transaction warnings for certain payments, offered confirmation of payee to check that an account number matched, identified high-risk transactions or unusual activity, offered a 24/7 reporting channel for customers who thought they had been scammed and shared scammer account information.

If they did not meet the commitments, they must compensate customers for all or part of their losses. They also compensated customers whose bank account was accessed without the customer’s authority.

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

Doing stretches in your warm-up? Don’t.

Source: Radio New Zealand

​When Dr Paul Marshall, a sports and rehab research fellow from the University of Auckland, warms up before a tennis match, he plays some tennis.

No pretzel-like stretching. No weird movements. He might jog a lap or two of the court, and slowly increase the intensity of the warm-up hits, but that’s it, really.

“…I personally spend 20 to 30 minutes in the activity with a graded increase in activity so it starts quite light with small movement, progressing forward.”

Walking or a slow job is the ideal way to warm up for a faster, longer run.

Unsplash / Fellipe Ditadi

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Posted on

NZ Warriors speedster Alofiano Khan-Pereira turning heads during NRL off-season

Source: Radio New Zealand

Alofiano Khan-Pereira brings a whole new level of speed to the Warriors roster. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

Andrew Webster knows there’s one thing even he can’t coach and he’s added to his stocks of this precious commodity for the upcoming NRL season.

Pure, unadulterated speed.

Last season, before his untimely knee injury, halfback Luke Metcalf reportedly held bragging rights over his NZ Warriors teammates in this regard, but as he rehabs towards a competitive return maybe seven rounds into the schedule, he may have lost his crown.

The arrival of fleetfooted winger Alofiano Khan-Pereira from Gold Coast has added a whole new dimension of velocity to the roster.

“He is very fast,” the Warriors mentor marvels.

Faster than Metcalf?

“Definitely,” Webster insists. “That will upset Luke.

“Fast guys, it’s effortless for them. It’s really easy and they’re gliding, then they just put their foot down and run away from everyone.”

Khan-Pereira, 24, is in that class.

In 2023, his NRL rookie campaign, he became the first Gold Coast player to score 20 tries in a season. The following year, he crossed 24 times to lead the competition in four-pointers.

Along the way, he equalled the club single-game record, when he piled on four against the Warriors in a 66-6 rout.

Last season, Khan-Pereira seemed to fall off coach Des Hasler’s selection radar, playing just 10 games, and became a player desperately seeking a fresh start.

The Warriors may have let their share of homegrown talent slip through their fingers over the years, but they have also proved a fertile environment for outcasts needing to resurrect careers.

Alofiano Khan-Pereira celebrates one of four tries for Gold Coast Titans against the Warriors in 2024. DAVE HUNT/Photosport

Khan-Pereira has followed the trail of breadcrumbs left by former Titans teammates Erin Clark and Tanah Boyd. Back at his junior club, Clark emerged from last season as the Dally M Lock of the Year, while Boyd was NSW Cup Player of the Year, leading the Warriors reserves to an interstate championship.

“I didn’t have one of the best years, I really wanted to turn that around and try somewhere new,” Khan-Pereira says. “I was fortunate to end up talking to Webby.

“It was a great chat and not too much about rugby – he just really wanted to know me as a person first. I really respect that and he got me excited about where the club was headed.”

Last season, the Warriors were stretched for depth along their backline, with a revolving door at centre and back-up fullback Taine Tuaupiki also the next best option on the wing.

Both Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak missed games through injury, and by the end of the year, DWZ copped much of the blame for a leaky right-edge defence destabilised by the constant changes further infield.

Webster insists his new recruit has the ability to snatch a starting spot off his two veterans.

“Lofi’s obviously very fast and the boys are loving how he plays,” he says. “He’s been exceptional and gives us plenty of competition in that area.

“It allows us a little bit of X factor – he can make a break and turn a half chance into a full chance.

“It’s up to him and it’s up to the other two not to let him in the door.”

After falling out of favour with Hasler, Khan-Pereira knows his attacking prowess won’t be enough to earn a regular role under Webster.

“I’ve really been nailing my focus down to getting a really good defence and good combinations with the boys I’ve been working with,” he says.

“Nothing’s ever given, you’ve got to earn it and that was one of the chats I had with Webby. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and I can only put my best foot forward.

Alofiano Khan-Pereira will challenge incumbent Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for a spot on the Warriors wing. Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz

“You’ve got Dall and Roge there, two experienced wingers and two great wingers in my eyes. I’ll definitely be trying to push my way up there.

“I really want to become a consistent first-grader and get out of my comfort zone. My defensive movements and my decision-making are something I want to work on.”

Khan-Pereira – who is Samoan/Māori on his father’s side and Indigenous/Pakistani on his mother’s – adds to an already eclectic cultural mix at the Warriors.

He’s arrived at Mt Smart with a big reputation, but insists he hasn’t gone looking for early scalps on the training field.

Khan-Pereira has taken some time to scope out his new running mates, and with Metcalf still finding his way back to full fitness, he’s identified Watene-Zelezniak and teen sensation Leka Halasima has worthy rivals.

“I’m more like someone who sits back and scans the area for a bit,” Khan-Pereira grins. “It is great to have that skill, that speed, but you’ve got boys like Dall and Roge, when you try to run around them, their experience comes into play as well.

“I think they’ve caught on a bit and they’ve taken an extra step to the outside – it does get harder and harder for me to get around them.”

Webster warns of another newcomer that may yet challenge for speed honours – former Newcastle Knights half Jye Linnane.

“I reckon Jye is close,” he reveals. “I think he’s faster than Luke.”

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

Posted on

Family found body of Tekanimaeu Arobati, man swept away by Mahurangi River

Source: Radio New Zealand

It took three days of dedicated searching by authorities but eventually it was his family who found the body of their loved one.

Tekanimaeu Arobati was reported missing during the severe storm that lashed eastern areas of the North Island.

Described as a kind, strong, and straight-talking man, he was deeply loved by his family.

Tekanimaeu Arobati was swept away by the swollen Mahurangi River, north of Auckland. Nick Monro

The 47-year-old was in his car with his nephew, heading to work at a nearby greenhouse.

But as they crossed the swollen Mahurangi River, north of Auckland, they were swept into the water.

His nephew managed to escape after being pushed out by Arobati, but he was washed down the river and disappeared from view.

Flowers at the scene where the car was washed away. Nick Monro

Local police and specialists from Search and Rescue scoured the water and banks of the river for Arobati but it was his brother-in-law Kai Tenanoa who found his body.

“Tekanimaeu is my best friend, I call him my brother,” he told RNZ.

“I fight for the goal to find him, and the success, we thank God he brought him back to us.”

The pair went to school together in Kiribati, along with the woman who Arobati would eventually marry.

Tenanoa said the community had rallied around the family.

“I think they are very lovely people,” Tenanoa said.

“We didn’t ask them ‘come and join us’, they all came straight to the wife, and said we want to come with you,” he said.

Kai Tenanoa. Nick Monro

It was Tenanoa and others who found Arobati in the river.

“I thank God, and I thank all the Kiribati communities in Rodney for their support to find him.

“We thank police for everything, for the searching, but now we succeed because of God, of love.”

Search crews had scoured the area from Falls Road in Warkworth along the river for any sign of Arobati.

He was found roughly 200 metres from the crossing where Tekanimaeu disappeared.

His car is yet to be found.

Police are still searching for Tekanimaeu Arobati’s car. Nick Monro

His wife, Tirutinia, was thankful for all the help her family had received.

“I would like to give my special thanks to my community, because they were the first one to see my husband, and they were the ones … [to] call to the policemen … they found him after three days,” she said.

“I should thank my brother-in-law, my sister’s husband is the one that first saw my husband, with my firstborn son and other boys.

“I’m really thankful for all the Kiribati community because they all came that time, and they did their best.

“I know it’s a risky place to walk along, but they still took their steps to look for my husband, and fortunately, they found him at last.”

She said the Kiribati community had helped her get back on her feet.

“They’re very supportive,” she said.

“They came, and they told me ‘You’ll be a single wife, but remember that your husband is still there’.”

Arobati’s death has been referred to the coroner.

A Givealittle page has been set up to support the Arobati family, with more than $3000 raised so far.

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