NZ Engine

Source: Independent Police Conduct Authority

15 May 2025

Source: Independent Police Conduct Authority

15 May 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have put the pieces together on a Lego theft spree stretching from Northland down to the Waikato in recent months.

An Auckland man is facing numerous charges after being arrested on Wednesday.

A case has steadily been built by the Waitematā West Enquiries Team after offending began in January.

“Retailers have been targeted as far north as Whangārei, across Auckland and as far south as Te Rapa,” Sergeant Julian Conder says.

“It will be alleged highly valuable Lego items were either stolen, or had barcodes altered in this offending.”

A search warrant for a Te Atatū South property was put together by Constable Kim from the Enquiries Team.

Police have since arrested a 39-year-old man at the address, charging him with seven counts of obtains by deception and three counts of theft.

He is now before the Waitākere District Court.

Fear not Lego lovers, no bricks were harmed.

“Pleasingly, the team recovered all of the stolen Lego during the search warrant,” Sergeant Conder says.

“At the end of the day it will mean that these pieces will be available for those who are willing to pay for their goods.”

ENDS. 

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

Date:  15 May 2025

The track, which links Hahei to the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Track, has been closed since early 2023 due to landslide risks and land movement following severe weather events including Cyclone Gabrielle.

“This track has been a priority for DOC since reopening walking access to Cathedral Cove,” says DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly.

“This area’s incredible nature is at the heart of its tourism economy. We know this link between Hahei and Cathedral Cove is important for the community.

“Given its cliff-side alignment through high-risk terrain, we weren’t sure a safe and affordable solution would be possible. It’s fantastic to now have a feasible design to progress.

“The proposed reroute offers greatly improved safety and resilience, avoiding the unstable upper section of the old track altogether. It follows moderate terrain and avoids the need for complex structures like staircases or bridges.

“Although it will still require some work including tree felling, groundwater management, and the installation of box steps, it’s been designed to keep ongoing maintenance requirements to a minimum.”

Initial funding will come from the $5M allocated from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy in July 2024. This investment was designed to support restoring and maintaining access to Mautohe Cathedral Cove over the longer-term, says Nick Kelly.

“Initial estimates put the cost of this work around the design and delivery costs around $140,000 and we’ll carry out more detailed planning to confirm the final budget required.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in September and be completed by the end of November 2025.

“As always, we’ll need the community’s patience and support in giving work crews space to get the job done,” says Nick Kelly.

“We all have a role to play in caring for this place. We urge the community to help keep visitors safe by ensuring people stay off the track and away from the worksite until the reroute is completed.”

The Hahei reroute will branch off midway along the existing Hahei track and connect with Grange Road near the start of the Mautohe Cathedral Cove track.

Tourism on public conservation land is estimated to be worth $3.4 billion annually. More than 50% of international visitors and around 80% of New Zealanders visit protected natural areas a year.

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Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

Date:  15 May 2025

Filmed on pest-free Tiritiri Matangi Island, the video shows New Zealand’s unique nature at its quirky best and highlights the value in protecting it.

It started with the takahē seemingly attacking the tuatara, says DOC Ranger Nick Fisentzidis – who quickly whipped out his phone to record the footage.

“I saw them having a bit of a nip at each other; the takahē definitely had a go at the tail of the tuatara, and they had a bit of a scrap.

“I followed them down the hill, and the tuatara got a couple of bites in, so the takahē backed off and snuck back away up the forest,” says Nick.

Although historically both takahē and tuatara were widespread across New Zealand, they now only co-exist in two locations, Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf and Zealandia in Wellington.

“It’s a neat snapshot of how these interactions may have gone in the past. It also shows what’s possible in the future if we really start to rally together to bring more of our native wildlife back,” says Nick.

Tuatara are the last survivors of an order of reptiles known as sphenodontia, that thrived in the age of the dinosaurs, 200 million years ago, but now only survive in places where invasive mammalian predators have been eradicated.

The endemic, flightless takahē are the world’s largest living rail are a taonga species to Ngāi Tahu. Historically thought to be extinct twice, there are now just over 500 throughout the country, with around half living at sanctuary sites and half in the wild.

DOC Takahē Recovery Senior Ranger, Glen Greaves says takahē are often thought to be herbivorous (vegetarian), but in reality they are omnivorous.

“This means they’ll eat almost anything. Although primarily grass feeders, they will often supplement their diet with insects, lizards, and have even been spotted taking ducklings. Protein is obviously an important part of their diet.

“Like their cousins the pūkeko and weka, takahē can be quite predatory. Although taking on a tuatara hasn’t been seen before that I’m aware of, it is not at all surprising. Just a bit bigger than their usual snack! It’s good to see the tuatara stand up for itself,” says Glen.

Tiritiri Matangi Island is regarded as one of the most successful community-led conservation projects in the world, where rare native birds and reptiles thrive.

The island is open to the public and is just a 75-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland.

Before visiting any pest-free island you should check, clean, and seal your gear to ensure you don’t bring pests, soil, and seeds.

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Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are responding to a serious crash in Hamilton this morning, which is blocking the road near Waikato Hospital.

The two vehicle collision has occurred around the intersection of Ohaupo and Kahikatea Drive in Melville. The road will be blocked for sometime.

Indications are there are serious injuries. 

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Tēnā koutou katoa,
Thank you for inviting me to join you today. 
Vice-Chancellor Damon Salesa, AUT Council Members, leadership, AUT Ventures staff and the start up community joining us here this morning – I appreciate your warm welcome. 
It’s a real pleasure to help launch the AUT Innovation Fund.
This fund is exactly the kind of initiative we want to see more of under the Government’s Going for Growth plan. New Zealand needs to back smart ideas, new technology, and the people behind them. That’s how we create better jobs, stronger businesses, and a more diverse economy.
Our universities are central to this. They’re not just places of teaching and learning—they’re also where innovation happens. That’s why I’m pleased to see this fund focusing on turning research into real-world outcomes, including new companies, products, and services.
It’s also good to see the fund supports sharing the benefits with researchers and students through intellectual property. When people know their ideas can go somewhere—and that they’ll be recognised and rewarded—it encourages creativity, ambition, and impact.
AUT already has a track record in this space through AUT Ventures. It’s great to see that work now expanding, with new backing to support ideas like Spherelose and businesses like Conical. These are just some of the early examples of what’s possible.
As Minister for Universities—and also for Science, Innovation and Technology—I see a big opportunity to better connect our universities with the wider research and business community. That’s why we’re making some of the biggest changes to our science system in 30 years. And we’re doing it in a way that recognises the vital role universities play.
At the same time, we’re also updating the Tertiary Education Strategy—a roadmap for the future of our universities and vocational providers. It will set out the Government’s priorities for the sector and the changes we’d like to see over the next few years.
We expect to focus on four main areas:

Access and Participation – making sure people from all backgrounds can get the skills they need.
Achievement – supporting students to complete their study and succeed afterwards.
Impact and Innovation – making sure research and teaching support the economy and wider society.
Integration and Collaboration – encouraging stronger links between universities, business, and other research groups.

We’re also considering a fifth area: international partnerships, to grow our global connections.
Early engagement is already underway, including with Universities New Zealand. Wider consultation will follow later this year.
I know the changes underway in the sector are big. I want to acknowledge that. But small steps won’t deliver the kind of transformation New Zealand needs—especially in how we grow our economy and support our people.
We’ve always had world-class ideas in this country. The challenge has been turning them into world-class outcomes that benefit New Zealanders. The AUT Innovation Fund is a practical step toward solving that challenge—taking great ideas and helping them go further.
So, I want to thank AUT for stepping up, and I look forward to seeing what comes from this work.
Ngā mihi nui, and all the best for the fund and its future success.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority following a disorder by a group of young men in Beachlands.

On 11 November 2023, Police were called following a complaint of a group of intoxicated men behaving in a disruptive manner, which led to officers failing to follow the correct process for issuing formal warnings.

Three officers responded, with nine others arriving to assist during the hour long incident.

The group was described as being extremely intoxicated, fighting with each other, and being belligerent towards Police.

After using a range of tactics in an attempt to control and defuse the situation Police arrested five young men.

One was charged with fighting in a public place and assaulting Police, and the other four were given formal warnings.

One of the officers allegedly kicked one of the young men involved, however there was insufficient evidence to substantiate this allegation.

That officer has since resigned from Police.

We note that the IPCA found Police largely acted within their powers when dealing with group.

Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray says Police agree the officers failed to follow the correct process when issuing the formal warnings.

“Work has been done since this incident to communicate with officers the importance of following our formal warning process requirements.”

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Vulnerable families and young New Zealanders will benefit from a new approach to the delivery of social services with a $275 million boost to Vote Social Investment, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.
“The centrepiece of the Social Investment Budget package is a new $190 million Social Investment Fund that will make carefully targeted investments designed to improve the lives of New Zealanders in need.  
“The Fund is about more than new money. It’s about Government investing earlier, smarter and with much more transparent measurement of the impact interventions are having for the people they are designed to help.  
“The Fund will invest in services that deliver measurable improvements in people’s lives, guided by data and evidence. It will support both new approaches and strengthen existing services that work, to improve the Government’s return on investment and change vulnerable people’s lives for the better.
“Over the next year the fund will invest in at least 20 initiatives, using a completely different contracting approach than that traditionally used by Government agencies. 
“Each initiative will have robust evaluation built into it from the start, so that its impact can be tracked. 
“The Government is already investing around $7 billion each year buying social services from non-government agencies. Despite this, we know too many New Zealanders remain trapped in cycles of inter-generational dysfunction. Communities, NGOS and iwi all tell us they could have much more impact in people’s lives if the Government was smarter about the way it selects, contracts, and monitors the social services we fund. 
“The Fund will start relatively small and grow over time as it proves itself, setting up the infrastructure for large scale delivery of integrated contracts with support from the social sector.
“The Fund will be the catalyst for improving the way Government works with communities to drive social impact. 
“Over the next two to three years, I expect to see significant amounts of funding transferred from current social services to the Social Investment Fund as communities and providers develop new approaches to working with government.” 
As part of the $275 million, the Budget also provides:   

$20 million for programmes that strengthen parenting in the first 2000 days of a child’s life, reducing harm and setting children up for better long-term outcomes; and
$25 million to help prevent children and vulnerable adults from entering state care, as part of the Crown’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

Note for editors
The first three initiatives funded by the Social Investment Fund are: 

Autism New Zealand’s early screening and intervention programme that provides services and support for family/whānau, caregivers and professionals.
Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa’s evidence-based approach to tackling youth offending and truancy that will help at least 80 families each year to address youth offending and truancy; and
The He Piringa Whare programme with Te Tihi o Ruahine an alliance of nine hapū, iwi, Māori organisations and providers that will support 130 families at a time with a wraparound service that delivers stable housing, education, training and employment, and other services