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Health minister blames slow OIA responses on officials, but union points to government’s job cuts

Source: Radio New Zealand

PSA’s national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The Public Service Association says the Health Minister is blaming officials for slow Official Information Act (OIA) responses when his government’s cuts are at fault.

The Ombudsman stepped in over official documents slated for “proactive release” for an official information request first made in March. The final documents related to the request were not released until November.

Simeon Brown’s office has demanded improvement from officials, telling the Ombudsman the delays were in part caused by the volume of OIA requests.

“The delays in this case have been in part due to a higher number of OIAs on the Government’s health reforms causing resourcing pressures,” the Ombudsman’s office said.

“The Minister’s office has advised that the Minister directed officials to prioritise improvements to the proactive release programme so that future publications are timely, accurate and better supported.”

Health Minister Simeon Brown. RNZ / Mark Papalii

However, the PSA’s national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons told RNZ the minister should be taking responsibility instead.

“It shouldn’t take the Ombudsman stepping in for Health NZ to provide information to the public, but really this does come back to the minister. He can’t keep demanding savings and then blame officials when the impacts of cuts are felt,” she said.

“Health NZ has lost over 2000 roles either through early exits, voluntary redundancies, or vacancies not being filled. This includes teams that support official information requests. They’ve lost critical expertise.”

She said it was no wonder the public wanted information when the government was making such cuts, and the minister, his office, and health agencies should have seen it coming.

“This government is undermining the Official Information Act. It plays an absolutely critical role in enabling the participation of the people of New Zealand in public administration, but also in holding ministers and officials to account.”

‘This is not a one off’

Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said it was a case of the government not doing its job.

“We’re concerned this is not the exception, this is not a one off, we’re seeing this more and more with health in particular, but across many of the government agencies,” she said.

She said Labour bore no responsibility for its health reforms increasing pressures on officials, and cuts would have had an effect, she said.

“They’ve stated openly those cuts would mostly be made to the back office, well we know that many of the people … needed to respond to Official Information Act requests are back-office workers.

“Now they’re in a position that they can’t respond to what they’re legally required to respond to in the period of time stipulated in the law.”

Sepuloni said New Zealand was well known for its transparency and timely official information responses were an important part of that, “but that has been compromised by this government”.

Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni. RNZ / Angus Dreaver

In a statement, Minister Brown said the agency had advised him it was appropriately resourced to fulfil its OIA obligations, “and knows that is my expectation”.

“Health NZ has been working to improve processes around the proactive release of information as well as regularly updating publicly available data,” he said.

“I’m advised Health NZ has had discussions with the Office of the Ombudsman around the work it is doing to ensure it complies with its obligations.”

Months of delays

RNZ had first requested documents about the government’s just-announced 24/7 telehealth service in March 2025.

That request was rejected, with Health NZ claiming it held no such procurement or planning information that would not impact commercial negotiations.

That was despite Health NZ not using a competitive process, instead inviting specific providers that were already offering such services to join its subsidy-based online portal.

That unusual approach was revealed in the first tranche of documents released in a late response to a second request made in early July after the service launched, with Health NZ promising the remaining documents would be released “as soon as possible”.

A follow-up in September asking when the remaining documents would be released was treated as another official information request.

Three of the five documents in the second tranche were released in mid-October, the remaining two were released in November.

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

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‘One part terrified, one part really angry’ – Assault victim’s anger over Manage My Health hack

Source: Radio New Zealand

Thousands of documents have been caught up in the Manage My Health hack. RNZ / Finn Blackwell

A sexual assault victim is fearful and “ragingly angry” that her most private information could be made public in the Manage My Health hack.

Hackers are threatening to release more than 400,000 documents stolen from the online portal if the company doesn’t pay the US$60,000 ransom, with a reported deadline of Friday morning.

Manage My Health has identified general practices whose patients have been affected, but it is not yet clear when those people will be informed.

A woman who was sexually assaulted 15 years ago, whom RNZ has agreed not to name, said she had not told some of those closest to her what had happened to her.

She was fearful the information would be leaked.

“It’s almost like I’ve been re-victimised again because I don’t know what’s happening, I’ve got no control over the information,” she said.

“I haven’t even been told if my records have been compromised … it’s really hard, to be honest.”

The woman was furious with Manage My Health, saying the company had “ruptured” her sense of trust.

“I’m one part terrified, one part really angry, like ragingly angry.

“I’ve given you information to look after so that you can provide health services to me and they’ve failed to keep up their end of the promise.”

Manage My Health CEO Vino Ramayah. SCREENSHOT / RNZ

In an interview with RNZ yesterday, Manage My Health CEO Vino Ramayah said Manage My Health was itself also the victim of crime.

He said patients should trust the company “even though we have dropped the ball”.

Ramayah told RNZ he personally was aggrieved and distressed by the breach.

His own medical records were among those impacted, he said.

“And so is lots of my friends and families. I am deeply distressed that this is out there and this has happened.”

“The doctor – patient relationship was sacrosanct,” he said.

For the sexual assault victim, the possibility that information about her assault may have been stolen had brought back post-traumatic stress symptoms “with a vengeance” she said.

“My sleep’s interrupted, the flashbacks are back … and I was doing so well.”

The woman said she’d been caught up in data breaches before, including a copy of her driver’s licence being published online, as well as her address, date of birth and phone number.

She wanted Manage My Health to tell the people whose information was stolen, including exactly what data it is, so they could take precautionary steps.

Manage My Health has apologised for any pain and anxiety the breach has caused, and acknowledged it could have communicated better.

Ramayah said the company has been working hard to make amends.

“I think the main point is there has been a crime, we have tried to do our best, as you know, we’ve had staff working around the clock since this incident with very little sleep and we are trying our best to contain the damage and the pain and anxiety patients feel – that is pretty hard for us as an organisation.”

Online safety advocate Netsafe is warning people to be extra cautious with emails they receive including their private information – particularly if they are threatening or applying any pressure for a response, further information or payment.

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

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From reality TV battles of survival to exotic travels

Source: Radio New Zealand

It should come as no surprise that former reality TV star John ‘Horse’ McLeod travels light – and to exotic locations.

After all, the retired bricklayer was a sergeant major in the SAS and once went missing in action from his duties as a New Plymouth councillor so he could take up a private security contract in Libya.

Now in his early 70s, the moustachioed winner of the strategy-driven reality TV programme Treasure Island Extreme has been visiting bucket-list destinations as part of a well-earned retirement.

John ‘Horse’ McLeod during his stint on Treasure Island.

Treasure Island/Screengrab

But you won’t find McLeod on any Caribbean cruise or supping riesling in the Rhine Valley.

No, his travel diaries are more in keeping with a man once invited to show celebrity chef Michael Van De Elzen how to cook up a culinary treat from basic military rations and what he could forage in the bush.

Think of former Soviet republics Uzbekistan, Georgia, Turkestan and you’d be on the right track.

“I’m doing what I want to do with my life now. I’ve served my country, I’ve served my community, and now it’s time for me and my family. And I spend a lot of time with my children and grandchildren now, but I do do one of my favourite loves, which is travelling.

“And every year I’ve gone out anywhere from eight months to three months and I just travel. I’ve always been an adventurer and a traveller all my life. So, yeah, it’s something I love doing.”

McLeod travels with partner Susie Rosser, but neither of them threatens the 30kg bag limit.

“I’ve always a been lightweight traveller. I travel with a small bag. Carry on luggage, 7kg only, and Sue travels with 7kg too.

The couple at Armenia’s Monastery of Geghard, a World Heritage site featuring remarkable medieval rock-cut churches and tombs.

Supplied

“Everything we have in our bags is multipurpose. Even our bags you can turn it into a backpack or just a carry on bag. Our clothes too. Say our pants, we wear cargo-type pants with zip knees, so you can take the leggings off and then, well, you’ve got shorts.”

McLeod says travelling light is in his DNA.

“Yes, part of it is to do with my military background. You pack very minimalistic, if you like, and only take what you need, because when you’re in different country and need something, you can buy it, and it’s generally cheaper than what it is at home.”

A favourite recent destination has been Uzbekistan in Central Asia, famed for its mosques, mausoleums and sites linked to the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the West.

“The government there is trying to to promote tourism and it’s an excellent country to go to. The people are friendly, there’s not a lot of tourists and it’s like dropping back centuries.”

When in Armenia the couple visited the remarkable medieval rock-cut churches.

Supplied

McLeod and Rosser travelled the country from top to bottom and a highlight for them was the Registan, a plaza bordered by ornate, mosaic-covered religious schools dating to the 15th and 17th centuries, in the city of Samarkand

“It’s their place of learning and its got these three sort of temple-type buildings covered in brilliant tile work in gold and pastel blues and that. And you can go inside those and the brilliant colours and the architecture, and that blows you away.”

McLeod says in the evening the plaza is lit up.

“They put on a multicoloured light show and play Arabic-type music. And it’s brilliant to sit there, have an ice cream and watch it.”

The couple used local drivers to get around once paying US$100 to travel 400km to visit a part of the Aral Sea in North Western Uzbekistan which has dried up following the damming of rivers in the Soviet era.

“There used to be a lot of fishing in that area and whole communities were lost, and when you go there now, you see these old, wrecked fishing trawlers lying in the middle of the desert, and there’s quite a few of them.”

McLeod booked all his accommodation online and that strategy has only let him down once.

“When we rocked up in, I think it was Lithuania, in the capital, and the cab pulled up outside the accommodation and it was an art gallery not a hotel. We found that It was a bit of a hoax type thing.”

The couple made alternative arrangements and got a refund from their online booking agent pretty much instantaneously.

McLeod said in terms of safety his trained military eye helps avoid potential trouble.

The Registan, a plaza bordered by ornate, mosaic-covered religious schools dating to the 15th and 17th centuries in the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand.

Supplied/ John McLeod

“People are a little bit weary of me in that regard, because of the way I look and the way I act. So, I’ve never had any real major issues in regards to safety.”

A veteran of the 1970s “hippie trail” McLeod travelled overland to London via Southeast Asian and Central Asia as a young man and his experiences then have influenced his travel choices today.

The Ark of Bukhara – fortress dating back to the 5th century was another highlight of McLeod’s Uzbekistan travels.

Supplied

While not adverse to traditional more comfortable destinations, other recent travel choices include Georgia, Armenia, Romania and Albania.

“The Armenians call themselves the ‘people of Noah’, because even though it isn’t in the country anymore, Mount Ararat, is where Noah’s Ark, of course, is presumed to have it settled.”

The modern Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey but biblical scholars suggest the original text referred to the entire mountain range, known as Urartu in ancient times which straddles Armenia, Turkey and Iran.

In Armenia the couple visited the Monastery of Geghard, a World Heritage site featuring remarkable medieval rock-cut churches and tombs.

“There was a tunnel, and we had to use our phones as torches to go down. And we dropped into this big dome room that was half carved into the mountain, and the only light that was coming from a hole in the ceiling.

“And in there were four women dressed in purple robes with long black hair, and they started doing Gregorian chants. And it was so surreal. We just came across it by accident, and they were not of this earth, the acoustics were something else.”

Stalin’s rail carriage in Georgia.

Supplied

In Georgia, McLeod had one destination on his wish list.

“I visited the home of Joseph Stalin because that’s where he was originally from, when it was part of the Soviet Union, and visited his house and museum. Susie didn’t find that so interesting, but I really wanted to see it.”

A Romanian highlight was the Merry Cemetery of Săpânța renowned for 800 hand-carved oak wood crosses, each painted in a specific bright blue colour known as “Săpânța Blue” depicting a scene from the deceased person’s life, profession, or even the way they died.

The Merry Cemetery of Săpânța in Romania renowned for its 800 hand-carved oak wood crosses, each painted in a specific bright blue colour known as “Săpânța Blue”.

Supplied

“I loved seeing those and, of course, going into where Dracula was born, in the middle of Romania.”

While Albania’s beaches got the thumbs up.

The Albanian coastline is absolutely brilliant. White sand, blue water, and next to nobody there.”

After the more adventurous elements of a trip are concluded McLeod factors in some down time often at one of his favourite spots, Corfu.

“But on Corfu, we don’t stay in the main town. We go down the coastline and to a little fishing village, and we’ll stay there for a week or so and just chill out on the beach because we’ve got a lot of friends there now, and they’ve known us for years in that village

“So we just chill out there and relax. We’ve been there about five or six times now, and Susie loves the place anyway.”

Tunnel reliefs in Armenia

Supplied

McLeod’s tips for older people thinking on undertaking this style of travel include having a reasonable standard of fitness, travel on the shoulder seasons to avoid extreme heat and crowds, employ local drivers, book mid-range hotels and be sure to see the recommended sights “because you never know when you’ll be back”.

Next on McLeod’s bucket list are Kyrgyzstan, Turkestan and a return to Morocco.

“Those two I haven’t been to, and one of my favourite countries is Morocco, I love Morocco. It’s a cross between East and West.”

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

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NZ universities accepting English proficiency tests through Duolingo

Source: Radio New Zealand

A woman uses the Duolingo app. Supplied / Duolingo

New Zealand universities are now accepting English tests taken through language app Duolingo.

Otago, Massey, Canterbury and Victoria are among the institutions accepting the online proficiency results from international students.

Duolingo said it used computer vision, AI and ‘online proctors’ to catch cheats, and to verify test-takers’ identities.

It was part of a global trend – by last year, all eight Ivy League universities in the United States were using Duolingo scores.

Several New Zealand schools were also using Duolingo tests to assess students’ English abilities.

The company said it was the fastest-growing English test for study abroad, allowing students to get results in two days with no appointments needed.

People from 219 countries and 148 first languages took the Duolingo English Test last year. Asia accounted for 55 percent of all test sessions.

Immigration authorities still used international certifications such as IELTS to decide on language abilities for visa applications.

Most dedicated learners

Duolingo is the world’s most downloaded education app and has more than 50 million daily active users.

Its statistics showed New Zealanders were more likely to learn Spanish than any other language, one of only 26 countries worldwide where English was not the top choice. Second on Aotearoa’s list was French.

Across the Tasman, Australia had possibly unexpected bragging rights – it was second only to Japan for the number of Duolingo users learning at least three languages. It overtook polyglots in Finland, Germany and the UK to take the linguistic podium in 2025.

An expansion to the app’s capabilities last year had also prompted more people to take up Japanese and Korean – which were now in fourth and sixth place respectively in the worldwide most learned languages, nudging German and Italian down the list.

The languages which attracted the most serious learners – based on average time spent learning – were more eclectic than the common classroom choices, with Welsh and Norwegian coming in fourth and fifth places. A te reo Māori course was being developed in 2020, but the initiative had not yet eventuated.

Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese were among the fastest-growing languages, with Chinese making the greatest strides in Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia and South Korea.

Portuguese ranked number one among fastest-growing languages in China and India, perhaps for economic reasons, as Brazil’s economic and cultural influence continued to expand.

Beyond languages, Duolingo had now added chess to the maths and music courses available for free on the app, which combined gamification, league tables and spaced repitition – as well as streaks and a fearsome owl – to keep users on track and boost progress.

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

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What is ‘oatzempic’? Does it actually work for weight loss?

Source: Radio New Zealand

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or Instagram lately, you may have seen people blending oats with water or juice and calling it “oatzempic.”

The name is a nod to Ozempic, a prescription medication used primarily for type 2 diabetes that also suppresses appetite. Videos of the oatzempic drink usually promise easy weight loss, effortless fullness and a “natural alternative” to medication.

But is oatzempic supported by science? The short answer is no. Let’s unpack why.

Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that forms a gel-like substance when mixed with water.

Unsplash

Do TikTok ‘anti-inflammatory diets’ really work?

What exactly is oatzempic?

There is no standard recipe for oatzempic, but most videos show people blending one to two tablespoons of rolled oats with a glass of water. Others add lemon or lime juice, cinnamon or soak the oats first.

The suggested benefit is that drinking the mixture will create a sense of fullness and reduce appetite.

Some TikTok videos recommend to have oatzempic instead of breakfast. Others say to drink it as a mid-afternoon snack to prevent overeating later in the day.

What happens when you eat oatzempic?

Many users on social media report feeling fuller after drinking oatzempic which is not surprising.

Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that forms a gel-like substance when mixed with water. This slows down digestion which helps you to feel full.
There is good evidence that diets rich in viscous soluble fibre (like that from oats) modestly improve appetite control, reduce post-meal blood glucose (blood sugar) spikes and help regulate cholesterol.

Oats aren’t the only source of viscous soluble fibre though. Foods such as apples, citrus fruits, flaxseeds, barley, psyllium husk and legumes (beans, lentils) also provide soluble fibres that form gels in the gut and have similar effects of making us feel full, as well as improving overall health.

So, the claim that oats can help people feel full is well-founded. But feeling full is not the same as achieving meaningful or sustainable weight loss.

Long-term weight management requires balanced nutrition and physical activity – rather than relying solely on feeling full.

Has oatzempic been tested for weight loss?

No. There are no scientific studies that look at the “oatzempic drink” for weight loss, appetite control or other health outcomes. There is no official recipe, no recommended amount, and no long-term research.

So, if someone loses weight while drinking it, it’s hard to know if that’s because of the oatzempic drink, eating fewer calories overall, or other changes in their lifestyle.

What we do know is that oats and other high-fibre foods (for example, brown rice, nuts and seeds, berries, broccoli and Brussel sprouts) have been studied for decades. Research shows they can help you feel a little fuller, improve your blood glucose control and support heart health. For example:

– a randomised crossover trial showed adding oat fibre (beta-glucan) to a meal made people feel fuller and less hungry compared to a similar meal without it.

-a review of multiple studies (meta-analyses) reported that oat beta-glucan can modestly reduce LDL-cholesterol (the bad type) and help control blood glucose levels, both important for heart and metabolic health.

But, these benefits occur when oats are part of a healthy, balanced diet, not when consumed as a standalone “magic drink”.

From a scientific standpoint, oatzempic is a fibre-rich drink. It does not work like Ozempic, the prescription medication. Ozempic affects hormones that control appetite and blood glucose levels in a much more powerful way.

Could oatzempic still be helpful for some people?

Yes. A drink that helps you feel fuller could slow down eating and better support portion control.

For those who often skip breakfast or grab food on the run, an oats-based drink may be a more nutritious option than not eating at all. But these benefits come from fibre and hydration.

You’d get a greater nutritional benefit by making a simple smoothie with oats, a banana or berries, a spoonful of nut or seed butter and a splash of milk or yoghurt. This combination adds protein, potassium, healthy fats and a range of vitamins and minerals, offering a more balanced and nourishing option for your health.

Are there any risks?

For most people, drinking oatzempic in small amounts is safe. But there are some important considerations:

What actually works for sustainable weight management?

Research supports a combination of strategies for long-term, sustainable weight management:

If you need advice about improving your diet, talk to your GP or visit an accredited practising dietitian.

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

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Infratil’s CDC Data Centres stake rises above $8 billion

Source: Radio New Zealand

A CDC data centre. Luke McPake

Listed infrastructure investor Infratil has received a late Christmas present in the form of an increased valuation of its stake in Australian data centre operator CDC Data Centres.

The 31 December independent valuation of CDC showed an increase of A$349m since 30 September 2025, to A$14.0b, reflecting the mid-point of the assessed valuation range of A$13.1b to A$15.0b.

The increase was driven by greater cash flows as CDC expanded data centre capacity over the last quarter.

CDC operates data centres across Australia and New Zealand with an installed capacity of 568 MW, planning to hit 1820 MW by 2034.

Infratil increased its stake in CDC to 49.72 percent in February last year.

In New Zealand dollar terms, Infratil’s stake had increased by approximately $201.8m, valued at $8.06b.

Separately, Infratil said it intended to invest another A$250m in CDC before the end of its 2026 financial year.

Markets liked what they heard, with Infratil’s shares (IFT.NZ) rising by 0.70 percent to $11.51 on the NZX.

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

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Manage My Health CEO: Trust us ‘even though we have dropped the ball’

Source: Radio New Zealand

The chief executive of beleaguered patient portal Manage My Health says he is open to standing down if required after it “dropped the ball”.

Vino Ramayah told RNZ hackers who have seized hundreds of thousands of files from more than 120,000 patients “got in through the front door”.

He takes full responsibility, he said.

“That’s something for after the dust settles, whether I’m the current or continue to be the CEO,” he said.

“I’m not unprepared to step down if there’s a better person who can do a better job than I did.”

Ramayah described the major breach as a “password accessed intrusion”.

Manage My Health CEO Vino Ramayah says patients should trust the company, despite the hack. SCREENSHOT / RNZ

“They came in through the front door using a valid user password.”

The deadline for a $60,000 ransom was initially thought to expire early on Tuesday morning, but Ramayah confirmed that deadline has now shifted.

“From what we have understood from the tracking and the kind of announcements in the dark web which we are monitoring the deadline is 5am on Friday.”

But he said deadlines had come and gone “many times” and out of principal he would not comment on what people put up on the dark web.

“And we really don’t know who’s telling the truth and who isn’t telling the truth. But our intention is to do the right thing.”

A question of ransom

The chief executive would not be drawn on whether Manage My Health has discussed internally whether it was prepared to pay the ransom.

“I am not inclined to make any statement in that regard because it’s an ongoing investigation, I don’t want to jeopardise any investigations and I will make no comment in that regard,” he said.

When asked again, Ramayah said: “As I have said here, I’m not going to comment on that”.

He also would not say if Manage My Health had been in any negotiations those who took the patient data.

“As I said, I do not wish to comment on this investigation or any activities with any nefarious people, so I’ll leave it at that.”

Ramayah said Manage My Health was itself the victim of crime.

He said patients should trust the company “even though we have dropped the ball”.

Ramayah told RNZ he personally was aggrieved and distressed by the breach.

His own medical records were among those impacted, he said.

“And so is lots of my friends and families. I am deeply distressed that this is out there and this has happened.”

“The doctor – patient relationship was sacrosanct,” he said.

“I think the main point is there has been a crime, we have tried to do our best, as you know, we’ve had staff working around the clock since this incident with very little sleep and we are trying our best to contain the damage and the pain and anxiety patients feel – that is pretty hard for us as an organisation.”

‘A big hit on our reputation’

On Tuesday, a cyber security expert told RNZ he could not see Manage My Health recovering from the breach.

“Look, this is a big hit on our reputation and I do not disagree with that observation,” Ramayah said.

“But whether we can recover, we’ve got an excellent team, we’ve got an excellent product and we have served Kiwis for a very long time well.

“We’re very confident that we can restore the confidence and we are doing the right thing to ensure that we put providers and patients ahead of our own interests.”

The breach was unfortunate and a blemish on the company, he said.

On its website, Manage My Health says it is trusted by 1.85 million people and that it is a secure health portal.

“It depends on what you mean by secure, I know nothing is 100 percent secure, we are secure to the best of our knowledge and we do all the professional tests which any industry assessment will make independently that we were a secure software,” Ramayah said.

Ramayah said nothing in their doctor’s own database had been breached and taken.

“What has been penetrated is a single module which contains health documents from a specialist referral, from discharge summaries… and also uploaded data by the patient.

“And there is a function called help documents, that function was what was penetrated and that function has anything you as a patient can upload, not what your doctor uploads,” he said.

Ramayah told RNZ staff have been working around the clock to firstly secure its data and any vulnerable points in its system.

A High Court injunction issued on Monday has been expanded and will be served on major media outlets,” he said.

The chief executive said Manage My Health was not the first organisation to be attacked “despite our vigilance, despite our best practices”.

“But criminals are getting smarter, we just need to be ahead of them now, this is an unfortunate incident in our history.

“Since 2008 we have never had a breach of this nature,” he said.

RNZ put it to Ramayah that the platform had not been ahead of cyber criminals in this case.

“Well, I guess every cyber hack is a new learning vulnerabilities. You know, there’s no software in the world which is completely non vulnerable. There are there is cyber criminals, always trying to steal passwords, use passwords, find out methods and authentications which they can outwit,” he said.

Injunction issued

Meanwhile, the High Court has issued an injunction, preventing people from accessing the medical documents of 127,000 patients, stolen in the cyberscam.

The decision by Justice Andru Isac says the documents stolen from Manage My Health include discharge summaries, referrals, personal health information uploaded by patients and other documents.

The judge granted the application against so-called unknown defendants on the basis the approximately 430,000 documents contained highly sensitive and confidential information.

Justice Isac said Manage My Health was also concerned that the information, including patient contact details, could be used by others to target people.

“First, there is no doubt that sensitive patient information has been unlawfully obtained by unknown parties in a cyber-attack. The individuals responsible for obtaining the data clearly have no entitlement to it.

“Second, there is also no doubt that the purpose of the data hack is to use the threat of further disclosure as a means to extort payment from the applicant. Those responsible have sought to make plain the seriousness of their threat by publishing a small sample of the stolen data.”

He said if the ransom is not paid and the stolen data is published, there is a real risk to patients who have had their private and personal information compromised.

The hack of Manage My Health occurred on 30 December and the injunction was sought on 5 January.

In its latest online update, Manage My Health said it had started contacting GP practices which have affected patients.

Information on appointments and prescriptions were not accessed and the portal is now secure, it said.

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

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Radar tech used for second time this week in search for missing tramper

Source: Radio New Zealand

Search crews gather before heading out to look for missing tramper Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

New radar technology will be used for the second time this week to help locate a missing tramper, as crews continue to search for Connor Purvis.

Police are continuing to appeal to anyone who had recently climbed near Lake Ōhau, in the South Island’s Mackenzie Basin, where the 20-year-old went missing.

Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

About 50 people on Tuesday probed the upper South Temple Valley, Mt Huxley and the Huxley River South Branch, both on foot and with helicopter.

Teams will be using the Recco device tomorrow with the Mount Cook Alpine Cliff Rescue team assisting the search.

Aerial shots from the search for Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

The technology is used to locate people lost in the outdoors, detecting items such as head-torches and cellphones.

Recco technology was also used this week in the search for another missing tramper – 66-year-old Graham Garnett.

Aerial shots from the search for Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton said authorities remained closely connected with Purvis’ family.

“We continue to feel for them, and support them, as our search efforts continue.

“Police are interested to hear from anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley in the past several weeks. Police thank all those involved in the search efforts in this difficult and rugged terrain.”

Aerial shots from the search for Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

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

Posted on

‘Always exciting’ – Bumper season for kākāpō breeding

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jake Osborne / Department of Conservation

The first kākāpō breeding season in four years could be the biggest in decades, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says.

The season had officially begun after remote monitoring technology – used to track the critically threatened bird – detected mating activity from 29 December.

DOC Operations Manager for Kākāpō Recovery Deidre Vercoe said the milestone felt particularly significant for the species this year.

“It’s always exciting when the breeding season officially begins, but this year it feels especially long-awaited after such a big gap since the last season in 2022,” she said.

“Now it is underway, we expect more mating over the next month, and we are preparing for what might be the biggest breeding season since the programme began 30 years ago.”

Through its longstanding Kākāpō Recovery programme, DOC had worked with Ngāi Tahu to rebuild the population from 51 manu (31 males, 20 females) through 12 breeding seasons.

The population peaked at 252 in 2022.

The flightless, nocturnal parrots breed once every two to four years, when the rimu trees mast.

The kākāpō are among the most intensively managed species in the world.

Prior to the breeding season, the total population sits at 236, including 83 breeding-age females.

This year would be the 13th breeding season in the 30 years since the programme began.

It could also see the most chicks since records began, although success could no longer be measured in mere numbers, Vercoe said.

“Kākāpō are still critically endangered, so we’ll keep working hard to increase numbers, but looking ahead, chick numbers are not our only measure of success.

“We want to create healthy, self-sustaining populations of kākāpō that are thriving, not just surviving. This means with each successful breeding season, we’re aiming to reduce the level of intensive, hands-on management to return to a more natural state.

“We’re working towards the goal of returning them to their former range around New Zealand so that one day, hearing a kākāpō boom might be a normal part of naturing.”

A range of lower-intervention strategies would be introduced this season, across the three protected offshore breeding islands.

These include prioritising checks for genetically valuable eggs and chicks, leaving more eggs to hatch in nests rather than incubators, reduce nest interference for mothers raising multiple chicks, and reducing supplementary feeding.

The Kākāpō Recovery Group’s Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu representative Tāne Davis said growth brought both advantages and challenges.

“As part of the more hands-off approach to enhance the mauri of the species, a Ngāi Tahu aspiration is also for a percentage of the chicks hatched this year to remain nameless, acknowledging the beginning of returning the manu to their own natural ways,” he said.

“The predicted scale of this season also reminds us of the need for more safe homes, like a predator-free Rakiura, for this taonga species.”

The first chicks were expected to start hatching from mid-February.

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Update 2: Search for missing tramper Connor Purvis

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton:

Today the search for missing tramper Connor Purvis continued.

Around 50 people focused on the upper South Temple Valley, Mt Huxley and the Huxley River South Branch, both on foot and via helicopter.

We remain closely connected with Connor’s family and we continue to feel for them, and support them, as our search efforts continue.

Tomorrow we will be using the Recco device, with the Mount Cook Alpine Cliff Rescue team, to assist with the search.

This technology is often used to locate people lost in the outdoors, and can detect items such as headtorches, cellphones and other items.

Police are interested to hear from anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley in the past several weeks. Please contact Police via 105 and reference file 260102/2266.

Police thank all those involved in the search efforts in this difficult and rugged terrain.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre