NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

A sexual and reproductive health specialist says a recent rise in abortion numbers reflects improved access to care rather than an increase in demand.

There has been a 37 percent increase since abortion was decriminalised in New Zealand – from 12,948 in 2019 to 17,785 in 2024.

The Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 and the Crimes Act 1961 were amended in March 2020.

However, Magma Healthcare director Simon Snook said the increase likely coincided with the launch of DECIDE, the National Abortion Telehealth Service, in 2021.

DECIDE can arrange an early medical abortion over the phone. The service is funded by Health New Zealand and run by Magma Healthcare and Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa.

In 2024, 67 percent of abortions were early medical, compared with 36 percent in 2020.

“I think what we are seeing now is people who previously would have wanted an abortion and couldn’t get one for their own reasons are now getting it,” Snook said. “We are getting the abortion numbers correct for the country’s need.”

Snook said that a similar number of abortions – approximately 18,000 per year – took place in the 2000s. The decline in the 2010s was likely due to better access to contraception, he said.

A longer-term form of contraception, the Jadelle implant, became government-funded in 2010, while the Mirena and Jaydess intra uterine device (IUD) became government-funded in 2019.

Snook said better sex education also likely played a role, as there had been a decline in risky sexual behaviours.

While Snook said access to abortion care in New Zealand was good – especially as 86 percent of abortions were provided at 10 weeks’ gestation or fewer in 2024 – he said there needed to be more funding, and for there to be no more associated costs.

“What could be better, I think, is greater availability of local abortion providers, in terms of primary care, midwives and that sort of thing.

“But there is a real lack of funding for them to deliver that care.”

It is free to terminate a pregnancy, but there can be an associated cost.

“Not everyone needs an ultrasound scan to continue to have an abortion, but in a number of cases, a scan is required to find out how far through the pregnancy is… so although abortion care is free in New Zealand, for some people, they’re paying $50 to $150 for an ultrasound scan to be able to access that abortion.

“I think that would be something that would be really good to get under control so that we can really have free abortion care for everyone.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

More than a thousand homes are without power in the upper North Island as a series of short and intense thunderstorms move across the region.

Power Co reported an outage affecting over 1300 properties in the Waikato town of Tīrau.

Residents in Muriwai – south of Gisborne have also taken to social media to report power cuts and torrential rain.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for the Far North in the Kaeo, Kerikeri and Matauri Bay areas.

Further south, a line of severe thunderstorms is lying near Auckland and is expected to affect areas in the Rodney and Albany regions.

And on the East Coast a warning is in place for Gisborne as MetService radar detects severe thunderstorms near Gisborne, Whangara and Waimata.

MetService early on Saturday afternoon issued a thunderstorm warning for Whangārei, saying it had detected “severe” storms near Bream Head, Pataua, Taiharuru, Opahi, Purua and Hikurangi. They were expected to be “accompanied by torrential rain and large hail”. Just after 2pm the forecaster said they were no longer considered “severe”.

The on-again, off-again warning for Auckland City was back on again shortly after 3.30pm, with Waikato and Franklin included this time.

A severe thunderstorm watch remained in place for Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Northland.

The east

Civil Defence in Gisborne was on alert for the second time in a week, with another bout of heavy rain forecast to sweep across the region Saturday afternoon.

MetService early on Saturday issued an orange heavy rain warning for Gisborne/Tai Rawhiti, and in the afternoon issued a thunderstorm warning.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz says 100mm of rain was dumped on Tai Rawhiti earlier in the week.

“We are asking the public to drive to the conditions, look after yourself, and most importantly, make sure you listen to all our Civil Defence messages as we update you.”

An earlier thunderstorm warning for Wairoa was cancelled, but renewed just after 2.30pm, this time with Gisborne included.

“These severe thunderstorms are moving towards the south, and are expected to lie near Wairoa and Frasertown at 11.37am and near Wairoa, offshore [Hawke’s] Bay and Frastertown at 12.07pm. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by torrential rain.”

MetService on Saturday morning also said thunderstorms in Bay of Plenty were “expected to become more widespread later this morning or during the afternoon and spread to southern Coromandel Peninsula”.

“From late morning until tonight, some of these thunderstorms may become severe, bringing localised downpours with intensities of 25 to 40mm per hour.”

At 12.30pm the forecaster said the storm had weakened. “There are other thunderstorms in the region, but none are currently classified as severe.”

From 12pm Saturday and for the next 22 hours, Gisborne-Tai Rawhiti could expect up to 150mm of rain, especially in the ranges, and thunderstorms are possible.

A similar heavy rain warning has been issued for Hawke’s Bay north of Napier from 9am Saturday until 3am on Sunday.

Up to 120mm of rain is expected and there is also a risk of thunderstorms. Metservice says the heavy rain will ease south of the Wairoa District on Saturday night.

Further South in the Ruahine Ranges, a heavy rain watch put in place on Saturday morning was quickly lifted.

“However thunderstorms are expected today and some of these thunderstorms could produce localised warning amounts of rain,” MetService said just before 10.30am.

Heavy rain over the Christmas/New Year period saw people attending the annual Rhythm and Vines festival in Gisborne having to wade through mud, as torrential rain struck.

Meanwhile, the Horowhenua District Council has activated the Mayoral Relief Fund to support residents who have been financially impacted by the recent severe weather and prolonged power outages across the district.

MetService says weather conditions should ease by Monday, with a ridge of high pressure forecast over the country, which would make the risk of severe weather minimal.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Northland boatie has captured a waterspout on camera as he was sailing out of Whangārei Harbour.

Chris Howe told RNZ on Saturday afternoon he could see a thunderstorm heading towards his vessel from the west.

“There was lots of lightning, and being in a sailing boat is concerning with the tall conductive mast.”

One member of Howe’s crew then spotted something forming over the Mount Mania range of Whangārei Heads.

“I managed to grab my camera and take the photographs before we decided that we actually needed to think about where we were and the situation we were in,” Howe said.

A second waterspout then began to form in the approaching storm, and Howe said it was not possible for his vessel to outrun the storm safely.

The three crew members decided the safest option was to spend time holding position at low power in open water.

Howe said thankfully the second water spout did not come to anything.

After 45 minutes holding position, they decided to head back to land, but their biggest concern was a lightning strike.

“The more immediate concern was now lightning, particularly given that we were on a large-masted vessel effectively acting as a conductor in the open harbour water.”

They decided to enter Smugglers Bay and anchor near higher terrain to reduce exposure.

“As the system moved east, lightning activity gradually reduced and became more distant. Conditions have since eased and no damage was sustained.

“While the situation was manageable, it was genuinely concerning for a period, and required careful judgement to balance the risks of remaining offshore versus sheltering near land.”

MetService early on Saturday afternoon issued a thunderstorm warning for Whangārei, saying it had detected “severe” storms near Bream Head, Pataua, Taiharuru, Opahi, Purua and Hikurangi. They were expected to be “accompanied by torrential rain and large hail”. Just after 2pm the forecaster said they were no longer considered “severe”.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The operators of compromised patient data app ManageMyHealth say they have received “independent confirmation” from IT experts the flaws in its code have been fixed.

ManageMyHealth confirmed last week it had identified a security incident involving “unauthorised access” to its platform. It believed between 6 and 7 percent of the approximately 1.8 million registered users may have been impacted.

On Saturday it said just one part of the app – Health Documents – had been accessed by hackers, and not the whole app.

“We now have the complete list of people whose documents may have been accessed and expect forensic confirmation of the documents effected (sic) in the coming days,” the company said in a statement.

Affected users would be contacted in the coming days, it said, “following confirmation of forensics and liaison with PHOs and GPs to ensure that individuals are getting the right information, in line with Privacy Act requirements”.

The “specific gaps” that allowed hackers to access documents had been identified and closed, the company said.

“This fix has been independently tested and verified by external cybersecurity experts.”

Logins had been made more secure, the statement assured, and the number of access attempts in a short time limited.

“For peace of mind, any Manage My Health user can reset their password or enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where available including biometric measures, to add an additional layer of protection to their accounts.”

Users could now authenticate themselves using Google and Microsoft authenticator apps, the company said.

“In addition, keep an eye out for anything unusual, such as medical bills or insurance claims you don’t recognise, or unexpected letters from healthcare providers. If you see anything that looks odd to you, contact the relevant provider immediately.”

Earlier on Saturday, Health Minister Simeon Brown said government agencies were working with ManageMyHealth to fully understand the scope of the breach and to protect the privacy of patients.

“This is a concerning breach of patient data and Health NZ is working closely with ManageMyHealth to ensure it is being appropriately addressed,” he said.

“At this stage, there is no evidence any Health NZ systems, including My Health Account, have been compromised as ManageMyHealth has separate systems.”

Shortly before midday on Saturday he said an incident management team had been established to support ManageMyHealth.

Brown said he had asked for advice from the Ministry of Health on options for an independent review of what occurred.

The Public Service Association said the incident was a warning to government departments shedding IT staff.

“We have seen it before in the public health system with the Waikato Hospital ransomware attack in 2021, and yet this government failed to heed that lesson in forcing Health NZ to cut the jobs of experts running digital services,” national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said.

“The risks are too high to play fast and loose with data systems – it’s a ticking time bomb.”

ManageMyHealth said it was working with the police, Health NZ and the privacy commissioner, and setting up a dedicated 0800 number and online helpdesk to help affected patients.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police are asking the public to help identify a man who was on Ballarat Street in Queenstown in the early hours of Thursday 1 January.

The police believe the man pictured may be able to help with enquires into an assault .

Police are asking anyone who does recognise the individual to update them through 105, either online or over the phone.

The reference number is 260101/7878.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Stargazers can expect to see the first supermoon of the new year on Saturday night if skies are clear.

Dr Ryan Ridden from the University of Canterbury said a supermoon is when a full moon at its closest point to Earth.

He said it will appear to be 10 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a normal full moon.

Ridden said anyone with a view out to the northeast should be able to see the supermoon, and moonrise is roughly 9.40pm. He also added it will be visible throughout the night.

“As with all astronomical objects it’s usually better to be in the middle of nowhere to limit light pollution, but the moon is pretty bright so you’ll be able to see it from cities.”

Ridden said the moon is “hanging out near Jupiter” at the moment, so when you are looking at the supermoon, the bright star just to the south will be jupiter.

He also said there is a meteor shower happening in the general area, and even though they are best viewed in moonless skies, viewers might be lucky to spot some shooting stars.

The other two supermoons will happen later this year in November and December.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A helicopter swoops over the mountains above the Milford Road and drops explosives. Snow and ice cascade down, and when everything has settled, the area is much safer for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who will use the road below.

Each year, close to one million visitors travel the remote and rugged State Highway 94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound to reach the popular tourist destination in Fiordland National Park.

But behind the postcard-perfect scenery of glaciers, steep cliffs and waterfalls lies a high-stakes operation to keep the road open and safe no matter the weather, including using explosives to trigger avalanches before nature does.

The Milford Road Alliance, a partnership between the NZ Transport Agency and Downer, is tasked with managing the 120 kilometre stretch of highway that winds through the national park.

A dedicated team of 27 people work all year round to ensure travellers get to and from Milford Sound safely.

Alliance manager Kevin Thompson said the fairly short length of road presented a lot of challenges.

“We have the avalanche programme, we have rockfall issues, we have the Homer Tunnel, we have the alpine fault, we’re operating inside Fiordland National Park, and we have a very large number of tourists who visit Milford Sound both New Zealand and international visitors,” he said.

“All of those things wrap together to be quite a challenging environment.”

Among the team’s most specialised tasks is managing the risk of avalanches. Each winter, snow builds on the steep slopes above the road, creating hazards that could bury the highway without warning.

“Fiordland is an interesting place and it’s why visitors from overseas come here, it’s dynamic, it’s a big landscape. The avalanches we get here are some of the biggest in the world if they get up to their maximum and it’s because of the big valleys we have,” Thompson said.

“We can have avalanches that start way up high, they come to the edge of the cliff and then go into freefall and land on the road. Not a lot of time or chance for people to get out of the way or survive those big ones, so that’s why we have to use a number of methods to try and prevent them starting for the first case, or keep people away if we can’t deal with them ourselves.”

The avalanche control programme was established in 1983 to predict and manage risk from snow, ice and avalanches more effectively.

“Every winter is different, this winter we didn’t get avalanche hazard on the road until, really, the end of August,” Thompson said.

When the snow builds to dangerous levels, sometimes the team uses explosives to trigger avalanches.

“Explosives are something we don’t use all the time but when we do we will direct those where needed. So explosives we will drop into the avalanche zones that are the highest risk and we’ll bring down avalanches as much as we need to. The aim there is to try and bring them down before nature brings them down so we can control that process,” Thompson said.

Milford Road Alliance operation lead Brad Carpenter said the conditions had to be right to use explosives.

“We have to have flyable weather to get the helicopter to do that. When the conditions warrant, it takes a lot of background experience even prior to getting to working at the Milford Road, so when we’re hiring people we look for pretty extensive experience using explosives in more ski area settings,” he said.

Spring adds another challenge, as rising temperatures destabilise the snow just as tourists return in large numbers. September through to November was usually the riskiest period for avalanches, Thompson said.

The team shifted focus when it turned to summer.

Summer was a time to maintain equipment, maintain the road and infrastructure and carry out tree work to keep the road clear of trees and debris. The team also calibrated their network of weather stations, which fed into avalanche forecasting alongside MetService data.

“What we really want people to be left with is a trip to Milford Sound where they have no delays, everybody is in and out safely and we don’t interrupt or affect their visit. That, for us, is what we aim for where we don’t impact their trip, they have a safe visit and they don’t even know we do our job,” Thompson said.

He said a warming climate was adding new challenges.

Avalanche zones were being exposed to more rain and warmer temperatures, making the snow more unstable. The risk of rockfalls and trees falling was also increasing, Thompson said.

“We are expecting far greater numbers into the future into Milford Sound over the coming years so tourism is predicted to increase. That’s going to bring some interesting challenges for us as a team to manage and be part of. We are looking forward to that, that’s going to be an exciting challenge. That said, we are going to be dealing with nature and that’s changing too.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police have been made aware of a Helicopter crash at Whangamata airfield.

“Initial indications suggest there are no injuries,” police said.

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