NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

Motorists are being asked to avoid the village of Makarau, north of Auckland, after an incident.

Police were called to Kaipara Coast Highway around 5.20am on Thursday.

The road is closed in both directions.

More to come…

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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 near year has started with a bang across the country.

In Auckland, more than half a tonne of fireworks launched high up the Sky Tower.

Thousands poured into the central city after streets were closed to get a prime viewing spot for the five minute display that had taken half a year of planning.

Bipin Bhattarai and his family from Whangārei came prepared with camping chairs.

“We do a lot of camping, so why not?!” he said.

“We just take this all the time in our car so we’re just making use of it.”

He had only seen Auckland’s New Year fireworks on YouTube and said before they were let off that they looked “amazing”.

“So hopefully it will be nice this time as well.”

For others, it was a temporary homecoming.

Chris, who lives in Australia caring for her grand-daughter, also got a perfect spot near the base of the Sky Tower and had never come to see the fireworks before.

“No, never, I think it will be fabulous.”

But she was expecting more people, she said.

As it got closer to midnight, more people flooded in leaving standing room only on Victoria Street from Albert Park up to the tower.

Tourists were among them, a pair in the country from the UK had come from New Plymouth to see the fireworks.

There was also a group from Las Vegas armed with celebratory horns who took to dancing in the street.

“We travelled here for Christmas and family time,” one of the group said.

“We’ve never been and it was a long trip but it was worth it.”

Another in the group said they heard the excitement would be in the central city.

“So we came out, we wanted to bring some energy and this is a fun place to be to celebrate New Year’s Eve.”

Carnival on capital’s Courtenay Place

Wellington’s entertainment strip, Courtenay Place, was also partly closed to traffic and turned into a carnival zone for the night.

Kushla Pullman (aka Little Red Riding Hood) and husband Keith (the Big Bad Wolf) came from Wairarapa with their friends Chloe and Lee Dancey to see in the New Year.

“We actually dressed up because it’s meant to be a dress up party – it said that online – but nobody else is!”

Amid the hedonism of party central, Derryn and Chris Hunt from Palmerston North were enjoying a cold one of the cone variety.

“My New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier,” Chris said. “Hopes and dreams for 2026? For the war in Ukraine and Russia to end soon, that’s one of my bigger ones.”

Seven-year-old Naiya, who was at Whairepo Lagoon for the Kids’ Countdown, also had high hopes for 2026: “I hope there’s lots of fruit in my garden.”

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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 New Zealander has been arrested for breaking through security and walking onto the tarmac at Perth Airport.

Australian Federal Police said the 25-year-old man had been denied entry to his flight on Tuesday because he was thought to be intoxicated.

He allegedly broke the glass on an alarm and activated it, before pushing past airline staff at the international terminal.

The man then entered a restricted area known as ‘airside’ and walked onto the tarmac towards an aircraft. He was stopped by airport staff, who called police.

The man was charged with entering an airside area or airside security zone without permission, which carries a maximum penalty of A$15,650 (NZ$18,140).

He was scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court the following day.

AFP Acting Superintendent Hayly Faithfull said Perth Airport’s secure areas were clearly marked and closely monitored.

“Airside restrictions exist to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public and workers,” she said.

“If you choose to ignore the warnings and enter an airside security zone without permission, you will potentially face prosecution.”

Not the first badly behaved Kiwi

The man is not the only New Zealander to be arrested at an Australian airport for bad behaviour in recent times.

In July, a drunk 50-year-old woman allegedly ignored safety instructions, swore at cabin crew and danced in the aisle when the pilot was taxiing for takeoff on a flight from Sydney to Queenstown.

The pilot aborted takeoff and returned to the gate, calling for police assistance to remove the woman from the aircraft.

When police boarded the plane and asked her to exit, she became argumentative and non-compliant.

She was removed from the aircraft so the flight could depart, and returned to New Zealand the next day. She had been due to appear in the Downing Centre Local Court in September.

At that time, Detective Acting Inspector Trevor Robinson said the woman’s behaviour “risked the safety of herself, passengers and crew”.

“Anyone misbehaving on a flight and not cooperating with law enforcement isn’t just spoiling their trip, but they are potentially ruining the travel plans of hundreds of other people. They also face the possibility of a criminal conviction on their record for life.”

Drunken assault against airline crew

In another recent case, a 23-year-old New Zealand man was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, and ordered to pay Air New Zealand A$10,824 (NZ$11,834) in compensation for drunkenly assaulting two airline crew.

On 23 October, 2024, Australian Federal Police were called to reports of an intoxicated and disruptive passenger on a flight from Perth to Auckland.

The man had refused to comply with requests from two crew members and assaulted both, causing minor injuries. His actions meant the plane had to be diverted to Melbourne, instead of landing in Auckland.

Police said officers boarded the plane once it landed at Melbourne Airport and removed the passenger, who had been restrained at the back of the aircraft.

He pleaded guilty on 17 April, 2025, to two counts of assaulting crew of an aircraft and was sentenced in July.

At the time of sentencing, Detective Superintendent Stephen Cook said airline staff deserved to feel safe in their workplace and not be subjected to violence and aggression from passengers.

“The AFP works closely with the airline industry to intervene if anyone’s behaviour interferes with the safety of workers or the public in or around an airport, or on flights.”

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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 cyber security breach at ManageMyHealth has been “contained”, according to the company – but GPs and patients are still waiting to hear if their health records have been compromised.

The country’s largest patient information portal on Wednesday confirmed it had identified a cyber security incident involving “unauthorised access” to its platform.

Chief executive Vino Ramayah said the incident had been contained and was currently under investigation.

“We are working closely with the relevant authorities and independent cybersecurity specialists, and we will provide updates through formal statements as further information is confirmed,” he said.

“I want to assure our users, customers, and stakeholders that we take the protection of your health information extremely seriously.

“We recognise the concern that this situation raises, and I want to reassure you that it is being treated with the utmost seriousness.”

The immediate priority was ensuring the integrity and security of ManageMyHealth’s systems, he continued.

“As you will appreciate, it is important that any information we provide is accurate and verified. We thank you for your patience and will continue to share updates with you as information becomes available.”

GPs critical of lack of information

However, the dearth of communication has left family doctors worried.

The president of the College of GPs, Dr Luke Bradford, said he only learned about the potential breach through the media.

“It’s terribly disappointing. They’re an absolutely key tool that we use for patients. It allows patients to access their records and better manage their health, literally.

“But if their data’s not safe, then their very personal information is not safe, and that’s really concerning.”

It was “terrible timing”, with most practices now closed for four days, he said.

“We’re going into this period without any formal communication about what’s involved in the breach and what can be done about it.”

General Practice NZ chair Dr Bryan Betty agreed the situation was extremely worrying.

“Health data in terms of patients is incredibly important, and any breach like this has to be taken extremely seriously and has to be actioned as a matter of urgency,” he said.

“There should be obviously free and open transparency about the situation and what’s actually happened, both for patients and practices that use the ManageMyHealth portal.

“So I would expect that to be part of their management of the present situation.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Horizons Regional Council has issued a warning to Manawatū River users at the historic Ōpiki Bridge.

One of the two suspension cables remaining from the old toll bridge, adjacent to State Highway 56, has fallen into the river.

In a post on social media, the council said anyone who used the awa for the likes of jetboating and canoeing should avoid the area because it is not safe.

The same cable had previously fallen into the river, the council said.

“It is the same cable which fell into the river in September 2023, but the issue is different. While the issue last time was with the bridge structure on the Manawatū District side, this time it’s with the bridge structure on the Horowhenua District side,” it said.

“Just like last time, we’re working to put signage up in the area to warn people of the hazard. We don’t have a timeframe for when we’ll be able to get the cable out of the water.”

The toll bridge was opened in 1918 by a flax company and converted to a toll road in the 1920s.

A new highway bridge upstream replaced the Ōpiki toll bridge in 1969.

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