NZ Engine

Source: New Zealand Government

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Whanganui’s new Crisis Recovery Café at Aunty’s Café, the first of six cafés being rolled out by the Government across the country.

“This is about real options for support, close to home. A place to feel heard, supported, and safe. EDs are often not the right environment when someone is going through a mental health crisis. Cafés like this one meet people where they are, offering compassionate, peer-led care in the heart of the community,” Mr Doocey says.

The new café is being delivered by Balance Aotearoa, working alongside iwi providers Te Oranganui and Hāpai Mauri Tangata, with Government backing to bring the idea to life.

Crisis Recovery Cafés are peer-led, non-clinical spaces with trained support workers, where people experiencing mental health or addiction challenges can sit down with people in a relaxed setting.

“Our crisis cafes have the potential to take pressure off our traditional crisis systems. Too often, people in crisis end up in EDs that aren’t right for them. Cafés like this offer a lower stress, more compassionate alternative.

“That said, alongside the cafés, we are also establishing peer support specialist roles in eight emergency departments by the end of the year. This will help embed a quiet revolution of lived experience and peer support across the system.

“We’re focused on delivering results – faster access to support, more frontline workers and a better crisis response.

“Our mental health plan is working. We’re turning the corner on reducing wait times and increasing the mental health workforce. Recent data shows the frontline Health NZ mental health workforce has grown around 10 percent since we came into Government, and over 80 percent of people are being seen within three weeks for specialist services.

“Whether it’s you, your child, a friend, or a family member, reaching out for support, this Government is committed to ensuring support is there.” 

Source: New Zealand Government

A first-of-its-kind survey of workers in the family violence and sexual violence sector shows improvements in training and collaboration, which will lead to better victim-centred services.    

Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says the workforce survey has highlighted the importance of strong connections between the community sector and government agencies, as well as more consistent training.  

“Workers in family violence and sexual violence prevention care for people and families who carry significant trauma and require highly specialised support.  

“The workforce survey helps us understand who is in the workforce, their employment status, skill levels and how they apply training in their vital work helping people and families through significant distress.  

“The latest workforce survey shows that nearly every single frontline worker surveyed has received family violence and sexual violence training (94% of those working in frontline family violence and sexual violence services have received specialist training) and use that training on a daily or weekly basis.  

“While it’s promising that so many have received training, it is now our priority to ensure that this training is nationally consistent and of the highest quality.  

“We have also prioritised better, and more, training to help staff across the public sector to support in family violence and sexual violence responses – including Courts, Corrections, and Police. These are being rolled out now, with the goal of reaching 10,000 workers in the next two years.  

“The survey also asked about workers’ relationships with government agencies in their local community and has found that the majority have positive and collaborative relationships. This is important for enabling effective multi-agency responses to family violence and sexual violence, with all professionals working together to deliver victim-centred services.    

“The next workforce survey is now open (available here), providing workers the opportunity to share information about themselves and their work, to inform government planning for the family violence and sexual violence system,” said Mrs Chhour.    

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  02 September 2025

Dave was born, raised, and schooled in Stratford, beneath Taranaki Maunga. He affiliates to Ngāti Mutunga, Te Atiawa, Taranaki Tūturu, Ngāti Ruanui and Maniapoto iwi – and he points to the stories told by his mother Miria and one of his grandfathers, Taikomako, of his whakapapa connecting him to the maunga.

“After I left school I worked in a local tannery near Stratford, for two years. I used to look at the mountain from my workstation every morning, and I would tell everybody ‘I’m going to work up there one day,” he says.

Dave’s first role in the national park was in 1975 as part of a winter seasonal work scheme for unemployed people – he quit the tannery job to secure the opportunity with the Egmont National Park Board.

“I was working on tracks, mowing lawns, and servicing amenities – it was what our staff do now, ranger work.”

He recalls a lot of time spent living in the bush, living out of a backpack and carrying out hard graft: “It’d be into the hut on a Monday morning, come out on a Friday afternoon – running down steps, racing your mates…real hands-on stuff. I learned heaps!”

He became the park foreman in the early 1980s, responsible for all park operations and up to 40 staff. He learned to manage people and how to get them into the right teams.

Dave says “putting a Māori lens” on management of the park was important to him – and helped raise his professional profile early in his career: “All of a sudden, I was being inundated with strategies and plans, with the request ‘Dave, can you run your eye over this?’”

Dave says the creation of DOC in 1987 was a smart move – bringing various conservation organisations together under one umbrella and working more closely with Māori – and in the early 1990s he made a conscious decision to shift to an office-based role so he could influence strategic park planning and management more directly.

He’s particularly proud of his effort to connect DOC and iwi. He sees a lot of similarities between his Māori values and DOC values and says he’s constantly “walked both paths” through his career.

He looks fondly on work he’s done or supported to enhance and protect the story-telling connected to some of the district’s sites significant to Ngā Iwi o Taranaki – work often driven by his enthusiasm for history and whakapapa. The Pou Whenua at Dawson Falls – installed for the park’s centenary and the subject of some debate – is one example he points to.

One of the biggest changes he’s seen is the type of visitors in the national park. When he started it was bushmen and hunters, before the emergence of trampers and back-packers, and now foreign tourists and day-trippers out for a walk. Visitor numbers have shot up to more than 370,000 visitors a year.

He says the conservation sector needs to be careful in how visitor numbers are managed “in these special places”: “It’s important we never lose sight of what we’re conserving, and who we’re conserving it for.”

Dave says although the conservation sector has changed a lot, much of the work remains the same.

“We’ve still got to cut tracks, we’ve still got to clean toilets, we’ve still got to maintain huts,” he says.

“I still clean the odd DOC toilet now – because I’m the only ranger down here in South Taranaki… it’s easier for me to go and it saves someone driving from New Plymouth!”

It’s a testament to his character and commitment to the maunga and the park.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

Three people have been arrested after being caught red-handed with a car full of meat shoplifted from Wellington supermarkets over the weekend.

On Sunday, Police were notified of separate incidents having occurred at supermarkets in Island Bay and Crofton Downs, where large quantities of meat had been targeted.

A vehicle of interest was sighted travelling north from the city, and was stopped in Lower Hutt without issue.

Around $1000 of meat was found in the vehicle, and the three occupants – two young people and an 18-year-old man – were arrested.

They have all been charged in relation to shoplifting offences.

Wellington Area Prevention Manager Inspector Jason McCarthy says Police are pleased to be able to hold these offenders to account.

“These were targeted thefts of high-value items, no doubt destined to be on-sold.

“We won’t tolerate this type of offending and are working hard to hold those committing retail crime to account.”

All three, including an 18-year-old Lower Hutt man, are due to appear in the Wellington Youth Court today (Tuesday 2 September).

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee outlined proposed changes to special licensing rules for the events sector, speaking at the New Zealand Events Association’s annual conference today.

“This Government recognises the enormous economic, social, and cultural value of New Zealand’s events sector. To operate effectively, innovate, and plan ahead with confidence, you need simple, stable, and practical rules,” Mrs McKee says.

These proposed changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 build on last week’s announcement, which included flexibility around televised national events. 

The following reforms are designed to reduce unnecessary red tape and provide greater certainty and consistency for the events sector, while continuing to prioritise the reduction of alcohol-related harm.

Key Reforms to Special Licensing:

• National Risk-Based Framework: To remove inconsistent decision-making across the country, a nationally applied, risk-based framework will be introduced for assessing special licence applications. District Licensing Committees (DLCs) will be required to apply this framework, with the details, including risk ratings and conditions, set in regulations to allow for flexibility and regular updates.
• Coordinated Approach for Multi-District Events: Where an event spans multiple council areas, DLCs will be required to consult each other within a specified timeframe to ensure consistency and avoid repetitive processes and costly delays for organisers.
• Large-scale Events: The threshold for large-scale events, which require complete event management plans, certificates of compliance and to work with Police on event management, increases from 400 to 2000 people.  This will reduce costs associated with obtaining a special licence for many events.
• National Events Flexibility: As announced last week, the responsible Minister will now have the power to declare televised national events exempt from special licensing requirements, removing the need for legislative amendments each time. This will allow large-scale events to be planned and approved more efficiently.

“These are sensible, targeted changes which support the Government’s creative sector strategy Amplify, which aims to streamline regulation to enable the sector to thrive. We know this kind of red tape can lead to events being cancelled, delayed or scaled down,” Mrs McKee says.

The special licensing changes are part of a broader package of reforms designed to modernise the alcohol regulatory system and eliminate unnecessary compliance burdens.

“This is about striking the right balance. We are creating a more efficient, consistent, and business-friendly environment for events, while keeping strong safeguards in place to reduce harm where it matters most.”

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  02 September 2025

The research was commissioned to inform DOC’s Always Be Naturing campaign which launched yesterday. Undertaken by market research agency TRA, it looks at New Zealanders’ attitudes towards nature, and barriers and motivations for taking action for it.

“Always Be Naturing is simple. No matter who you are, or where you live, you can do something for nature every day,” says DOC Deputy Director-General Public Affairs, Sia Aston.

“The research shows us all the right ingredients are there to turn the dial.

“It’s unsurprising but still makes me proud to see 97% of us feel we are connected to nature and 98% of us care about protecting and restoring it.

“But the flip side – we might not realise at DOC managing conservation challenges every day – 89% of people think nature is in good shape.  

“The truth is, nature is in trouble. It needs us now more than ever. If we want our grandchildren to experience nature as we know it, we all need to take more action, now.

“Habitat loss, over-exploitation, introduced invasive animals and plants, pollution and climate change are devastating our environment. New Zealand has 4000 species threatened or at risk of extinction. More alarmingly, over 63% of our ecosystems are threatened with collapse.”

The research reveals many New Zealanders are willing to take biodiversity and conservation actions but can feel overwhelmed or are unsure how. It found people are motivated by the idea of protecting their local area, because it helps improve their health, they’re proud of New Zealand’s nature, and to have fun with others.  

“Nature needs more action, faster. We have an important job ahead to flip the script and raise awareness of what’s really going on, but also to show what’s possible when we all do our bit,” says Sia.

“Every day at DOC we see evidence that when we take action for nature, nature bounces back.

“The good news is many people are already setting a stellar example. More than half the population took some kind of action to protect nature in the last 12 months. It’s a great foundation to build on.”   

New Zealanders are uniquely placed to be global leaders in normalising looking after nature as something we all do each day, says Sia.

“Nature is our biggest asset, and it’s also our insurance policy against climate change. It’s central to our economy and way of life.

“DOC’s Always Be Naturing campaign is designed to build on our national love for nature and make it simple for everyone to take small, regular steps that add up to deliver big results.

“Our actions now will make all the difference.”

Read the full report (PDF, 22,072K)

Always Be Naturing

Always Be Naturing celebrates New Zealanders’ love of nature and encourages everyone to get involved. DOC is one of many organisations protecting nature, and we need the collective effort of all New Zealanders so nature thrives for generations to come. Find out how you can help: Always Be Naturing

Contact

Source: New Zealand Police

An operation spanning the past fortnight has seen Northland Police targeting drug supply and violent offending involving gang members.

Sixteen search warrants have been executed in the region, as investigators from Northland and other specialist groups teamed up during the operation to target a multitude of gang members and associates.

Those include an aggravated robbery, the supply of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of firearms, and the theft of vehicles.

“This has been a proactive operation which has resulted in nine people facing charges so far,” Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, from Northland CIB, says.

“Police have also recovered around $100,000 worth of stolen vehicles, including a $40,000 Polaris side-by-side.”

• Nine arrests made:

A 58-year-old Northland Nomads gang member and a 35-year-old gang associate face a joint charge of aggravated robbery of a Toyota Landcruiser in Aratapu on 18 July.

Police have also laid methamphetamine dealing charges against this associate and a 29-year-old Kaikohe woman.

Further search warrants resulted in a 24-year-old Killer Beez gang member from Kaikohe being charged in relation to the supply of methamphetamine and cannabis.

In Kaitaia, a 44-year-old Black Power member has been charged for possession of methamphetamine and resisting Police.

• Arrests made; vehicles recovered:

Meanwhile, numerous arrests have been made over stolen vehicles in the region.

A 27-year-old man from Okaihau, who is linked to the Nomads gang, faces charges in relation to a stolen vehicle and firearms recovered during a search warrant.

Further enquiries also continue in Ngunguru, after a 31-year-old Head Hunters gang member and his female partner were charged over the unlawful taking of a Mercedes.

“Our enquiries will continue, and drugs charges are likely following a search warrant at the Ngunguru property,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.

Several properties linked to the Kaitaia Mongrel Mob were also searched.

“Three stolen motorbikes were recovered along with a stolen 4WD, resulting in several arrests and likely further to come.”

The results didn’t end there, as detectives located a 66-year-old man in Taupo Bay who was arrested to be extradited to Australia.

Police also located a cannabis grow operation and seized $10,000 in cash at the same time.

He will face serious methamphetamine dealing charges when he crosses The Tasman, Detective Inspector Johnston says.

• “This is by no means the end”:

Police continue to send a firm message that offending will be held to account.

“Police continue to take firm action against those peddling the misery of methamphetamine into many of our vulnerable communities,” Detective Inspector Johnston says.

“Our community has spoken up and we are continuing to target the prevalence of methamphetamine, so this is by no means the end.”

Alongside warrants being executed in these communities, a number of warnings were given out around drug possession.

Referrals have been made to support services for many families identified through the operations, as part of the Resilience to Organise Crime in Communities (ROCC) programme.

“We acknowledge the support of our colleagues, as additional resources have allowed a sustained targeting of those causing the most harm in our vulnerable communities.”

ENDS. 

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Two Kinleith men have had their cars impounded and are facing criminal charges after two recent incidents involving sustained loss of traction.

The first incident occurred on 29 June, when Police responded to a report of an anti-social road user gathering on Mamaku South Road in rural Kinleith.

The driver of one of the cars at the gathering performed a sustained loss of traction directly in front of police officers, before immediately leaving the scene.

“Some fairly simple enquiries enabled us to identify the driver and car involved,” says Sergeant Matt Sillars, Tokoroa Police.

“A search warrant was subsequently executed at a Mamaku property on 16 August, where the car was located and impounded.”

A 20-year-old man was also summonsed to appear in court for sustained loss of traction and driving while disqualified.

On 22 August, Police were called to another anti-social road user gathering, this time outside a fast food restaurant in Tokoroa.

“Several cars were involved, performing both sustained loss of traction and burnouts, flooding the area with smoke, and the drivers immediately scattered when Police arrived,” says Sergeant Sillars.

“All of the cars involved had their licence plates removed, presumably to prevent us from identifying those involved.”

“However, it did not take us long to identify one of the cars – as we had seen the very same car while carrying out the search warrant six days earlier.”

On 27 August, Police executed another search warrant at the Mamaku property.

“The car involved had been painted in a bid to disguise it, however Police were able to confirm it was the same car involved in the gathering on 22 August,” says Sergeant Sillars.

This car was also impounded, and a 19-year-old man has been summonsed to appear in court for sustained loss of traction and dangerous driving.

The two men are scheduled to appear in Tokoroa District Court on 3 September.

“Our communities are sick of the disruption and damage caused by this anti-social road user activity,” says Sergeant Sillars.

“Those involved should be on notice that even if we can’t take enforcement action at the time of such incidents, we will undertake follow-up enquiries in order to hold those involved to account.”

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 
 

Source: New Zealand Government

Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai tatou. 

Thank you for the warm welcome, and thank you to the University of Canterbury for hosting us. It is a real pleasure to be here with colleagues from across New Zealand, Australia, and further afield.

The theme of this event – Global Impact and Student Success – could not be more fitting. These are exactly the ambitions that drive this Government’s approach to our universities.

Universities matter enormously to New Zealand. They educate the next generation of leaders, they advance the frontiers of knowledge, and they play an important role in powering our economy. In fact, they sit within our Going for Growth agenda – an agenda to lift New Zealand’s economic performance and create greater opportunities for every New Zealander.

But let me be direct: we need our universities to do better at aligning the skills students gain with the needs of employers and industry. We need stronger and faster pathways from research into real-world impact. And we need institutions that can adapt quickly to new opportunities in areas like advanced technologies.

Today, I want to set out the government’s priorities for change. These priorities are about modernising our system, ensuring universities are well led, and ensuring the significant taxpayer investment in them delivers the best possible outcomes – for students, for industry, and for New Zealand.

The first step is a new Tertiary Education Strategy, being developed by myself and my colleague, Minister Simmonds, for both the university and vocational education sectors. 

The strategy will have five clear priorities:

1. Lifting student achievement.
2. Maximising economic impact and innovation.
3. Increasing access and participation for people from all backgrounds and regions.
4. Building stronger integration between universities, communities, and industries.
5. Boosting the international education sector and strengthening New Zealand’s global connections.

This strategy will shape the Tertiary Education Commission’s investments. We’ll be consulting on it over the coming weeks, with the aim of publishing it in November.

Second, we are establishing a new University Strategy Group, which I will chair.

This will bring together university leaders, independent experts, and senior officials to tackle challenges that affect the system as a whole – challenges no single university can solve on its own.

Its purpose is simple: to make sure our universities work together more effectively, and to strengthen the alignment between universities, government, and industry. The group will begin its work in the next two months and run for an initial period of 18 months.

Third, we are replacing the Performance-Based Research Fund with a new Tertiary Research Excellence Fund.

The Performance-Based Research Fund was world-leading when it was created, but its processes have become too time-consuming and costly. It is time for a simpler, smarter approach.

The new fund will focus on metrics that reflect real outcomes – centred on citations, but also including measures that recognise diversity of research, collaboration with industry, and commercialisation.

It will continue to support postgraduate teaching and encourage external research income, especially where it serves the needs of industry and communities.

We will begin a phased transition in 2027, with the new fund fully in place from 2028.

Fourth, we are reviewing and strengthening our quality assurance system.

We need to protect the world-class reputation of our universities, but also make sure the system is flexible enough to respond to the changing needs of students, industries, and communities.

Finally, we will also take steps to improve governance – to strengthen decision-making, accountability, and transparency. Universities must remain independent, but with independence comes responsibility: responsibility to students, to taxpayers, and to the country.

These university reforms are closely connected to our wider science reforms.

We are bringing together New Zealand’s publicly funded science organisations to work more strategically – focusing effort on science that delivers real impact for New Zealanders and for our economy.

Just as we are asking universities to collaborate more effectively, so too are we reshaping the science system to break down silos, encourage partnerships, and support research that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

Universities will be central to this. By aligning education, research, and science investment, we can create a more joined-up system – one that produces skilled graduates, world-class research, and innovations that drive growth.

These reforms set a clear direction.

We will simplify systems, strengthen leadership, and sharpen the focus on outcomes that matter.

I encourage you to build on your strengths, work together, and focus your research on solving problems that matter to New Zealanders.

Our universities already rank among the top three per cent worldwide. With the right priorities and partnerships, they can be at the forefront of global innovation and impact.

This is a time of challenge, but also of extraordinary opportunity. Together, we can ensure our universities deliver for students, for industry, and for the nation’s future.

Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Government

Thousands of New Zealanders who are already waiting too long for care will now wait even longer because the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) union has decided to strike again this week, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“It will mean thousands of New Zealanders face more disruption, including:

• Around 2,251 more surgeries and treatments such as hip, knee, and cataract operations cancelled or postponed.
• Additional delays for approximately 3,600 first specialist assessments.
• Postponement of around 8,000 critical follow-up appointments.

“Even appointments before and after the strike will be delayed, with impacts expected to drag on well beyond the strike itself. For many patients, that means more pain, more uncertainty, and more time without the care they need.

“We value our nurses and the vital care they give patients. That’s why our Government has invested heavily in our nursing workforce. The average salary for a registered nurse is now over $125,000 a year, including overtime and allowances, which aligns with base pay in New South Wales.

“Since 2011, NZNO union nurses’ pay has risen by nearly 74 per cent, which is more than double the wage growth of 35 per cent across the wider economy. Nurses also receive:

• Extra pay for nights, weekends, and on-call work.
• Additional leave for long shifts, long service, and sickness.
• Professional development payments of up to $6,000 a year for some roles.
• Five weeks’ annual leave after five years.

“This strike is a choice by the NZNO union to put politics ahead of patients. It will not shorten waitlists or improve care, it will only make delays worse for people already in pain and waiting for treatment. The NZNO union has also refused to disclose how its members voted on this strike. 

“They should be upfront about it. Patients and nurses deserve honesty, not secrecy.

“Health New Zealand remains ready to negotiate in good faith. The current offer would see a new graduate nurse on $75,773 receive a total pay increase of $8,337 by the end of June 2026, including step progression.

“We will keep working to reduce wait times and get patients the care they need, when they need it. We thank the thousands of nurses who will continue to care for patients during this period, and we call on the NZNO union to stop playing games with people’s lives, step back from this strike and return to the bargaining table, and put patients first.”