Freightways chief executive Mark Troughear.Supplied
Logistics company Freightways is expanding in Australia after agreeing to buy Melbourne-based VT Freight Express for A$71 million (NZ$81.4m).
VT Freight Express (VTFE) provides express delivery of parcels and palletised freight specialising in the business market, notably the building, healthcare, retail and plumbing sectors.
Freightways said the acquisition would fit with its existing Allied Express business in Australia which operates in the consumer delivery sector. It expects the acquisition to bring savings between both businesses.
“The VTFE business operates an asset light model using a contractor fleet and leased facilities, which is similar to Allied Express and other Freightways businesses.”
Freightways will fund the acquisition through existing and new bank borrowing, and the transaction is expected to be settled early next year.
VTFE had annual revenues of A$77 million in the year-ended October, and Freightways expects the acquisition to increase earnings-per-share by 6 percent in its first year.
Freightways said the acquisition was part of its strategy to expand into business services in Australia, bringing efficiencies with its existing Allied Express business and Freightways’ own core capabilities of express pick up, processing and delivery.
Freightways will operate VTFE as a separate brand, maintaining its own leadership and sharing resources with its parent where possible.
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Two PAK’nSAVE stores have been named by the Privacy Commissioner for breaching the Privacy Act. Both failed to have adequate oversight of their third-party providers who were providing security services to the stores. Read the Decision Note about this.
Breaches of the Privacy Act by C Park Traders Limited (formerly trading as PAK’nSAVE Clendon) and Hutchinson Bros Limited (trading as PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak), were notified to OPC in early 2025. They involved third-party security guards, engaged to work in the stores, with one incident also involving a store employee. The security guards shared images of customers, accompanied by allegations of theft or criminal activity. As a result, both individuals whose images were shared faced a heightened risk of harassment and reputational harm.
“The decision to name the two individual stores is a significant step and was made because of the seriousness of the issues and their public interest.
“Both stores lacked important safeguards that retailers should have in place when allowing third party providers access to sensitive information such as surveillance information,” said Mr Webster.
“Agencies engaging third-party agents who access or operate surveillance or loss-prevention technologies (such as CCTV) should ensure that privacy obligations are explicit, enforceable, and routinely monitored to prevent harm. That keeps information safe and maintains public confidence in how personal information is handled.
“It is rare for me to name agencies, but this serves as a reminder to businesses that outsourcing functions does not outsource accountability. When contractors handle personal information, the agency who has hired them must ensure that their privacy expectations are clear, enforceable, and actively managed.”
While the stores remain individually accountable for ensuring compliance with the Privacy Act, OPC was also working with Foodstuffs North Island Limited (as the Co-op lead for the two stores) to adopt remedial actions. These included carrying out training with store personnel (including security contractors) on privacy obligations and requiring stores to have written agreements in place with all contractors who process personal information on behalf of stores (including security).
C Park Traders Limited (formerly trading as PAK’nSAVE Clendon) and Hutchinson Bros Limited (trading as PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak) breached IPP5 by not having adequate oversight of third-party providers.
Recent incidents at two PAK’nSAVE stores highlight the risks to individuals’ privacy when agencies fail to implement adequate security safeguards over third-party providers managing surveillance information. These breaches underscore the potential for serious harm when agencies do not exercise oversight of third-party providers.
What happened?
C Park Traders Limited (formerly trading as PAK’nSAVE Clendon) and Hutchinson Bros Limited (trading as PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak) “the stores” – both in Auckland, reported two separate privacy breaches to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) in early 2025. Both incidents involved the unauthorised disclosure of CCTV footage of two customers, accompanied by allegations of theft or criminal activity.
Our review of the two breach notifications found both stores did not meet expectations set out in the Privacy Act 2020 relating to information storage and security. In both cases, third-party security guards acting on behalf of the stores disclosed images of customers alleged to have shoplifted without authorisation. The images were taken or shared using personal mobile phones and later published on multiple social media sites. Both affected individuals experienced significant harassment and reputational harm as a result.
Privacy Breach by Hutchinson Bros Limited (trading as PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak)
In October 2024 a security guard engaged by the store took a photograph of the affected individual for surveillance purposes. The image was captured on a personal mobile device due to the poor quality of the available CCTV footage and followed store protocol at the time.
In early 2025 the photo was published online, and, after internal investigations, the store concluded in February 2025 that the source of the published image was the third-party security guard. The publication accused the affected individual of shoplifting.
Following the publication, the individual faced harassment and threats.
In this instance, Foodstuffs North Island Limited (FSNI) issued a direct apology to the individual on behalf of the store.
Privacy Breach by C Park Traders Limited (formerly trading as PAK’nSAVE Clendon)
In January 2025, a store employee instructed a contracted security guard to record CCTV footage of an alleged theft incident on their personal phone. The security guard then sent the footage to the employee, who subsequently disclosed it further and published it on social media alongside allegations of theft.
The store became aware of the unauthorised disclosure following the circulation of the footage online. The publication resulted in media attention from an international newspaper. Given that the affected individual is a public figure, the incident attracted widespread attention causing reputational and emotional harm.
In this instance the store and FSNI issued an apology to the individual.
Note: The PAK’nSAVE Clendon store is no longer under the ownership of C Park Traders Limited.
Relevant Privacy Concerns
IPP11 provides that agencies must not disclose personal information unless one of the limited exceptions in the Privacy Act applies. Disclosure of images or CCTV footage without a lawful purpose or applicable exception under the Privacy Act, can cause serious harm and is inconsistent with the protections afforded by IPP 11.
IPP5 requires agencies to ensure there are safeguards in place that are reasonable in the circumstances to protect personal information from loss, misuse, or unauthorised disclosure. This applies whether personal information is handled directly by the agency or through a third-party service provider in accordance with section 11 below.
Section 11 of the Privacy Act makes it clear that an agency is responsible for the actions of its agents when personal information is collected and used by those agents for the agency’s purposes.
Accordingly, agencies engaging third-party providers who access or operate surveillance or loss-prevention technologies (such as CCTV) should ensure that privacy obligations are explicit, enforceable, and routinely monitored. Importantly, these requirements should be documented through enforceable contractual arrangements between the parties.
Taking reasonable steps under IPP 5 also includes conducting due diligence before entering a contractual relationship with a service provider, to ensure that the provider has appropriate capability, governance, and technical safeguards in place. Agencies must be confident that personal information remains protected wherever it is held, and by whomever it is handled.
Additional measures, such as targeted training for personnel and contractors on the sensitivity of surveillance information, alongside clear policies and codes of conduct, provide essential safeguards to ensure this information is handled securely and responsibly by the parties involved.
Privacy Commissioner’s findings
The Commissioner found that both incidents constituted breaches of IPP 11, as they involved unauthorised disclosures of personal information without a lawful purpose or applicable exception under the Privacy Act. However, the Commissioner considered that the underlying cause of both incidents was the absence of reasonable and appropriate safeguards required under IPP 5.
At the time of these incidents, both stores lacked key safeguards that retailers should have in place when providing third party providers access to sensitive information such as surveillance information. On that basis, the Commissioner determined that the stores breached IPP5.
The Commissioner found that:
Hutchinson Bros Limited (trading as PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak) had no written contract with its security provider. The absence of enforceable terms meant the store had no contractual levers to require the provider comply with privacy obligations. There was also no clarity on escalation procedures, and no ability to compel cooperation in investigations of privacy incidents.
C Park Traders Limited (formerly trading as PAK’nSAVE Clendon) had a written contract in place with the third-party security provider, but it contained only a generic confidentiality clause and no enforceable privacy obligations.
Neither store had provided privacy training to security personnel to include surveillance information. Despite FSNI having a policy in place, neither store clarified and enforced responsibilities for workers handling CCTV until after the incident occurred.
In these cases, the safeguards around personal information were insufficient. There were a lack of physical controls (namely, mobile device protection) and organisation controls (policies, contracts, training, and staff behaviour).
FSNI and the relationship with Stores
OPC engaged with FSNI which provides certain support to its member stores. Both stores operate under the cooperative FSNI. The stores remain individually accountable for ensuring compliance with the Privacy Act.
The Commissioner acknowledges FSNI’s cooperation and proactive engagement during this process.
In responding to these incidents, FSNI acknowledged the absence of contractual provisions at the store level. Additionally, FSNI has taken the following remedial actions in response to our prompting and recommendations:
carrying out training with store personnel (including security contractors) on privacy obligations
requiring stores to have written agreements in place with all contractors that process personal information on behalf of stores (including security)
introducing a mandatory Security Systems Code of Conduct across all stores
requiring all stores to have written agreements with contractors handling personal information
prohibiting the use of personal phones for security activities
delivering network-wide privacy and data security training, and
updating breach assessment protocols to ensure any unauthorised disclosure of personal information on social media is treated as notifiable.
Harm and broader impact
Despite the measures put in place at the time of the incidents by FSNI, these incidents were likely to cause serious harm. The individuals affected may have suffered significant emotional distress and reputational harm after their images were shared publicly and associated with allegations of theft. In both cases, once the images and allegations appeared online, they were replicated and discussed widely, including in mainstream media.
Beyond individual harm, such incidents can erode public confidence in how retailers use surveillance technologies. Customers entering a supermarket cannot reasonably opt out of being filmed, their trust depends on assurance that footage will be used responsibly and kept secure. Supermarkets are considered essential services with many thousands of customers being monitored in each store by CCTV each week, creating a significant privacy risk when systemic privacy safeguards are not in place, or are ineffective.
Our compliance response
Our response was driven by the Compliance and Regulatory Action Framework (CARAF) and Naming Policy. The focus was on both uplifting compliance across the FSNI network and raising awareness more broadly of agency responsibilities when sharing information with third party service providers.
The Commissioner considers that naming the stores is appropriate given:
Seriousness of the privacy issue: These incidents risked significant reputational and emotional harm to the affected individuals.
Public interest: Supermarkets are high-surveillance environments. They are also an essential service. Customers cannot opt out of being filmed, so public trust relies on assurances that surveillance footage will be protected from misuse.
Deterring this practice: The PAK’nSAVE brand has a strong public presence, and these incidents attracted significant media attention. Naming the stores aligns with the Commissioner’s mandate to promote privacy awareness and deter poor practices across the retail sector.
Lessons for other agencies
This finding serves as a reminder to all agencies: outsourcing functions does not outsource accountability. When contractors handle personal information, the principal agency must ensure that privacy expectations are clear, enforceable, and actively managed. Our Office recommends that agencies ensure that:
Strong contractual measures are in place. All third-party providers should be covered by written agreements containing clear and enforceable privacy clauses, including requirements to notify the agency immediately of any privacy breach.
Due diligence is taken before entering a contract with a service provider, to ensure they are equipped to meet the agency’s responsibilities under the Privacy Act.
Privacy training extends to contracted workers as well as employees, and where CCTV or other surveillance systems are used, training should be tailored to those specific functions.
Surveillance information is collected and stored only on authorised company systems and devices and handled on the assumption that it may contain sensitive personal information.
Misuse or inappropriate disclosure and access of surveillance material can cause serious harm to affected individuals. Strong contracts, targeted training, and secure systems are essential to prevent harm and maintain public confidence in how personal information is managed.
Wellington City Council park rangers looked to install motion-activated cameras in the Town Belt on Matairangi/Mt Victoria after a spate of vandalism that appeared to target mountain bikers.Wellington City Council
Wellington police say a man has been “formally warned” over damage to mountain bike tracks on Mount Victoria near the city’s CBD.
At the beginning of December local mountain bikers said they were “disgusted” to discover logs, stumps and other obstacles had been placed on several mountain bike trails in places which – if hit by a mountain bike rider – could cause serious injury.
At the time, mountain bike instructor and regular Mount Victoria rider Rod Bardsley said the trails had been cleaned up since initial damage was reported but later in the week the trails were vandalised again.
Bardsley said holes had been dug in the ground, and support structures which held the dirt tracks together had been pulled out. One trail had even been fenced off, with wooden beams put up between trees on either side of the track.
Bardsley said the damage to the tracks could be extremely dangerous for bikers who rode at speed.
This week police confirmed a man had presented himself at Wellington Central Police Station and made “full admissions” relating to the damage.
A police spokesperson said the man had been “formally warned for endangering life or safety by criminal nuisance”.
They said any repeat offending would result in charges being laid.
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A police team member on a mountain in Fiordland.Supplied / Police
A search of the route taken by two missing climbers on Aoraki/Mt Cook has turned up no sign of the pair.
Bad weather has hampered the search for the climbers, who have been missing since Monday, but conditions improved enough for a helicopter to go up last night.
They followed the route the climbers took from Pinnacle hut and Linda glacier to the summit, but nothing was found.
They are 28-year-old Connor Scott McKenzie and 23-year-old Tanmay Shetankumar Bhati, who both lived in Australia.
In November, two climbers, Wanaka-based mountain guide Thomas Vialletet and his client, died on Aoraki Mt Cook after the two fell from the mountain’s west ridge.
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Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has today announced appointments to the Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group, to provide expert advice on long-term reform of the aged care system.
“This group will identify the changes needed to the aged care funding model, in order to build a sustainable system and one that is easier for people to access and navigate,” Ms Costello says.
The group comprises 10 members who have specialist knowledge across aged care and primary care, home and community support services, aged residential care, and funding models.
Former Minister of Health David Cunliffe, who is currently the chair of the faith-based aged care provider Selwyn Foundation, has been appointed Chair of the Group.
The other members are: Brien Cree; Shelley Cunningham; Suzanne Dvorak; Dr Richard Lowe; Murray Penman; Mike Peters; Max Robins; Allan Sargeant; Helen Watson.
The Group will provide an independent report and a set of recommendations around three areas:
The funding model needed to support sustainable services, particularly a sustainable supply of standard aged care beds
How the costs of providing aged care could be reasonably shared between those receiving care and the Government
The changes needed to contracting arrangements and regulatory settings for aged care services, to remove red tape, support cost-effective delivery of services, support service innovation, and increase cohesion and integration between aged care services, wider health services, and Disability Support Services.
The Group is expected to provide advice and recommendations to Ministers by mid-2026.
“As I’ve said before, New Zealand has very good aged care, provided by dedicated people,” Ms Costello says.
“However, a number of reviews have found that our aged-care model is out of date. We are committed to addressing this and building a system that provides the right care in the right place, that is sustainable and will endure as our population ages.
“These are significant policy issues, with major political considerations attached and that’s why an independent group is required,” Ms Costello says. “The goal is that the Group’s recommendations will inform any future government’s policy and funding decisions.
“The Government is committed to a bipartisan approach to addressing these challenges as part of the commitment in the National-NZ First Coalition Agreement.”
Note to editors:
Aged Care Advisory Group
Members have been appointed for a term beginning on 12 January 2026. The group is expected to have completed its work by mid-2026; however, a one-year term has been set to provide flexibility if needed.
The Group will be supported by the Ministry of Health, which will provide a secretariat and other support, and will engage with additional experts as required.
Aged Care
About 115,000 older New Zealanders use aged care services annually, with about two-thirds of this number using home and community support services.
Aged care is funded by government and some private contributions, and provided privately. These include a range of charities, private businesses and listed companies.
Government spending on aged care is more than $2.5 billion annually.
Individuals in residential aged care will contribute an estimated $1.38 billion this financial year.
A Taranaki farmer and livestock agent who illegally swapped NAIT tags from cows infected with a bovine disease in an attempt to sell the cows has been fined $15,000.
Simon Mark Payne (44) was sentenced (16 December 2025) in the New Plymouth District Court on one charge under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) Act, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
“The 4 cows Mr Payne attempted to sell in August last year were affected by bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD),” says MPI animal welfare and NAIT compliance manager, central, Gray Harrison.
“He knew this but directed one of his workers to replace the NAIT tags on these animals with new NAIT tags so he could sell them with a clean history.”
However, on the same day Mr Payne sent the animals to the saleyards in Stratford, MPI received a phone call alleging the unlawful removal of these NAIT devices.
“One of our NAIT officers intervened and stopped the animals being sold. This avoided the potential for them to infect animals at another farm. Mr Payne’s actions were both deceitful and self-serving with a total disregard for the potential effect – spreading a contagious disease from animal to animal,” Gary Harrison says.
“While this situation was uncommon, this case sends a strong message to others tempted to get around the law. When we find evidence of a person in charge of animals deliberately disguising the true traceability of animals – we will put the case before the court.”
Under the Act, all cattle or deer must be declared in movements to the NAIT organisation, OSPRI, within 48 hours. Additionally, all animals must be fitted with a NAIT tag and registered in the NAIT system by the time the animal is 180 days old, or before the animal is moved off farm. NAIT tags must never be removed from animals unless authorised by a NAIT officer.
The NAIT system is designed for tracking and tracing animals if an unwanted biosecurity incursion affecting cattle or deer occurs. Any person in charge of animals who is unsure about what you need to do, should contact MPI’s partners at OSPRI.
The actions of the members of the public have prompted DOC’s Dunedin/Ōtepoti Operations Manager Gabe Davies to remind people of the potential consequences for interfering with protected species – dead or alive. People can face a prosecution, or a $600 infringement notice.
“We were made aware of the dead orca just outside the harbour and our staff were working with Te Rūnunga o Moeraki to respectfully manage the situation. We had a conversation with a member of the public and advised them not to interfere,” he says.
The dead orca was not causing any issues or risk to public safety, and Gabe says DOC staff were working through a considered plan to determine the most appropriate course of action.
“Next thing we know, it’s being towed into the harbour, watched by concerned members of the public.”
DOC staff gave clear advice to leave the whale undisturbed, but this was disregarded.
“It is important for the public to allow the appropriate agencies to manage these situations in a way that respects cultural values and ensures health and safety of those involved,” Gabe says.
“We want to remind people in situations like this they should ring 0800 DOC HOT.”
Gabe says there many risks involved with managing marine mammals if people take matters into their own hands.
“There are many potential issues, including the risk of several zoonotic diseases – infectious diseases naturally transmitted between animals and humans – that are harmful.”
Gabe says after closer inspection of the orca, it’s likely it may have died due to birthing complications. He says it’s very disappointing a breeding age female (and potentially calf) have been lost from the population. Measurements and samples have been sent to Massey University for investigation so hopefully this will provide some insight into what happened. The whale has since been respectfully buried in partnership with mana whenua.
“We have really good relationships with fishers and boaties – and coming into summer we want to remind everyone of the rules around the coastline. We love seeing people out ‘naturing’ on the water and want to ensure everyone respects the incredibly special species we have here,” he says.
DOC’s compliance team is currently investigating the incident.
An agreement has been reached on the long-standing Nelson Tenths case.123RF
Māori landowners at the top of the South Island will have more than 3000 hectares returned to them in a landmark agreement with the Crown.
In the 1830s the Crown promised Māori in Te Tauihu that if they sold 151,100 acres of land to the New Zealand Company they would be able to keep one tenth. They instead received fewer than 3000 acres.
The agreement to reserve the land was in part-payment for the company’s purchase of the land.
In 2017 the Supreme Court ruled that the government must honour the deal struck in 1839 but efforts to resolve the case outside court since had been unsuccessful.
In Wellington on Wednesday, Attorney-General Judith Collins and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced that an agreement had been reached.
Under the agreement, 3068 hectares will be returned to descendants of the original owners, including the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve and the Abel Tasman Great Walk.
The agreement also includes a $420 million compensation payment to recognise land that has been sold by the Crown since 1839 and in recognition of the lost earnings and land use.
Collins said the agreement differed from Treaty settlements, which settled historical claims concerning breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.
“In this case, we are simply returning land to its rightful and legal owners,” she said.
“The Crown failed to keep its side of the deal but in 2017 the Supreme Court ruled it had a legal duty to the original owners. In 2024 the High Court confirmed that the land, in parts of Nelson, Tasman and Golden Bay, had been held on trust by the Crown and that it had always belonged to descendants of its original owners.”
The case was first brought against the Crown by Kaumātua Rore Stafford in 2010.
He took legal action on behalf of ngā uri, the descendants of the tūpuna named in the 1893 Native Land Court list and the descendants of specific Kurahaupō tūpuna.
The Crown and the owners, descendants of Te Tauihu Māori, have agreed to allow continued public access to land currently used by the government agencies.
Potaka said the Department of Conservation had worked with the owners to ensure ongoing public access.
“The Abel Tasman Great Walk, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve and wider conservation areas will remain open, with all bookings and access continuing as normal,” he said.
“Visitors, tourism operators, and local communities can be assured there will be no immediate changes to access or day-to-day use.”
Potaka said both parties were mindful of the need to balance legal ownership with how the land is currently being used and the desire for certainty.
“Everyone acknowledges that the Great Walk and reserve are important sites, much loved by locals and visitors and that they are of deep significance to the original owners, local business operators and future generations,” he said.
Private property is not affected by the agreement. The Crown had been using some of the affected land for roads, schools and conservation purposes and the agreement transfers the land back to its rightful owners but allows the Crown to lease some of the land currently being used for important public purposes.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he acknowledged the impact on the customary landowners, who had not had the use of their land for many generations.
The thanked those representing the customary landowners for their patience, for their pragmatism, and working towards this resolution.
“I want to thank our Attorney General Judith Collins, for her leadership, our coalition partners who recognised, alongside National, the need to resolve this and I also say thank you to our team and our negotiators who worked incredibly hard on both sides to bring us to this day.”
Luxon said some of the land being returned included places cherished by New Zealanders.
“Visitors have long been driven to the tracks, the huts, the beaches and the bays in the area and by maintaining public access, it will remain a taonga up in which to build a base so that the trust and associated businesses, the environment and the region will flourish.”
Te Here-ā-Nuku (Making the Tenths Whole) project lead Kerensa Johnston said the agreement marks the end of more than 15 years ligitation.
“It resolves longstanding uncertainty for our people and region, upholds the rule of law and property rights relevant to all New Zealanders, and heals rifts that are generations deep. It allows us to turn our focus to the future and how we might achieve wellbeing and prosperity for our whānau and region – the original purpose of the Nelson Tenths agreement,” she said.
She acknowledged the courage and perseverance of kaumātua and plaintiff Rore Stafford, who first raised the issue with the Crown almost 40 years ago.
“For many years we have hoped for a principled and pragmatic resolution to this case. The Crown has worked with us in good faith and by focusing on positive solutions we have achieved this historic milestone,” she said.
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A large-scale marine search and rescue (SAR) exercise involving specialist Police personnel off the New Plymouth coastline on Sunday has been hailed a major success.
The scenario tested the ability of multiple agencies to work together in challenging marine conditions, requiring rapid decision-making, clear communication and effective use of land and sea-based resources.
Police Exercise Director, Constable David Bentley said all agencies met the mission of the day.
“The Taranaki marine SAR exercise simulated an aircraft crash at sea, with 47 victims reported missing. By the conclusion of the exercise, all 47 simulated casualties had been successfully located, a fantastic result that demonstrates the region’s high level of preparedness for a real-life emergency.
“The scale of the scenario reflected the reality of modern aviation and marine risks that could happen at any time. The exercise provided valuable opportunities to test inter-agency systems, leadership and volunteer capability.”
Participants included New Zealand Police Search and Rescue, Coastguard New Zealand, Department of Conservation, Port Taranaki, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Cape Egmont Rescue, Air New Zealand, and New Plymouth Airport, with personnel deployed across vessels, coastal locations and coordination centres.
“This exercise was about more than just finding people – it was about proving that when agencies come together, we can respond quickly, safely and effectively to protect lives,” said Constable Bentley.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard volunteers played a key role in the water response, while Police SAR and the Rescue Coordination Centre from Wellington coordinated the overall operation alongside port Taranaki partners, ensuring realistic pressure on command, control and communication systems.
Air New Zealand and New Plymouth Airport’s involvement added further realism, enabling responders to practise liaison with aviation operators during a major incident.
Police warmly acknowledge the significant commitment from volunteers and staff who gave up their Sunday to participate, as exercises of this scale are essential to maintaining readiness for the worst-case scenarios no one hopes to face.
The annual exercise is a cornerstone of Taranaki’s emergency preparedness and continues to strengthen the region’s ability to respond to major marine and aviation incidents.
As summer approaches, exercises like these allow us to prepare for rescues in and around the water. Constable Bentley reminds everyone to please swim between the flags, wear a lifejacket when on marine vessels, always take two forms of communication and stay out of the water if you’re not sure.