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Media advisory: Joint stand-up on Operation Matata

Source: New Zealand Police

Media are invited to a joint media stand-up with Police and Customs for an update on Operation Matata.

The joint investigation has been targeting the importation of drugs through unattended baggage on international flights.

The stand-up will be held today at midday at Auckland City Police Hub, 13-15 College Hill.

Media who wish to attend are asked to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz

Please note the stand-up will be held inside the station and media will be escorted inside.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

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Carrington development agreements to deliver hundreds of homes

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government and iwi of Waiohua-Tāmaki have signed development agreements for at least 628 homes in Auckland, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says.

“These homes will contribute to the Carrington Residential Development – also known as Te Kukūnga Waka – a 4,000+ home development in Mt Albert,” Mr Bishop says. 

“This land was acquired by the Crown in 2018 as part of the Land for Housing Programme initiated under the previous National Government. 

“The Land for Housing Programme’s main purpose was to increase housing supply by repurposing vacant or underutilised land that was no longer needed for public works or other government purposes. The land on which the Carrington Development is being built was previously part of Unitec’s Mt Albert campus. 

“These additional homes will help address Auckland’s housing needs and build on the progress already being made. The first homes are completed, and next tranches now entering construction. Once completed, the development will include a number of facilities alongside new homes, including a supermarket, cafes and hospitality, a swim club, a daycare, and a commercial gym.

“Over time, the homes at this development will be a mix of market, affordable and social housing.

“I was delighted to attend the opening of the first apartment buildings in this development, Toi and Whetū, a couple of months ago. 

“The Government continues to support this development in several ways – not only through the Land for Housing Programme, but also through the Residential Development Underwrite initiative which supported delivery of some of the first homes, and through a number of infrastructure investments. 

“We want homes near jobs, public transport, services, and amenities and this development has it all. The development is also close to the Northwest Busway – a major Government investment in public transport that will enable even more housing growth in the future.”

Notes to editor:

The Government agreed overarching terms with Waiohua in December 2024, and development agreements have now been signed with Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Tamaoho, Te Kawerau ā Maki and Te Ākitai Waiohua.

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Hot days but reprieve from humid nights coming

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sun and swimmers out in Mission Bay, Auckland. RNZ / Jordan Dunn

Much of the country will continue to experience warm temperatures over the coming days, but thankfully, a reprieve from the warm nights is coming, MetService says.

It was a sweltering day across much of the country on Thursday, with temperatures also exceeded 30°C at Christchurch Airport for a second consecutive day while 33.0°C in Hastings was the day’s hottest spot.

MetService said Auckland recorded its highest November temperate on record of 27.1°C at their Auckland Airport station.

A thunderstorm brought a burst of rain at 5:30am for western parts of the North Island. This will push eastwards but clear up in time for Saturday, MetService said.

MetService head of weather Heather Keats said “we’ve got summer knocking on our door”.

She told Morning Report a heat alert was in place for Napier, which has seen temperatures in the high 20s to early 30s, but are also experiencing warm nights.

“When we issue heat alerts from this time on, for not just warm days, but when it’s really warm over night and you don’t get much of a reprieve.” Keats said.

“… Prolonged heat, especially with the humidity, it makes sleeping very difficult. We know how important it is for temperatures to be at a low level for sleep to be healthy. So, it’s an indication for people who are vulnerable to heat exposure and heat-stroke, to keep them hydrated [and] a good indication to check on elderly… [and] pets.”

Keats said Hastings and Christchurch were close to heat alerts. She said we are still seeing massive swings in weather, for example Christchurch was 15°C on Monday and on Wednesday it was 30°C degrees.

She said Auckland on Friday will be slightly cooler with high of 25°C.

“November has been warm. We’ve seen some very high temperatures, especially out in the eastern side of the country. We’ve had these increased northerly flows, we’ve got humid air masses coming down from the tropics,” Keats said.

“But, we’ve also got warmer then normal sea-surface temperatures to the north and west. We are looking already at like 21 degrees in the Firth Of Thames – that’s around what we’d expect in summer – so, that fuels the temperatures as well.”

Keats said it will continue to be warm for the next few days.

Monday will be the first day of summer, and what that will bring is “anyone’s guess at the moment”, Keats said.

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) declared a La Niña event is officially underway in the Pacific for the first time since 2023.

Keats said in New Zealand, we will see more difficult La Niña conditions as we move into December such as warm sea surface temperatures. La Niña, for New Zealand, typically sees more north-easterly winds, moist and rainy conditions for eastern North Island, and reduced rainfall for the lower and western South Island.

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

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NZ’s longest-serving meat worker retires after 64 years

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

An Otatara man thought to be New Zealand’s longest-serving meat worker retired this month after 64 years in the industry.

Ken McLeod, 80, started in 1962 when he was only 16 at the now-closed Makarewa Meatworks in Southland.

“I was mostly a boner in all those years, and thanks to the Meat Workers Union we got very good money,” he told Morning Report on Friday.

“The money set me up for life and did everything else, and I’ve travelled a lot. I just enjoyed the good money and the hard work involved.”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2019014635/otatara-meat-worker-retires-after-64-years-on-the-job

He rarely took sick days, and worked his way up to boner, his favourite of the jobs. In the mid-1960s, when he was still a teenager, he was bringing home the modern equivalent of up to $4000 a week.

“I felt like I’d robbed a bank,” McLeod laughed.

“I saw a lot of people waste it. An old fellow who had worked in the works for years, he said, ‘Save half your pay and play out the rest, because he said, you’ll find it’ll be out.’ And that’s what I did.”

As the technology changed, so did the work – not to mention the conditions.

“I know this sounds horrible, but when I first started boning, I was 20 and we only changed clothes twice a week because they had to send the laundry into town or something like that.

“But then a couple of years later, they actually built a laundry and then we changed our laundry every day, which was what it has been ever since.”

Supplied

An early computer brought in to handle payroll was unable to handle the wages – McLeod saying their pay packets had to be split in two because the amounts were too high for the machine to handle.

“We used to laugh, and they had to give us a pay worth gross of £100, and then another one of £20 or £30.”

McLeod eventually ended up at Blue Sky Pastures in 1988, where he has worked ever since. He also rose to become president of the Meat Workers Union.

But preparing meat was not what he originally intended to do with his life.

“I really wanted to join the Army and go to Vietnam, but… my mother wouldn’t sign the papers because you had to have your parents’ consent… I was only 20 at the time.

“But in hindsight it was the best thing because three or four years later I met my wife and I’ve been happily married for 56 years and [had] two lovely girls and they’re happily married and gave us four lovely grandchildren. So I’ve been very lucky in that respect.”

Supplied

While the tough physical work has taken its toll McLeod has no plans to slow down, and intends to spend his retirement staying active with walking, fishing, deer hunting and maintaining his house.

While sheep farming is not what it once was in New Zealand, McLeod predicts a comeback.

“When I started there was 70 million sheep in New Zealand. Now there’s only about 23 or 25 [million]. There’s been massive changes, in Southland three of the big works have all closed down… they’ve all closed and there’s only the big Alliance works with four chains left…

“But there is hopefully a revival of sheep meat because the price for lamb this year is very good and wool’s actually gone up in price, so there may be a swing back to more sheep farming and hopefully there is.”

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

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GhlNZ Launches Dedicated HighLevel + AI Support Hub

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: GhlNZ Launches Dedicated HighLevel + AI Support Hub

GhlNZ has officially launched as New Zealand’s leading support, training, and enablement hub for businesses using AI Employee & Highlevel Software. With a focus on AI-powered automation, local support, and practical implementation, GhlNZ is helping Kiwi companies modernise their sales and marketing systems faster than ever before.

The post GhlNZ Launches Dedicated HighLevel + AI Support Hub first appeared on PR.co.nz.

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Expert And Reliable Property Management in Christchurch

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: Expert And Reliable Property Management in Christchurch

Rempstone Property Management looks after homes in New Zealand in a modern and easy way. The team uses simple conversation and modern systems, so property owners should know what is happening. They work hard to maintain every house in good style, assist renters quickly, and resolve any issues rapidly.

The post Expert And Reliable Property Management in Christchurch first appeared on PR.co.nz.

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Business confidence rises to highest level in 11 years

Source: Radio New Zealand

123RF

  • Business confidence jumps as firms report better past activity
  • The closely followed measure of expected own activity also rose to its highest in more than a decade
  • One-year ahead inflation expectations steady

Business confidence has jumped to its highest level in 11 years.

The ANZ Business Outlook survey showed headline confidence rising nine points to net 67 percent confidence in November.

The more closely followed measure of businesses’ expected own activity also rose to the highest level in more than a decade – increasing eight points to net 53 percent.

ANZ said reported past activity, the best indicator of economic growth in the survey, also looked brighter for every sector except construction, although it too was off its lows.

“Green shoots are looking well established, if this month’s survey is anything to go by,” ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said.

“It is particularly encouraging that the improvement in sentiment is rooted in an improvement in experienced activity, not just hope.”

Zollner said “things are looking up”.

Inflation expectations were steady, with one-year ahead inflation expectations at 2.69 percent.

“With the recovery underway and CPI inflation at the top of the target band, we don’t expect the RBNZ [Reserve Bank of New Zealand] to cut the OCR again this cycle barring unexpected developments,” Zollner said.

Other inflation indicators in the survey showed the net percentage of firms expecting to raise prices in the next three months rising to its highest level since March.

But those expecting cost increases eased marginally.

Regionally, ANZ said Wellington remained the weakest for both experienced and expected activity, although it also improved.

It said the lift in past activity was broad-based across the regions, but was strong in Auckland and the South Island outside of Canterbury.

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

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Police arrest man following spree of offending

Source: New Zealand Police

An Auckland man faces serious charges after a dangerous dash across the city and attempting to steal two vehicles.

The man’s hatchback had come to Police attention due to its manner of driving just before 3am.

Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey, Counties Manukau West Response Manager, says a unit attempted to stop the car in Papatoetoe.

“The man allegedly fled from the unit on Allenby Road at high speed and wasn’t pursued,” he says.

“Camera operators were able to relay the vehicle’s movements in the Clover Park area while the Eagle helicopter deployed to the area.”

Eagle took over tracking the vehicle as it carried on towards the South-Western Motorway.

“The car has allegedly been driven at excessive speed towards the airport, before heading north towards central Auckland.”

Police successfully deployed spikes near the Mt Eden area.

Senior Sergeant Albrey says the car came to a stop and the driver exited.

“He has continued his brazen offending, attempting to carjack a passing vehicle.

“Fortunately, the driver was able to reverse to safety forcing the man to run back to his vehicle.”

He has carried on until reaching Khyber Pass Road.

“Again, he was stopped and attempted to carjack another passing vehicle and forcing the driver out of the vehicle.

“Our staff were soon on scene, promptly taking this man into custody and preventing any further harm.”

Senior Sergeant Albrey says a subsequent search of the man’s vehicle located methamphetamine paraphernalia and a bat.

The 33-year-old man faces a multitude of charges including two charges of assault with intent to rob and possession of an offensive weapon.

He also faces driving charges including driving whilst suspended, dangerous driving and failing to stop.

“There was every potential this man’s actions could have resulted in someone being seriously hurt,” Senior Sergeant Albrey says.

“Our staff have worked hard this morning to bring this incident to a safe conclusion and taking the man into custody.”

The man will appear in the Manukau District Court today.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

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Matildas v Football Ferns: What you need to know about Friday night’s game

Source: Radio New Zealand

Football Ferns will end the year against their most familiar rival. Photosport

Matildas v Football Ferns

Friday, 28 November

Kick-off 9.30pm

Polytec Stadium, Gosford, Australia

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

The Football Ferns will end the year against a side brimming with stars and a nation that they have not beaten in more than 30 years.

Two games against the Matildas in Australia would be a stern test for the New Zealanders as they look ahead to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027, for which qualifying starts early next year.

Fifteenth in the FIFA rankings the Matildas were a long way ahead of the 33rd ranked Football Ferns and history is on the Australians’ side.

The Football Ferns have faced Australia 53 times, which was more than any other opponent, with the Australians winning three times as often as the New Zealanders over the years. The last time New Zealand beat the trans-Tasman rivals was in 1994 in Port Moresby.

This series would be a homecoming for one of the Matildas’ biggest names, Sam Kerr. Kerr returned to the national side in October after a lay-off with an ACL injury and the Football Ferns games will be her first games at home in two years.

Australian footballer Sam Kerr. PHOTOSPORT

Form

The last time the two sides met was in a 2022 two-match series, with the Matildas winning 2-1 and 3-1 on their home soil.

Both teams were active in the last international window last month with the Football Ferns playing Mexico, twice, and the Olympic champion United States for three losses.

New Zealand failed to score a goal and conceded nine.

The Matildas beat Wales in the last window 2-1 and then lost to England 3-0.

Bigger picture

The games against Australia would be the Football Ferns’ final hitout before the Oceania qualifiers for the Football World Cup which kick off in February and March next year.

The Football Ferns play Samoa and Solomon Islands in the early part of the qualification process.

Whereas, for the Matildas this international window was the last before next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup which will be hosted in Australia. For that 12-team tournament Australia were grouped with South Korea, Iran and Philippines.

What they are saying

Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne said he wanted his side to avoid the “trap” of the pressure of chasing the first win over the Matildas in many of the players’ lifetime.

“Once you start to get into that the emotion starts to play the game as opposed to sticking to what I’m wanting to see from the players.

“They hold all of the cards in terms of previous performances, you can look at their squad, look for where their coach as come from, on paper they are a very strong group and we know that but we spend very little time focusing on them because that only drives the things I don’t want to drive within this group and how they approach it.”

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro said that this was an important window for the squad.

“We have selected a squad of experienced leaders who know what it means to represent Australia, as well as younger players who will be crucial to our ongoing success.

“The goal is to create a strong and competitive environment where we can test combinations and ensure that each time we step onto the pitch, we are ready to perform at our best.”

Squads

Football Ferns: Liz Anton, CJ Bott, Kelli Brown, Claudia Bunge, Olivia Chance, Milly Clegg, Victoria Esson, Michaela Foster, Ally Green, Maya Hahn, Jacqui Hand, Betsy Hassett, Deven Jackson, Katie Kitching, Anna Leat, Annalie Longo, Meikayla Moore, Emma Pijnenburg, Gabi Rennie, Indiah-Paige Riley, Alina Santos, Kate Taylor, Lara Wall, Grace Wisnewski.

Matildas: Mackenzie Arnold, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Charlotte Grant, Winonah Heatley, Michelle Heyman, Clare Hunt, Kahli Johnson, Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Chloe Lincoln, Holly McNamara, Teagan Micah, Courtney Nevin, Hayley Raso, Amy Sayer, Remy Siemsen, Kaitlyn Torpey, Emily Van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop

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

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SailGP: Burling confident of competing in grand final despite serious finger gash

Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Foils skipper Peter Burling. Photosport

Black Foils driver Peter Burling is confident he’ll be on board for this weekend’s SailGP grand final in Abu Dhabi.

The New Zealanders are second in the standings, but Burling is in doubt after slicing a finger which required hospital attention.

Burling missed practice on Thursday (local time) as a precaution after cutting his right index finger while trying to fix an issue with a daggerboard during training on Wednesday.

Peter Burling, co-CEO and driver of Black Foils SailGP Team looks on after sustaining a finger injury, Abu Dhabi, 2025. Christopher Pike for SailGP / Supplied

Black Foils strategist Liv Mackay stepped in to drive the boat, while the team will assess Burling’s situation before deciding who will control the boat in Friday’s practice.

Burling admitted the timing was far from ideal as the Black Foils attempt to win their first SailGP title.

“We’ll just kind of monitor the situation as it goes. It’s not the ideal way to build up to the Grand Final, but we feel like the team’s in great shape and it’s now about doing everything I can to recover and make sure I’m ready to go,” he told SailGP.

Burling attended Thursday’s media conference with a heavily bandaged finger and was asked if there was a chance he could miss racing this weekend.

“It depends who you talk to, but I’m sure I’ll figure out how to be there.

“These kind of things can happen to anyone throughout the season and you’ve got to be able to deal with them, so that’s what we’re working through.”

The Black Foils lie second in the overall standings, three points behind leaders Great Britain and two points ahead of Australia.

To make the three-team Grand Final in Abu Dhabi this weekend the New Zealanders have to finish sixth or better in the fleet racing part of the Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Burling has been voted the winner of the MVP category in the 2025 SailGP Fan Awards.

Burling recently commented [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/579918/peter-burling-says-control-team-new-zealand-wanted-over-him-was-just-crazy on his departure from the Team New Zealand America’s Cup syndicate, saying the control Team New Zealand wanted over him was “just crazy”.

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