Source: New Zealand Police
A man has died after getting into trouble in the water at Riversdale on Thursday afternoon, 13 November.
Police were called to Riversdale Beach at about 4pm when a man, in his 50s, was seen struggling in the water.
He was brought to shore where CPR was performed.
Despite best efforts by members of the public, the local surf club, and emergency services, sadly he was unable to be revived.
His death has been referred to the Coroner.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Radio New Zealand
New Zealand golfer Steven Alker. JONATHAN BACHMAN
A second place finish at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona has cost New Zealand golfer Steven Alker the overall season-long prize.
The Kiwi entered the week No. 1 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings and a win at the tournament would have seen him win the Cup for a second year in a row.
The 54-year old was aiming to become the fourth three-time winner of the 2025 season on PGA TOUR Champions. Alker also won the ultimate prize in 2022.
Alker started the final round with a one shot lead but a mid-round collapse handed the tournament and season prize for the Charles Schwab Cup to American Stewart Cink.
Alker fired a one-under 70 to get to 18-under while Cink carded a bogey-free four-under 67 to finish two clear at 20-under.
In 23 starts this season, Alker won the Cologuard Classic in March, and the Simmons Bank Championship in October this year.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Source: Radio New Zealand
Warning: This story discusses suicide.
Police are revealing more information about the deaths of three children and their father after a house fire being investigated as a murder-suicide.
Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham is speaking to media in Palmerston North at 2.30pm.
The three children killed on Saturday, were identified on a page set up by the loved ones of their mother as August, Hugo and Goldie, aged 7, 5 and 1.
The Givealittle page has since raised more than $158,000 for their mother as she dealt with the “unimaginable loss”.
“They were the light and love of her life, and her entire world has been shattered,” the Givealittle page said.
“In the midst of this unimaginable grief, she also lost her home and everything she owned. She is facing the hardest journey possible, stripped of her physical security, while navigating the deepest emotional pain.”
August, Hugo, and Goldie died in a house fire in Sanson on Saturday. GIVEALITTLE / SUPPLIED
The search for the body of one of the children is still ongoing, police said.
The bodies of two children were recovered on Sunday night and were blessed by the family with karakia.
The body of the adult was removed earlier. Manawatu Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham confirmed to Morning Report it was the children’s father, which RNZ understood was Dean Field.
He said it was too early to tell yet if the fire was deliberately started.
“It’s pretty risky with the part of the structure still there and the the dust that’s generated from the fire, so it will take us some time just to go through and establish what’s happened.”
Grantham said police were not seeking information from the public at this stage, but if anyone knew anything, they could “reach out”.
He said it was “unusual” for a house fire to begin in the afternoon.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
The Coastguard had also aided in the search. NZ Coastguard
The Navy has joined the search for a missing fisherman in Northland.
A boat with two people on board at Pataua South was reported overdue on Friday night and found adrift the next morning with nobody on it.
The body of one fisherman was found a short time later.
There has been a large-scale search by sea and by air for the second fisherman.
Police, the National Dive Squad, Search and Rescue and Navy crews were back on the water on Monday morning.
The public is being urged to call 111 if they see anything unusual in the water.
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Source: New Zealand Police
NZ Police and Health New Zealand have commenced implementation of Phase Three of the Mental Health Response Change Programme, following the successful rollout of Phases One and Two.
The change programme aims to see an increased health-led response to mental health, enabling Police more time to do the work that only Police can and which the community expects them to do.
Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson says Health NZ and Police are committed to working together to safely introduce the changes in a way that ensures those in mental distress receive appropriate care, and staff delivering it are kept safe.
“We are determined to get this right and have been taking the time to ensure the plan for Phase Three and its implementation will be safe and clear. The Phase Three changes are being rolled out nationally across all Police and Health NZ districts.”
Police and Health NZ have taken on feedback from district teams and worked together to create a more streamlined process for submitting and processing non-emergency requests from Health NZ and updated the Police response threshold for managing them, Assistant Commissioner Johnson says.
“Under Phase Three, any non-emergency requests for assistance and missing person reports from mental health services will be assessed against updated guidance that considers the immediate safety risk and if there is a risk of significant future harm that Police powers or capabilities are required to prevent.”
Health NZ Director of Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Karla Bergquist says the safety and well-being of patients and staff delivering their care is paramount.
“The detailed planning work for Phase Three identified a range of scenarios which cannot be managed by health practitioners alone, or where there may be a need for Police assistance in a coordinated, planned way.
“We therefore needed to take these situations into account to ensure the changes could be implemented in a safe way that works for both agencies, so have developed new procedures with clinical input and created training materials for staff to support them through this change.”
Assistant Commissioner Johnson says the updated threshold and new procedures ensure compliance with the agencies’ respective legislative responsibilities, while still aligning with the goal to free up Police to be redeployed to do work only they can do.
“Police will continue to be involved if there is offending, of a level that we would normally attend, or an immediate risk to life or safety – as has always been the case.”
Ms Bergquist says the changes are aimed at creating a system that supports everyone’s mental wellbeing, so people are supported to stay well, and have access to help that works for them.
“The public can be assured there is a range of services to help people in mental distress or those who are concerned about the mental health of whānau.”
If a person is in serious mental distress or crisis, support is available from their local crisis team. If it’s a life-threatening situation or someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, emergency services should be called on 111.
ENDS
Note to editors
The Phase Three changes are:
Contact numbers for local crisis teams are available online via the following link. Please consider including it in online articles: info.health.nz/mental-health/crisis-assessment-teams
Police media contact: media@police.govt.nz
Health NZ media contact: hnzmedia@tewhatuora.govt.nz
Source: Radio New Zealand
Dame Farah Palmer will replace Dr. Deb Robinson on the World Rugby Council. Photosport
New Zealand rugby icon Dame Farah Palmer has been appointed to the World Rugby Council as the country’s third representative.
A former Black Ferns captain and three-time Rugby World Cup champion, Dame Farah has extensive governance and rugby experience. She was a New Zealand Rugby Board member between 2016 and 2024 and a member of the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board for 17 years.
Dame Farah replaces Dr Deb Robinson, a former All Blacks and Black Ferns doctor, who has served on the World Rugby Council since 2018.
NZR chairperson David Kirk said: “Dame Farah’s contribution to rugby in New Zealand and internationally has been exceptional, both on and off the field. She combines integrity and leadership and will be a strong advocate for the growth of the game worldwide.
“On behalf of the board I would like to thank Dr Deb Robinson for her excellent contribution to the work of the World Rugby Council, in particular as chair of the Anti-Doping Advisory Committee.”
Dame Farah joins NZR Board member Greg Barclay and Bart Campbell as NZR’s representatives on the World Rugby Council.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Rajinder is on trial at the High Court at Dunedin. RNZ / Nate McKinnon
A man is accused of stabbing a former employee more than 40 times in what appears to be an attempted decapitation, a court has heard.
The 35-year-old man accused of the murder, who is listed in court documents only as Rajinder, is on trial at the High Court at Dunedin.
The body of Gurjit Singh, 27, was found covered in blood on the lawn of his Dunedin home in January last year.
The defence claimed Rajinder had no reason to kill his former employee and there was no animosity between them.
Prosecutor Robin Bates said Rajinder left DNA evidence at the scene including hair and multiple blood stains around the house.
“The post mortem indicated that the deceased died from multiple sharp force injuries, at least 46 in total, including a large inevitably fatal wound to the neck which gave the impression of attempted decapitation,” Bates said.
There were wounds to the victim’s head, neck, torso and arms.
The defendant and victim had moved from India to New Zealand some years ago, and ended up working as contractors in Dunedin by 2023.
Singh had originally worked for Rajinder before going out on his own and purchasing one of Rajinder’s vans, Bates said.
In mid-2023, Singh bought his home on Hillary Street and had travelled back to India the same year to get married.
Bates told the court Singh attended a pizza party in Helensburgh on the night of 28 January, 2024.
A witness said he arrived about 9pm.
He stayed about an hour and appeared in a good mood.
When the witness tried to contact him the next morning about a concrete cutter, Singh did not reply.
The witness was contacted by a friend who said Singh’s wife had been trying to contact him for three hours but could not get a hold of him.
Bates said when the friend went to check on him, he found Singh’s body on the front lawn covered in blood with severe cuts to his neck.
He called 111, tried to perform CPR and waited for emergency services to arrive.
The house was examined with blood found in multiple spots across the dining room, lounge, outside steps and on the walls.
A large window was broken with glass shards on the ground.
Bates said some blood samples from the scene indicated it was the defendant’s DNA.
Rajinder first told police he did not know about the death and had taken his wife for a driving lesson about midnight for about an hour on the night in question, Bates said.
The interviewing police officer asked him about a cut on his left hand between his thumb and forefinger and Rajinder said it happened when a chain came loose on a chainsaw.
But a few days later when he was interviewed again, Bates said Rajinder told police he had lied and it was from a bike accident, but he did not go to the hospital because it would take too long and then he got scared he might be connected to the death.
When confronted about blood containing his DNA being found at the scene, he said it was impossible and denied killing Singh, Bates said.
A piece of glove from a pair Rajinder had bought around the time of the murder was also found at the scene, Bates said.
A knife and neck gaiter he had bought from Hunting and Fishing around the same time could not be found.
His clothing from the night was also not found.
Defence lawyer Katy Barker said Rajinder did not kill Singh and there was no enmity or animosity between them.
The defence accepted Singh was murdered and whoever attacked him must have had murderous intent, but it was not Rajinder, Barker said.
There was no grievance between the two and they had a good relationship, she said.
Rajinder had built a good life in Dunedin and it did not make sense for him to blow it up, Barker said.
The trial is set down for three weeks.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Takapuna Beach on Auckland’s North Shore.
A man has died at a popular Auckland beach.
Police were alerted at midday on Monday that a person was unresponsive in the water and had been pulled onto Takapuna Beach.
Officers gave medical help but he could not be revived.
The death will be referred to the coroner.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Mt Eden Corrections Facility (file image). RNZ/Calvin Samuel
A man on the run for more than a week has been found and charged with escaping custody.
The 42-year-old Mt Eden remand prisoner, who was in handcuffs, got free during a hospital escort on 7 November.
He has now been arrested and will appear in the North Shore District Court on Monday.
The Department of Corrections earlier said that any escape is unacceptable.
A review is underway.
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Source: Radio New Zealand
Damage to Orewa’s Shoreward Gastrobar in September. Supplied
Four businesses have been ram-raided or fire-damaged in a small seaside village north of Auckland in the past three months, but police say so far no arrests have been made.
Officers launched Operation Governor after a deliberately lit fire at Orewa’s Sunflour Cafe left the interior of the building destroyed.
Several fire crews responded to the blaze at Sunflour shortly before 11.30pm on 1 November.
It was the latest in a series of businesses targeted on the main strip of the coastal town of Orewa, going back to September.
The first was between 21 September and 22 at takeaway business Bossburger. Images posted to social media showed the front of the store smashed in.
It was followed by a burglary and arson reported at the Shoreward Gastrobar in the early hours of 30 September.
It was understood the offenders drove a vehicle into the bar, before setting fire to the premises and fleeing on foot, police said.
Members of the public extinguished the fire before officers arrived at the scene.
“In both incidents, we are not aware of any items being stolen from these businesses,” police said.
Damage to Orewa’s Bossburger in September. Supplied
Police told RNZ the Operation Governor investigation continued, and could not comment further.
Both businesses, and the local business association Destination Orewa, also declined to comment.
Waitematā North area commander Inspector John Thornley said previously attacks on local businesses would not be tolerated.
“These arsons are not only damaging property, but it’s affecting peoples’ livelihoods, and police is open-minded about whether any of these incidents are linked,” he said.
Damage done to the Sunflour cafe in Orewa. Sunflour / supplied
Thornley said they would be engaging with the public over the coming days, and they could expect a larger police presence in the area.
“We want to hear about any suspicious activity that people might have seen on Saturday night.
“I’m asking anyone with dashcam footage around the Ōrewa township, between 10pm and midnight, on Saturday 1 November to make themselves known to the investigation team.”
“No piece of information is too small, so please come forward as soon as possible.”
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