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Police seeking Samir Belhajjam

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police are working to locate Samir Derek Belhajjam, 30, who has escaped custody in Taupo this afternoon.

He fled from a Police transport vehicle at the court on Story Place about 6pm.

He was wearing green prison-issue shorts and T-shirt, along with an orange hi-vis vest.

Residents may notice an increased Police presence as staff work to locate him.

Anyone who sees him or has information on his whereabouts is asked not to approach him, but instead to call 111 immediately.

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre

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First Responders – Black Jack Fire Update #7

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Drones with thermal imaging equipment will survey the Black Jack fireground on the Coromandel Peninsula tonight to identify where deep seated pockets of fire are burning.
Fire and Emergency NZ’s specialist drone crew will be carrying out the flights and Incident Controller Shane Bromley says their findings will be used to target ground and air operations tomorrow.
Black Jack Rd will be open for residents access tonight once crews have stood down for the night.
Stop/go traffic management on the road will resume in the morning. The road runs through the fireground and the managed access helps ensure the safety of both firefighters and the public.
Shane Bromley says that the process of fully extinguishing the fire is likely to take a few more days. Conditions will be arduous for the firefighters, working on steep slopes in high temperatures. Tomorrow they will be supported by two helicopters with monsoon buckets, which will focus on the western flank that is inaccessible on the ground.
Firefighters from the Department of Conservation will return to the fireground tomorrow along with members of the Kuaotuna Volunteer Fire Brigade.
A fire investigator is working to establish the origin and cause of the fire.
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Media advisory – funeral service for Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Media interested in attending the funeral service for Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, killed in Nelson in the early hours of New Year’s Day, are reminded to RSVP to Police Media by midday tomorrow.

Service details, including logistical and technical specifications, will be provided to registered media only tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday 14 January).

The funeral will be held at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson at 1pm on Thursday.

Media will also receive an on-site briefing prior to the service.

Journalists or media outlets yet to RSVP should email media@police.govt.nz with the full name and contact details of all attendees.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Appeal for information following Christchurch incident

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Attribute to Detective James Bourne

A man has been charged after allegedly trying to pull a person into his vehicle in Christchurch, and Police would like to hear from people who were in the area around the time of the incident.

It occurred about 3pm on Thursday 2 January, when a man approached the victim on the northern end of Tennyson Street, before attempting to pull them into a vehicle.

On Friday 10 January, Police arrested a man, who is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on 16 January, charged with attempted kidnapping.

As part of our ongoing enquiries, we would like to hear from anyone who was in the Tennyson Street area between 2:50pm and 3:10pm on Thursday 2 January.

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 250102/6559.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Ecostore commits $323k to ‘cultural shift’ in safety

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

AI technology with real time hazard alerts is central to a new safety commitment WorkSafe New Zealand has accepted from the well-known household brand, Ecostore.

It comes after a worker suffered chemical burns to his eyes while making dishwasher powder in March 2023. The worker was injured while trying to shut off a pressurised hose that had come loose and was spraying hazardous liquid into the air at Ecostore’s factory in Pakuranga, Auckland.

WorkSafe investigated and found an inadequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly eyewear, staff training gaps for chemical handling, and lack of emergency management.

In response to the incident Ecostore is making what it calls an “holistic cultural shift” on health and safety worth over $323,000. The company applied to WorkSafe for an enforceable undertaking, which is a binding commitment to bring about health and safety improvements. It includes:

  • Installation of CCTV systems incorporating AI technology to identify situations or events that could indicate risks to workers’ health and safety.
  • A new working platform for liquids manufacturing, and other new controls to minimise workers’ exposure to risk and improve health outcomes.
  • Reparation to the victim.
  • Funding a pilot programme by Blind Low Vision NZ to educate and support businesses employing visually impaired staff, with a focus on workplace health and safety, inclusion, and wellbeing.
  • Development and delivery of a webinar with the Employers and Manufacturers Association, highlighting the incident and key learnings.

“Businesses must manage their risks and chemical safety is non-negotiable. We are pleased to see Ecostore putting things right and being a change-maker in the manufacturing and distribution sector,” says WorkSafe’s regulatory support manager, Mark Horgan.

WorkSafe will regularly monitor progress on the agreed commitments and can resume prosecution of Ecostore if necessary.

“Ecostore’s investment exceeds what even the courts may have ordered in penalties. This demonstrates a substantial commitment to health and safety, with benefits circled back to the community, workers, and industry,” says Mark Horgan.

Manufacturing is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous sectors, which is why it’s a focus of WorkSafe’s new strategy. Our priority plan for manufacturing notes exposure to hazardous substances as a specific source of high harm. WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe.

Read the Ecostore decision document

Read our guide on hazardous substances risk management [PDF, 76 KB]

Statement from Ecostore’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Tony Acland

Safety is a cornerstone of Ecostore and we deeply regret the serious harm experienced on our site. We acknowledge the professional and personal impact such an experience has on an individual, as well as the wider team.

We recognise the importance of going beyond just compliance, and we take our responsibility to ensure the health and safety of our employees incredibly seriously. We are committed to continuous improvement in this space and have already implemented numerous advancements. We also offer an anonymous reporting channel so our team can feel empowered to share all concerns.

Ecostore sees the Enforceable Undertaking not only as an opportunity to improve our processes but as a chance to contribute to industry-wide, best-practice policy that improves the safety of everyone working in manufacturing. We will also engage with Blind Low Vision NZ to support visually impaired workers in finding pathways into productive work with a focus on their wellbeing and safety.

As a New Zealand business, we are dedicated to maintaining our high standards of safety for all of Aotearoa and are hopeful that sharing our health and safety learnings with other manufacturers will have a real impact on raising awareness and improving the culture in similar workplaces.

Media contacts

For WorkSafe: media@worksafe.govt.nz

For Ecostore: Kate Grant, kate@nsprltd.com or 027 422 0079 

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Employment indicators: November 2024 – Stats NZ information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Employment indicators: November 2024 – 13 January 2025 – Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market.

Key facts

Changes in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the November 2024 month (compared with the October 2024 month) were:

  • all industries – up 0.3 percent (5,980 jobs) to 2.36 million filled jobs
  • primary industries – down 0.4 percent (436 jobs)
  • goods-producing industries – down 0.2 percent (836 jobs)
  • service industries – up 0.3 percent (6,230 jobs).

Files:

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Weather News – Cooler than usual temperatures to continue across Aotearoa New Zealand – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 13th – Thursday 16th January – MetService is forecasting settled and mostly dry weather for much of New Zealand this week, with little to no rain forecast for most. Cool temperatures continue in the east early in the week. However, warmer, humid air with rain may move onto the country as we near the end of the week.  

MetService Meteorologist, Surprise Mhlongo said, “Cool temperatures are expected to stick around this week, is expected especially in the eastern areas thanks to the southerly flow driven by a high pressure system that’s currently dominating New Zealand. However, western areas and the lower South Island continue to be the best places to be this summer, with Wanaka temperatures forecast to average 28°C this week while the West Coast basks in sunshine.”

Although it will be cooler, mainly fine weather is forecast for much of the country.

“Even though there could be days of a few showers in some places during the morning and afternoon, it will be a mainly fine week for the southern North Island, with dry but cold evenings.”, added Mhlongo.

Towards the end of the week, A complex low pressure system from the north is set to bring rain and warmer temperatures.  

“A band of rain and strong warm northeasterly winds may move onto Northland on Friday, gradually spreading to Auckland during the day. At this point, there is still some uncertainty on the amount of rain that we might see there, so we advise everyone to keep up with our local forecasts for your weekend plans”, said Mhlongo.

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First Responders – Black Jack Fire Update #6

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Firefighters supported by helicopters are making steady progress strengthening containment lines on the flanks of the Black Jack fire in the Coromandel Peninsula.
Four crews are fighting the fire on the eastern and southern flanks and three helicopters are attacking the fire on the steep and inaccessible western flank.
Incident Controller Shane Bromley said that weather conditions were relatively favourable this morning but will be more challenging this afternoon and tomorrow, with higher temperatures, lower relative humidity and stronger winds.
The safety of firefighters and the public remained the top priority.
Access to Black Jack Road continues to be under stop-go management while firefighting operations are underway to ensure the safety of firefighters and the public. The walking track through the fireground will remain closed until the fire is fully extinguished.
Shane Bromley said Fire and Emergency was working closely with iwi and the Department of Conservation, and eleven DOC firefighters are working on the fireground today.
Fire and Emergency’s specialist drone team will carry out thermal imaging tonight to identify hotspots that firefighters will target tomorrow. It is likely to take several days to fully extinguish the fire.
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Home consents up 4.8 percent in the month of November – Stats NZ media and information release: Building consents issued: November 2024

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Home consents up 4.8 percent in the month of November – 13 January 2025 – There were 3,100 new homes consented in New Zealand in November 2024, up 4.8 percent compared with November 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

Of these, there were 1,402 stand-alone houses consented, down 4.1 percent compared with November 2023, and 1,698 multi-unit homes consented, up 14 percent over the same period.

“While the number of homes consented each month has fluctuated, the trend has remained relatively steady for the last year,” economic indicators spokesperson Michael Heslop said.

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Proposed changes to the import health standard for importing cats and dogs

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Have your say

From 13 January to 13 March 2025, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invites comment on proposed changes to the Cat and Dog Import Health Standard (CATSDOGS.GEN).

In 2021, we also asked for your feedback about changes to the standard.

However, those proposed changes were not implemented because of concerns about fraudulence relating to the rabies and residency import requirements.

Since then, we’ve reviewed the rabies and residency requirements and completed further risk work on Brucella canis and Babesia spp.

2021 consultation: Proposed new import health standard (IHS) for cats and dogs

Changes to the proposed IHS since the 2021 consultation are outlined in the ‘Review of submissions’. Full details are in the consultation documents.

Summary of proposals

In this consultation, the proposed amendments cover 4 topics.

Brucella canis

Increase the timeframe for testing.

For mated dogs:

  • test the dog that naturally mated the dog for export, or the dog that produced semen for artificial breeding
  • test a sample of semen used to breed the dog for export.

Babesia gibsoni and rossi

  • Increase the timeframe for testing.  
  • Increase the number of PCR tests from 2 to 3 and reduce the timeframe between each test.
  • Test dogs younger than 6 months of age with PCR tests.
  • Post-arrival inspection includes a check for evidence of recent bites.

Pre-export identification check

Addition of pre-export identification checks by an official veterinarian prior to the rabies titration test.

Transit

Remove the previous proposal to allow transit through non-categorised countries.

Consultation documents 

Import Health Standard: Cats and Dogs (IHS) [PDF, 1.5 MB]

Risk Management Proposal (RMP) [PDF, 591 KB]

Related documents

Review of submissions (from first consultation in 2021) [PDF, 696 KB]

Current Import Health Standard for Cats and Dogs: Cats and Dogs [PDF, 282 KB]

Current guidance document: Cats and dogs [PDF, 521 KB]

WTO notification [PDF, 158 KB]

Making your submission

Email your feedback on the draft before 5pm on 13 March 2025 to animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz

Make sure you include in your submission:

  • the title of the consultation document in the subject line of your email
  • your name and title, if applicable
  • your organisation’s name (if you’re submitting on behalf of an organisation)
  • your contact details (for example, phone number, address, and email).

While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:

Animal Approvals and Advice
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.

All submissions received by the closing date will be considered before the amended import health standard (IHS) is issued. MPI may hold late submissions on file for consideration when the issued IHS is next revised or reviewed.

Any subsequent changes to the IHS will be noted in a second review of submissions prior to the IHS being finalised.

Steps to finalising the new IHS

After consultation on a draft import health standard, MPI publishes a provisional IHS.

If you made a submission during the consultation, you have 10 working days to notify the Director-General of MPI that you intend to request an independent review. Reviews are limited to whether specific scientific evidence was given sufficient consideration.

If no review is requested within 10 working days, then the provisional IHS is confirmed and the final IHS is issued. A 6-month transition period will be implemented during which time either the old or new import requirements can be used. After this period, the new import requirements in the IHS must be followed.

For more information about reviews refer to Section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

Legal background

MPI must consult with interested parties in accordance with section 23 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and MPI’s consultation policy before issuing or amending (other than of minor or urgent nature) import health standards (IHS) under sections 24A and 24B of the Act.

An IHS specifies import requirements that must be met either in the country of origin or of export, or during transit, before biosecurity clearance can be given for the goods to enter New Zealand. MPI must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.