Author: MIL OSI Publisher

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Ngāruawāhia homicide: Police following good lines of enquiry, appeal for information

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Attributable to Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders:

Police conducting a homicide investigation into the death of Turipapa Tukere in Ngāruawāhia are following good lines of enquiry, but are still seeking information from the public.

At around 1.30pm on Friday 27 December, Police were alerted to a number of people fighting on Waipa Esplanade, near the intersection of Newton Street. Sometime later, a critically injured woman was taken to the ambulance station on Jordan Street. Despite the best efforts of first responders, Turipapa died before she could be airlifted to hospital.

Since then, Police have been speaking with a number of people who are helping to build a picture of what occurred leading up to Turipapa’s death.

Evidence has also been collected from various scenes across Ngāruawāhia, which will be analysed by ESR. Police hope this analysis will identify the person and/or people involved.

Alongside these enquiries, due to ongoing tension between gangs in and around the area, a Gang Conflict Warrant was issued under the Criminal Activity Intervention Bill. The warrant powers have assisted in de-escalating gang tensions in the area with a number of arrests made and weapons seized. Police have also obtained information during the execution of these warrants that may be relevant to the homicide, and this information is currently being reviewed by the investigation team.

The warrant is due to remain in place until tomorrow, at which time it will be reviewed.

Police continue to appeal to the community and anyone who may have information in relation to Turipapa’s death to please contact Police.

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now at https://webforms.police.govt.nz/en/update-report or call 105.

Please use the reference number 241227/6958.

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

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Confirmation of fatality, Gore

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police can confirm that a three-year-old child died after being struck by a vehicle in a driveway at a residential address in Gore at around 6:30pm on 1 January.

The child died in Gore Hospital a short time later. Our thoughts are with the child’s family at this sad time.

Following considerable work, including with the ESR at the scene, Police investigators are treating the death as not suspicious at this time.

The investigations team will continue to make enquiries on behalf of the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Emergency services responding to Whakamārama fire, roads blocked

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Emergency services are asking members of the public to delay travel between Tauranga and Katikati as they respond to a scrub fire reported in the Whakamārama area near Te Puna Stream.

Initial reports were received around 1:50pm.

State Highway 2 and some nearby roads are blocked.

Motorists are advised to take an alternate route and avoid the area.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Remembrance – “She bled for our people” – nurses pay tribute to Dame Tariana Turia

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) joins te ao Māori to mourn the loss of Dame Tariana Turia – a former Associate Minister of Health and Whānau Ora Minister.
NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says like nurses throughout Aotearoa, Dame Turia was passionate about achieving better health outcomes for Māori.
“Dame Turia was the most influential Māori politician so far this century to shift thinking on government health policy.
“She introduced the concept of whānau ora into the health system, and while that hasn’t been fully implemented yet, the seed has been planted.
“Dame Turia introduced policies aimed to achieve a smokefree Aotearoa. And she advocated for better support to improve the Māori nurse workforce and achieve pay parity for nurses everywhere, especially with especially Māori and iwi health providers.”
Kerri Nuku said the sacrifices Dame Turia made to advance Māori health, and Māori rights, would not be forgotten by the Māori nursing community.
“She bled for our people! Her achievements didn’t just happen, she had to fight for them.
“We can only imagine the outcast treatment she would have got by exiting one political party to build another political party.”
Kerri Nuku said much of what Dame Turia stood for was now under attack by the current Coalition Government but many Māori working in health are “drawing strength from her work”.
“Our aroha goes to the whānau pani of Dame Turia – thank you to her children and mokopuna for giving us the taonga they did.”
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Weather News – Cool southerlies, but summer isn’t gone yet – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 6 – Thursday 9 January – The cool temperatures that have characterised January so far are set to continue, with MetService forecasting southerly winds prevailing for much of the week. Alongside cooler temperatures for the eastern and southern regions of both main islands, rain and showers will feature during the first half of the week. However, intervals of clearer and warmer weather will break up the generally unsettled conditions ahead.

Fierce southerly winds greeted the eastern and lower North Island on Monday morning, continuing a pattern seen over recent days. These southerlies have also affected sea conditions, generating large waves in Cook Strait.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane explains, “Waves are expected to peak around the middle of the day today (Monday) before easing gradually throughout the afternoon, dropping below 4 metres tonight. While these are expected to be the highest waves of the week, Wednesday is expected to bring rough sea conditions again as briefly strong southerlies accompany an approaching front.”

The eastern North Island is set to bear the brunt of wet weather early in the week, with a Heavy Rain Watch in place for the Wairoa District until 3 am Tuesday. Meanwhile, the lower South Island will see rain developing late Tuesday, which will then spread northwards up the country on Wednesday as a cold front sweeps across. Following the front’s passage, clearer conditions are expected for many areas in the latter half of the week. However, eastern regions are likely to remain mostly cloudy and cool, with occasional showers lingering.

Temperatures look to stay cooler than average for the time of year this week, particularly in the lower North Island and eastern parts of both islands, where daytime highs will struggle to climb past the mid to high teens.

“After a sizzling start to the season in early December, many might be wondering where summer has gone,” says Makgabutlane. “That said, there will be glimpses of summer weather in between the unsettled conditions. Sunshine features across most of the South Island today, and Tuesday looks like warmer weather for many, with temperatures climbing to 30°C in parts of Otago.”

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Draft Animal Products Notice: Dairy Preparedness and Response: Foot and Mouth Disease Incursion (Regulated Control Scheme)

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Have your say

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking feedback on a proposed Animal Products Notice: Dairy Preparedness and Response: Foot and Mouth Disease Incursion (Regulated Control Scheme).

The purpose of the Notice is to enable a regulated control scheme for dairy processors for export, so that processors can maintain business continuity with a high level of assurance in the event of an incursion of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV).

Background to this consultation

In March of 2023, MPI started working to develop a mechanism that would allow milk collection, transport, processing, and export to continue in the event of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD), with the following objectives:

  • to facilitate trade negotiation with a high degree of assurance for trading partners
  • to enable export dairy processors to continue operations with minimal disruption and to obtain an exemption from movement controls
  • to provide clear and scientifically sound measures to prevent transmission between farms and contamination of the product from dairy operations.

To help achieve these objectives, MPI has developed this Notice. It enables a regulated control scheme under the Animal Products Act 1999 and sets out export requirements for dairy processors that supply their products overseas.

Discussion document

Animal Products Notice: Milk Collection and Processing for Export During a Foot and Mouth Disease Virus Incursion (Regulated Control Scheme) [PDF, 261 KB]

Draft Animal Products Notice

Dairy Preparedness and Response: Foot and Mouth Disease Incursion (Regulated Control Scheme) [PDF, 508 KB]

Making your submission

Submissions close at 5pm on 14 February 2025.

To help make your submission, we encourage you to use our submission template.

Submission template [DOCX, 65 KB]

Email your submission to animal.products@mpi.govt.nz

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

New Zealand Food Safety
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.

What to include in your submission

If you are using the feedback form, make sure to include:

  • the name of the consultation document you are submitting on
  • your name and title
  • your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
  • your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).

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

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State Highway 2 road rebuild Te Puna

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 2 (SH2) near Snodgrass Road in Te Puna will be looking fresh by the end of February 2025 after 6 weeks of road rebuilding is completed.

Work gets underway on Sunday 12 January carrying out an asphalt road rebuild. Crews will be working overnight daily between 8pm and 5.30am. Stop/go traffic management will be in place overnight while the work is taking place.

The works are scheduled for completion on Monday 24 February (weather dependent).

“We understand how working in this area of the Western Bay can cause significant delays and queues, which is why crews are working at night to minimise disruption and getting the majority of the work done during the school holidays when traffic volumes are lower,” says Sandra King, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Bay of Plenty System Manager.

For the duration of the works, entry and exits from Snodgrass Road and Te Puna Quarry Road to/from SH2 will be closed. Alternative routes are Munro Road on the south side of SH2 and Armstrong and Borell Roads on the northern side of SH2.  (See map below.)

“Maintenance on this high volume stretch of road is very important for the safety and resilience of the network. These works involve digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer,” says Ms King.

During the day, there will be a reduced speed limit until the work is complete and there will also be gentle ramps for State Highway through traffic to allow for the height difference of the surfaces while work is carried out.

“More than 20,000 people travel through this part of SH2 daily and a smooth road makes all these trips safer and more enjoyable, and we encourage people to check the NZTA Journey Planner before you travel,” says Ms King.

This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.  

Delays are to be expected, and NZTA thanks motorists for their patience.

View larger image [JPG, 283 KB]

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SH56 maintenance work at Opiki starting next week

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder State Highway 56 through Opiki will be closing during daytime hours for 2 months from next week for a raft of maintenance.

Crews will be onsite between Tuesday 7 January and Friday 7 March each weekday* between 6am and 6pm.

During this work, crews will be carrying out two road rebuilds, drainage improvements, resurfacing, bridge deck repairs and general maintenance.

The road will be closed between Alve Road and the intersection with State Highway 57. A detour will be in place, via SH57 through Tokomaru or SH1 through Foxton.

Access to residents, businesses and the school will be available throughout these works, and people will be asked to speak to the onsite crew.

Outside the 6am to 6pm closures, the road will be open and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place for safety.

These detours are expected to add up to 15 minutes to people’s journey times.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users for their support of this work which aims to strengthen this section of road and improve its long-term condition; ultimately improving travel times and minimising future disruptions.

*Weekend closures

While most of the work will be carried out during weekday closures, some weekend work will be required.

At this stage, the scheduled weekends of work with the closure and detour in place for are:

  • 11-12 January
  • 18-19 January
  • 25-26 January 2025
  • 1-2 February
  • 8-9 February
  • 15-16 February

These works are dependent on various factors including weather and may be postponed at short notice. Please keep up to date with any changes to the schedule by visiting NZTA’s Journey Planner.

Manawatū-Whanganui-region maintenance programme

State Highway 1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance

State Highway 1 Tūrangi to Waiouru – including the Desert Road – will be closed for vital road rebuilding and repairs for around 2 months from Monday 13 January 2025. Find out more and plan ahead

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Work to rebuild SH2 north of Waipawa begins soon

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder that maintenance work will begin soon on a stretch of State Highway 2 just north of Waipawa.

The road rebuild will be carried out in stages from 13 January to the end of March. Crews will focus on a 500 metre stretch of SH2, between Tamumu Road and Victoria Street.

Work will initially be focussed on installing new kerbs and improving channels. This is a continuation of the kerb and channel work undertaken in this section earlier this year.

Once the kerbs and channels are completed, crews will start rebuilding the road surface. This will involve recycling the existing road materials with cement added to the pavement, to improve and extend the life of the road and improve the journey through this section.

“Our crews will be working days and some nights to speed up the works and complete the job as quickly as possible,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Rua Pani.

“There will be different traffic management set ups at different stages of the work which will be communicated before the works begin. We advise road users to please expect short delays through this worksite at times and to plan their journeys accordingly.”

“We know this work will be frustrating for road users and residents, and for local businesses and communities in the area. We also know Waipawa has already seen its fair share of disruption during earlier improvements on the main street and we are working with Central Hawkes’ Bay District Council (CHBDC) to minimise the impact these works will have on the community.”

“Ultimately, this work will improve the efficiency of travel for all road users, hopefully minimising disruptions in future,” says Ms Pani.

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Drive to the conditions into 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

It may be wet under foot in the coming days but don’t let that dampen your holiday road trips.

Drive to the conditions and if they change, reduce your speed.

A reminder that the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Holiday Journey Planner remains up to date and easy to access – it may end up being one of your best road trip companions.

The Journey Planner shows predicted traffic flows over the New Year holiday, based on previous year’s travel patterns. This handy ‘trip hack’ is a great way to plan your trips and avoid the stress of getting caught up in lengthy delays.

Holiday Journey Planner(external link)

NZTA wants everyone to get to their destinations safely. More cars on the road, tired drivers and people driving on unfamiliar roads can all add up to make holiday driving stressful and risky. But there are simple things we can all do to stay safe.

We encourage everyone to check that their car is safe before heading off, keep your speeds down, drive sober, watch for signs of fatigue and share the driving on long trips.

Always drive to the conditions, which can change quickly. Check the weather forecast before leaving home, as well as our real-time traffic updates for any incidents or closures.

Over the coming days, as forecast heavy rain hits parts of the country, stay alert, expect possible delays or surface flooding in places.

Tips for safe driving on your summer holiday

Drive to the conditions, allow plenty of time and take regular breaks to stay alert.

  • Be patient when driving this summer so everyone can relax and enjoy the holidays together.
  • Keep a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can stop safely.
  • Drive to the conditions – whether it’s the weather, the road you’re on, the time of day or the volume of traffic on the roads.
  • Take regular breaks to stay alert.
  • Allow plenty of time. You’re on holiday, no need to rush.