Multimedia Investments Ltd
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now name the man who died in a crash on Christchurch Akaroa Road/SH75, Little River, on 8 December.
He was Eric Grainger, aged 27, from Christchurch.
Police extend our sympathies to his friends and family.
Enquiries into the crash are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attributable to Otago Coastal Area Commander, Inspector Marty Gray:
The man being sought by Police in Clutha for firearms offending has been located deceased.
Police, including specialist squads supporting local staff, have been at a rural property overnight working to resolve the matter safely.
The incident began about 9am on Tuesday, when Police began working to locate a person of interest in relation to alleged firearms offending in the Clutha area.
This morning, Police made entry to the house around 10:15am and the man was located by officers inside, deceased.
His death will be referred to the Coroner and Police will assist the Coroner with those inquiries.
The man’s family are being supported at this very difficult time.
While this is not the outcome Police would have hoped for, I want to thank the frontline staff and specialist teams for their hard work in responding diligently to this very lengthy incident.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
People travelling in and out of Hanmer Springs village next Monday night, 17 February, through to Tuesday morning, 18 February, will need to plan around a full night closure over the Waiau River bridge.
The bridge, at the start of SH7A off the Lewis Pass highway, will close at 9 pm and reopen at 5.30 am Tuesday morning.
Midnight opening
There will be an hour’s opening midnight to 1 am to let traffic through in both directions, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
Crews will be repairing the bridge deck. NZTA thanks all night-time drivers for working around this closure. Emergency vehicles will be allowed across at short notice.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
The first planned night closures of State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill for 2025 are coming up.
The route is set to be closed to traffic for five nights, 9 pm to 4 am, from Sunday, 23 February to Friday morning 28 February, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
Mark Owen, Regional Manager Maintenance & Operations Wellington / Top of the South for NZTA, says the route has been kept open since last December to cater for the extra traffic from KiwiRail’s closure of the Wairarapa Line for upgrades and maintenance.
“Now the rail line is open, it’s crucial we make sure the road remains in good shape for the wetter winter months ahead.
“Our road crews will be hard at work carrying out resurfacing, sign replacement, clearing drainage, maintaining barriers and line marking as well as the remedial work to the slip on the Featherston side of the hill, where the Slow Vehicle Lane is currently closed,” Mr Owen says.
He says it is essential drivers are aware of the closures and are ready for them. As well as the closures in February, more are planned overnight in March, April, May and June.
Pahiatua Track, Saddle Road alternative, longer routes, or book to be escorted
“We do not want people to be caught out by these overnight closures, as the only alternative detours are via the Pahiatua Track or Saddle Road to the north – a much longer trip.
“Escorted crossings for drivers of light vehicles are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance and can be made on the NZTA website,” Mr Owen says.
“During this closure we are only able to accommodate one escorted crossing per direction each night due to significant resurfacing works.”
Mr Owen says full closures mean maintenance works can be finished faster and they are safer for road crews.
“A critical factor is far fewer vehicles use the route at night. Around 7,000 vehicles on average travel over the hill daily, but of this 300 or fewer travel at night.
“Night closures have a far lower impact on drivers than if the work was done under stop/go during the day. They really are the best option for this work,” he says.
Important information for Remutaka Hill closures
More information about planned maintenance closures for Remutaka Hill can be found here:
State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill, planned night closures. February – June 2025:
|
Nights Closed |
Start 9 pm |
Finish 4 am |
|
5 |
23 February |
28 February |
|
1 |
9 March |
10 March |
|
5 |
6 April |
11 April |
|
1 |
18 May |
19 May |
|
1 |
15 June |
16 June |
Source: New Zealand Government
Two independent reviews are being undertaken to boost ACC’s performance and ensure it continues to deliver for New Zealanders, ACC Minister Andrew Bayly says.
“ACC provides crucial support to injured Kiwis. It is the only no-fault accident compensation scheme like it in the world, and Kiwis should feel immensely proud of it,” Mr Bayly says.
“But ACC faces challenges on multiple fronts and action is required to ensure its sustainability and longevity.
“Over the last 10 years, ACC’s performance has steadily decreased. Costs are up, with levies struggling to keep up. Meanwhile, rehabilitation rates are down, slowing down people’s return to independence following an accident.
“Clearly if this trend is left unabated, the viability of the scheme is at risk, saddling future generations with immense costs. A robust plan is required to improve ACC’s long-term financial sustainability without having to make large increases to levies.
“That’s why the Government has commissioned two independent reviews to assess ACC’s performance and effectiveness:
A review of ACC’s operational performance, with a focus on case management. This is being led by actuarial firm Finity, who have significant experience with both accident compensation and private insurance schemes.
A review of ACC’s investment strategy and how it manages the nearly $50 billion it invests. This is being led by investment consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, who have considerable global asset management experience.
“This will be the first external assurance review of ACC’s investment function. Reviewing ACC’s investment performance now ensures we are getting the best returns from the fund and that it can support ACC’s sustainability.
“I have met with both review teams and have been clear about my expectation that they deliver actionable recommendations to improve ACC’s performance.
“I will be holding ACC accountable to its fundamental purpose, which is to prevent injuries and get Kiwis back to independence as quickly as possible after an accident.”
Notes to editors:
The terms of reference for the two reviews are attached.
Progress reports on both reviews are expected by April 2025, with final reports expected to be delivered by June 2025.
Source: New Zealand ParliamentThe Finance and Expenditure is progressing its Inquiry into banking competition, in collaboration with members of the Primary Production Committee.
MIL OSI
Source: New Zealand Labour Party
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report.
“This devastating report shows just how far this country has gone backwards under this coalition of chaos,” Labour’s social development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni said.
“While Government parties scrap with each other, our kids are going hungry, more people are living in cars and our best and brightest are leaving for Australia.
“Across most of the report’s indicators in the past year, outcomes have either worsened or not changed for children and youth.
“Homelessness is on the rise as the Government kicks families out of emergency housing without knowing where they all go, and next year the number of Kainga Ora homes in Auckland will go backwards.
“Unemployment is on the rise, with about 1 in 10 Māori and Pacific people unemployed while the Government chooses to give billions to landlords and tobacco companies, instead of helping struggling families.
“The Government is shamelessly boasting about growth, but the only growth we’re seeing is in the numbers of hungry, homeless and unemployed New Zealanders,” Carmel Sepuloni said.
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Source: Green Party
The Green Party is urgently calling on the Government to prioritise long-term prosperity of our oceans in its consultation on the Fisheries Act.
“Our oceans are in a state of decline, continuing to put short-term profit before long-term sustainability will see the health of our ocean life wash away,” says Green Party’s Oceans and Fisheries spokesperson Teanau Tuiono.
“Minister Jones has stated ‘sustainability will always be the bottom line for fisheries management,’ but we have seen decisions from the Government completely contradict and undermine this. Today’s proposed changes seem to reward industry for overfishing, posing a significant threat to the sustainability and longevity of our oceans.
“If the Minister truly cared about sustainability he would ban bottom trawling and champion sustainable, adaptive fishing practices, which will increasingly be required in the context of climate change.
“If we want our oceans to thrive for generations to come we must commit to protecting more of our waters. We campaigned on doing exactly this by establishing a Healthy Oceans Act that would create a legally binding framework to protect at least 30 per cent of Aotearoa’s ocean by 2030.
“The crisis facing our ocean is growing more urgent by the day – and it is communities who depend on the moana for their livelihoods, including Māori and Pasifika communities, who will be impacted most of all. This Government needs to prioritise the sustainability of our oceans, which in turn prioritises long-term wellbeing of tangata whenua and tagata moana.
“It is high time the Government turned the tide on the exploitative and extractive fishing practices that have seen our ocean environment’s health decline and our fisheries be depleted.
“Our oceans are the lifeblood of Aotearoa. It is incumbent upon us to protect them, not only for their beauty, but for their essential role in sustaining life on our planet,” says Teanau Tuiono.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 6 near Atawhai Drive, Nelson is currently closed following a crash.
The two-vehicle crash involving a car and a motorbike was reported just before 11:30am.
One person has been seriously injured.
Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: NZ On Air and the NZ Film Commission (NZFC)
NZ On Air and the NZ Film Commission (NZFC) acknowledge the importance of ensuring public funding delivers the best possible outcomes for audiences and the wider sector.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has today released a Media Reform consultation document that includes a number of proposals, one of which is the streamlining of Crown content funders. (ref. https://govt.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=defea490d12b73c4ed8504b5b&id=e08a05fe0f&e=84ce785bf3 )
The agencies welcome the opportunity for widespread consultation on potential changes to the funding support provided across a range of media. In a challenging environment for the media sector, it is crucial that every dollar invested has the greatest possible impact. If change can enhance this, it is in the public interest to explore those options.
NZ On Air and NZFC look forward to working closely with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to flesh out the opportunities and risks of the options proposed.
We acknowledge that during this consultation period there will be many questions and some uncertainty for both stakeholders and agency staff. We encourage all who have an interest in this mahi to engage with the consultation process so that your views, concerns or support for different options are heard.
While the consultation process and policy considerations continue, both agencies remain committed to delivering the best outcomes for audiences and the sector, and continuing to collaborate where it makes sense to do so.