24/7 – Page 14 – rnzngin Fifth Estate

January 29, 2025

Update: Serious crash closes State Highway 59 to southbound traffic near Porirua (one SB lane now OPEN)

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

10 pm:

One southbound lane on State Highway 59 has been reopened to traffic following the crash earlier this evening.

The highway was closed to southbound traffic for approximately three and a half hours.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank drivers for their patience and understanding this evening while the crash scene was investigated and cleared.

Drivers are asked to take care driving through the area until both southbound lanes have reopened

6:50 pm:

State Highway 59 is currently closed to southbound traffic from Mungavin Interchange to State Highway 1.

It follows a serious crash on the highway which occurred shortly before six o’clock this evening.

Southbound traffic heading to Wellington on State Highway 59 should avoid the area and use an alternative route.

The highway’s northbound lanes remain open.

Emergency services and contractors are attending the incident, and the southbound lanes are expected to remain closed until a Police Serious Crash Unit investigation is completed and the crash site is cleared.

Drivers are encouraged to check the highway’s status before they travel. Updates can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website.

January 29, 2025

Unexplained death in Otaika

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Whangārei CIB are investigating an unexplained death in Otaika overnight.

Just before 5.30am, a motorcyclist was located deceased in a creek adjacent to Otaika Valley Road, State Highway 15.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer says the man’s motorbike was located on the side of the road.

“Our enquiries remain in the early stages,” he says.

“At this stage the circumstances are being treated as unexplained and require further investigation.”

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says a scene examination will be carried out.

A post mortem examination will also be carried out in due course.

“As part of the scene examination, a section of State Highway 15 will be closed to allow this to be carried out,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says.

State Highway 15 will be closed this morning between the intersections with State Highway 1 at Otaika, and State Highway 14 at Maungatapere.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says: “Locals who need to access their properties along the stretch of State Highway 15 should approach uniformed staff at the cordon.

“There will be an inner cordon around the scene itself.

“Anyone who is travelling through this section of state highway is advised there will be diversions put in place.”

Police ask anyone travelling through State Highway 15 (Otaika Valley Road) early this morning, and who saw anything is asked to contact Police.

Please call 105 using the reference number P061439912.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

January 29, 2025

Budget will be delivered on 22 May

Source: New Zealand Government

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget – will be delivered on Thursday 22 May.

“This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead.

“Budget 2025 will build on our efforts to secure New Zealand’s future prospects, continuing the fiscal repair job made necessary by Labour’s era of wasteful spending.

“We take seriously our responsibility to chart a path out of a spiral of deficits and debt left to us by the last government.

“The Budget will also contain bold steps to support economic growth, including measures to address New Zealand’s long-standing productivity challenges.

“These measures will go beyond the traditional Budget focus on spending and savings initiatives.

“The Government intends to introduce several legislative and regulatory measures at the Budget focused on removing barriers that hold back job and wealth creation for New Zealanders.

“We will build on the work of Budget 2024 to address the cost of living, deliver effective health and education services and restore laws and order.

“We will advance new social investment measures to improve the lives of New Zealanders in the greatest need by getting better results from taxpayer-funded social services after six years of Labour Budgets focused almost exclusively on agencies spending more.

“Budget 2025 will be squarely focused on ensuring New Zealanders can earn more in the years ahead by growing our economy.

“Budget 2025 will be the responsible futured focused Budget New Zealand needs to secure better incomes and opportunities in the years ahead.”

Notes to editors: The Government’s Budget priorities can be found in the Budget Policy Statement 2025 released on 17 December.

January 29, 2025

Serious crash, State Highway 1, Tuamarina

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Motorists travelling between Picton and Blenheim should expect delays following a three-vehicle crash that has left a person critically injured.

Emergency services were called to the crash at Tuamarina, between Bush and Para roads, about 6.30am.

A vehicle hit a wire barrier and one of the occupants was ejected; the person suffered critical injuries and will be airlifted to hospital.

Two other people are being treated for minor and moderate injuries.

The road is expected to be closed for some time and the Serious Crash Unit has been notified.

Diversions are in place and motorists are asked to expect delays and take care.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

January 29, 2025

Piha: Search effort continues for missing swimmer

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

A search for a missing swimmer at Piha Beach will resume this morning.

The man was part of a group of swimmers who got into difficulty yesterday afternoon.

Five swimmers were rescued, however a sixth member of the group was not located. Surf Lifesaving New Zealand alerted Police just after 4pm on Tuesday.

A shoreline search, involving Police and Land Search and Rescue, will be carried out around the Lion Rock and South Piha/Blue Pool area.

The Police Eagle helicopter will conduct an aerial search where possible today.

Police are liaising with the man’s family, and we will continue to provide updates as these are available.

ENDS

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

January 29, 2025

Fatal Crash, Kelly Road, Paengaroa

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

One person has died following a serious crash in Paengaroa overnight.

At around 1am, Police were called to a single-vehicle crash at the Kelly Road and Te Tumu Road intersection.

One person was located deceased at the scene.

The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene and enquiries into the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

January 28, 2025

Activist News – Predictable lineup of apologists for Israel attack PSNA campaign

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and the New Zealand Jewish Council have lined up to protect Israeli soldiers in New Zealand on “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians in Gaza.

“We are not surprised to see such a predictable lineup of apologists for Israel and its genocide in Gaza from lining up to attack a PSNA campaign with false smears of anti-semitism”, says PSNA National Chair John Minto.

“Why is concern for the sensitivities of soldiers from a genocidal Israeli campaign more important than condemning the genocide itself?”

Over 16 months Mr Peters has done absolutely nothing to put any pressure on Israel to end its genocidal behaviour but is full of bluff and bluster and outright lies to denounce those who demand Israel be held to account.

If Mr Peters was doing his job he would not only stop Israeli soldiers coming here (as per Russian soldiers) but he would also support the recent International Court of Justice ruling and deny visas to any Israeli with an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Human Rights Commission has issued a disingenuous media release – our campaign has nothing to do with Israelis or Jews – it is a campaign to stop Israeli soldiers coming here for rest and recreation after a campaign of wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza. To imply the campaign is targeting Jews is disgusting and despicable.

Some of the soldiers will be Druse, some Palestinian Arabs and others will be Jews.

In the meantime PSNA salutes the brave Israelis who have refused to take part in the genocide.

The deeply racist New Zealand Jewish Council regularly makes a meal of false smears of anti-semitism and they are at it again here. It’s deeply problematic that this Jewish Council strategy takes attention away from the real anti-semitism which exists in New Zealand and around the world.

“The priority of the Jewish Council is to protect Israel from criticism and protect it from accountability for its apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing and genocide”.

We are demanding that accountability.

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

January 28, 2025