Multimedia Investments Ltd
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash on State Highway 73, Arthurs Pass on Sunday.
He was 54-year-old Paul Wilcock, of Kumara.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 59 at Tawa is closed southbound due to a vehicle incident.
Police were called to the scene about 5:55pm, and on arrival located a person with critical injuries.
They have since been transported to hospital, and the Serious Crash Unit has been advised.
The highway is blocked southbound between Mungavin and Tawa while emergency services attend – motorists are advised to take alternate routes.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Labour Party
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is misleading the public by falsely claiming the economy has been in recession for three years.
“Let’s set the record straight: National’s economic mismanagement has caused a recession that began after they took office,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.
A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, which has been the case for the last two quarters where official data is available.
“Trying to claim the economy was in recession when it wasn’t is frankly embarrassing for a Prime Minister.
“Recession indicators are easily verifiable from official sources, so for Luxon to make such an uninformed comment is truly mind boggling. Either Nicola Willis isn’t briefing him, or he’s not listening to her – either way it’s dysfunctional.
“Instead of taking responsibility and presenting a real plan to grow the economy, they are trying to rewrite history.
“New Zealanders deserve honesty and leadership, not excuses and spin,” Barbara Edmonds said.
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
| NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | Tauranga City Council
Sheet piling works for the Tauriko Enabling Works project are ahead of schedule at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection, which means the lane closure will be lifted overnight on Wednesday 29 January.
Traffic will be able to turn off SH29 into Cambridge Road again from Thursday 30 January. The remaining sheet piling and retailing wall works will start taking place behind the barrier and both lanes will be open for traffic.
Works to improve safety at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection have started off well, despite this area being challenging and narrow to work in, says Darryl Coalter, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager, Infrastructure Delivery Waikato/Bay of Plenty (Acting).
“Everything aligned. Great weather, good ground conditions, no machinery breakdowns and the opportunity for the crew to work extended hours, enabled this tricky stage of the job to be completed 4 days ahead of schedule,” says Mr Coalter.
“Scheduling this work in January while schools are out and traffic volumes are lower helped minimise overall disruption to the travelling public. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while this work was completed, especially residents, businesses and project neighbours.”
Tauranga City Council Bethlehem Ward Councillor Kevin Schuler says seeing work associated with the lane closure completed ahead of schedule is a fantastic result.
“This is a great start to works at the SH29 and Cambridge Road intersection, and an excellent outcome for businesses and for local residents we know use this route often.”
With the temporary sheet piles almost fully in place on this section of Cambridge Road, work can commence on the permanent retaining wall soon, says Mr Coalter.
“Building a retaining wall in this location is complex due to the surrounding geography, traffic volumes on Cambridge Road and constructing a 210m-long concrete wall, with a steep gully on one side. This is further complicated by multiple underground services that also need to be installed including power, water and fibre.
“The retaining wall is a key step allowing us to widen the road, accommodating increased traffic and a shared path, and is scheduled for completion in late 2025. Once the retaining wall is completed, there will be a lane shift on Cambridge Road allowing intersection and drainage works to begin on the other side of Cambridge Road.
“The upgrade of the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection is a key part of the Tauriko Enabling Works project. It will be a much safer and more efficient intersection, including a new connection to Whiore Avenue for buses and people walking and cycling wanting to access Tauriko Business Estate.”
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Night works begin next week that will see State Highway 1 Ngauranga Gorge closed to southbound traffic between Johnsonville southbound offramp and Ngauranga Interchange.
The highway’s southbound lanes will be closed for two nights of resurfacing – Sunday, 2 February and Monday, 3 February, between 9 pm and 4:30 am.
Closing the road at night when there are fewer vehicles on the road reduces disruption, allows more work to be completed faster, and ensures workers are kept safe on this steep section of road.
A local road detour will be available for light vehicles only. They can take the Johnsonville southbound offramp and detour to the city via Johnsonville, Khandallah, and the Ngaio Gorge. Drivers travelling to the Hutt Valley on State Highway 1 should detour via State Highway 58 and Haywards Hill.
Heavy vehicles cannot take the Johnsonville/Khandallah route because of a height restriction on the Johnsonville underpass. They must use State Highway 58 to Haywards Hill and State Highway 2 Hutt Valley to get to the city.
These detours are longer, so drivers should allow extra travel time.
NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank the public for their patience and cooperation while this essential state highway maintenance is completed.
More information:
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
A man is outstanding after a group of swimmers got into difficult at Piha Beach this afternoon.
Police were advised about the rescue by Surf Lifesaving New Zealand just after 4pm.
At this stage, Police are aware five swimmers were rescued however the sixth member of the group was not located.
Search efforts are ongoing to locate this man.
The Police Eagle helicopter has also deployed to assist with aerial-based searches.
No further information is available at this stage.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One man is in custody after earlier being located in a vehicle with mismatching plates.
Before 3pm, the vehicle was detected travelling city-bound on the Northwestern Motorway.
Inspector Kerry Watson says Police staff went to approach the blue Subaru in Western Springs a short time later.
“Instead, the driver took off from Police at speed on Great North Road towards Pt Chevalier.
“Police have not pursued this vehicle, but the Police Eagle helicopter continued to monitor this vehicle’s erratic and dangerous driving behaviour.”
The vehicle was driven across numerous central Auckland suburbs and the CBD, before heading towards Three Kings and eventually Onehunga.
Spikes were successfully deployed on multiple occasions.
Just after 3.30pm, the vehicle entered the car park at Dress Smart shopping centre in Onehunga.
“Our staff blocked the vehicle in before taking the male driver into custody,” Inspector Watson says.
Three Police vehicles suffered damage in the process of stopping the vehicle.
“It is pleasing that this matter has been concluded without putting anyone in further harm’s way,” Inspector Watson says.
“The man is now in Police custody and charges will follow in due course.”
Inspector Watson says Police ask any members of the public who witnessed the blue Subaru’s driving this afternoon, to contact Police.
You can contact 105 using the reference number P061434786.
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Matin Todd:
A man has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a man in Hutt Hospital earlier this month.
The 75-year-old man was transported to Wellington Hospital with a brain injury following an altercation at Hutt Hospital on Friday 27 December, 2024. He was later transported back to Hutt Hospital, where he died on Sunday 19 January.
An investigation was launched to determine exactly what occurred prior to his death, which has since resulted in a charge of manslaughter.
A 23-year-old man was due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court today, Tuesday 28 January, on a charge of manslaughter.
Police have been in contact with the whanau of the deceased who we extend our deepest sympathies to at this difficult time.
As the matter is now proceeding before the Courts, Police have no further comment.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
The genocide hotline we launched last week has taken off. It has enthused our supporters with a campaign which gets civil society to act when our government cowers. Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and is about to resume its industrial scale killing of Palestinians.
As is to be expected the pro-Israel lobby is squirming and trying to claim the campaign in somehow anti-semitic. These people would find anti-semitism in the words “the” and “and” if it was all they had to go on. They are furious we are telling genocidal Israeli soldiers they are not welcome here while never speaking a word of criticism of Israel for its daily war crimes.
Through our poster, the message on the genocide hotline and our publicity we are making it clear what the campaign is doing and what it is NOT about. The focus is NOT on Israelis – the focus is on IDF soldiers and reservists here for “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
Our supporters have welcomed the campaign and the poster and media release have been widely shared on social media. The actions we take with the information that is coming in will be clear and consistent – these Israeli soldiers are not welcome here.
The most important message the campaign sends is to Israel and says that even if western governments are complicit in genocide, civil society in the western world does not accept Israeli impunity for war crimes. In that sense it’s a disruptive campaign from the cosy position Israel enjoys through government inaction here.
Of everything we have done in the past 16 months – this action is one that will save Palestinian lives.
Genocide Hotline – action that will save Palestinian lives
The genocide hotline we launched last week has taken off. It has enthused our supporters with a campaign which gets civil society to act when our government cowers. Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and is about to resume its industrial scale killing of Palestinians.
This campaign will do more to save Palestinian lives than any other initiative we have taken so far in the campaign against Israel’s genocide. The message to Israel is that they may have the New Zealand government in their pocket but New Zealand civil society will take action to hold Israel to account for the genocide they are perpetrating in Gaza.
As is to be expected the pro-Israel lobby is squirming and trying to claim the campaign in somehow anti-semitic. These people would find anti-semitism in the words “the” and “and” if it was all they had to go on. They are furious we are telling genocidal Israeli soldiers they are not welcome here while never speaking a word of criticism of Israel for its daily war crimes.
Through our poster, the message on the genocide hotline and our publicity we are making it clear what the campaign is doing and what it is NOT about. The focus is NOT on Israelis – the focus is on IDF soldiers and reservists here for “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
Our supporters have welcomed the campaign and the poster and media release have been widely shared on social media. The actions we take with the information that is coming in will be clear and consistent – these Israeli soldiers are not welcome here.
The most important message the campaign sends is to Israel and says that even if western governments are complicit in genocide, civil society in the western world does not accept Israeli impunity for war crimes. In that sense it’s a disruptive campaign from the cosy position Israel enjoys through government inaction here.
Of everything we have done in the past 16 months – this action is one that will save Palestinian lives.
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Source: Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand
The Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand (ERANZ) welcomes today’s launch of a new standardised super-peak hedge contract to be auctioned and brokered by Aotearoa Energy.
A standardised super-peak hedge contract is a risk management tool for wholesale electricity buyers. It acts as an insurance policy against higher wholesale electricity prices during peak demand periods when weather-dependent generation may be low. These contracts will become even more important as market volatility increases with the embracing of more intermittent renewable energy sources.
ERANZ Chief Executive Bridget Abernethy says the new contracts enable wholesale market participants to better manage higher prices when hydro, solar and wind generation may not be able to meet demand.
“All electricity market participants in New Zealand know our wholesale electricity market is volatile due to our dependence on intermittent renewables, and this product could be very useful for consumers who don’t have load flexibility or have very lumpy consumption patterns.
“We’re pleased to see the joint Electricity Authority-Commerce Commission Competition Taskforce launch this new product and look forward to this first trading event following extensive engagement with an industry-led representative panel.”
Abernethy supports the implementation of the new product and says ERANZ looks forward to the market’s development of more liquidity, which will provide generators and large consumers with another way of managing the risk in their energy portfolios.
“The Government’s recent Policy Statement on Electricity outlines an expectation that wholesale buyers and sellers have well-suited risk management arrangements in place.
“By introducing standardised flexibility products, participants will have far greater transparency around future electricity prices, supporting better risk management and investment decisions.”