BRP‑Rotax unveils its latest milestone in aviation with Aircraft Meets Racetrack. In an unprecedented accomplishment for the Bahrain International Circuit, Red Bull athlete and Rotax Ambassador Luke Czepiela became the first pilot to fly this Grand Prix track’s complete racing line from the air, showcasing the capabilities of Rotax powered aviation in a dramatic low‑level performance.

Gunskirchen, Austria – Newsaktuell – 10 February 2026 – In a demonstration of precision aviation, Luke Czepiela traced the full ideal line of the Bahrain International Circuit at low level, including short takeoffs and landings (STOL) on the start/finish straight. The achievement is documented in the short film Aircraft Meets Racetrack, the first project to emerge from BRP-Rotax’s Brand Ambassador partnership with Luke Czepiela, launched in 2025. The short film premiered during the Bahrain International Circuit’s official F1 pre‑season press conference today.

When Racing Meets Aviation

The project transfers what racing drivers follow on the ground with high precision accuracy into the sky. The circuit’s racing line becomes an aerial flight path, demanding exceptionally tight tolerances, high and low speeds, and uncompromising line discipline. Conducting the maneuver required extreme precision. Low altitude, shifting wind conditions, more than 495 light poles, and the narrow, enclosed layout of the Grand Prix track created an environment with virtually no margin for error.

“Flying a racing line from the air demands absolute control at low altitude and instant reaction in every phase,” said Czepiela, Rotax Brand Ambassador. “It is precision flying in its purest form.”

The flight was performed in a CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL equipped with the 160‑hp Rotax 916 iS engine. The aircraft’s lightweight STOL design, immediate throttle response, and exceptional power‑to‑weight ratio made the aerial replication of the racing line possible.

Production took place during the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain – marking the first time all project partners collaborated on‑site. Working closely with the Bahrain International Circuit, Red Bull Bahrain, and local authorities, the team implemented a comprehensive safety and operations plan. The track and airspace were fully closed to ensure uninterrupted filming, supported by constant air traffic coordination and emergency services on-site.

“With Luke Czepiela, we aimed to create something that authentically unites our two passions: racing and aviation,” said Peter Ölsinger, General Manager of BRP‑Rotax and Vice-President Sales, Marketing RPS‑Business & Communications. “This project represents technical precision, long‑standing partnerships, and the courage to pursue new creative paths.”

The film not only showcases a great achievement it underscores Rotax’s mission to connect disciplines, push boundaries, and deliver high‑performance experiences on the ground and in the air.

Links:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNgMGArCGBU
Presskit: https://newsroom.ketchum.at/Media.aspx?menueid=34496

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Friends and family members from all over New Zealand celebrated with their loved ones at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua today, when Wing 392 graduated from their initial course.

Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Pannett addressed the wing alongside members of the police executive and wing patron, Raelene Castle, Ngāpuhi ONZM.

“Once you’re in your district and in your community, you will be focusing on being visible, reassuring and responsive. Through this you will deliver on our mission – to prevent crime and harm.

I want you to think about the privileged position you will be in as you go about that work.

You will be in other people’s homes, lives and situations, dealing with people who are at their most vulnerable so it is vital that you uphold the Police Values throughout your work and be the best you can be. Congratulations to you all.”

The top award winner for the wing, former Royal New Zealand Airforce Aircraft Technician, Constable Joel Fraser is excited to be heading to Bay of Plenty District to start his new career. He also won the award for Firearms Skills and Safe Practices.

“Joining police has always been a lifelong goal for me. The journey hasn’t been easy, but the training has shown me just how much I am capable of. I feel confident and excited to step into the job and make my family and community proud.”

Leadership Award Winner, Constable Wilem Tipene, Ngāpuhi is thrilled with his success and spoke to the wing at the end of the ceremony.

“My favourite part of being at college has been looking back on my time here and seeing the character built amongst wing members and the values everyone has adopted to uphold in each of our communities.”

Wilem will also be based in Bay of Plenty.

Deployment:
The new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts on the week beginning Monday 16 February 2026 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.
Tāmaki Makaurau a total of 32 and broken down into the three districts: Auckland City 15, Waitematā 6, Counties Manukau 11, Waikato 10, Bay of Plenty 8, Eastern 2, Central 6, Wellington 7, Tasman 1, Canterbury 11, Southern 11.

All Awards:
Minister’s Award recognising top student and the award for Firearms Skills and Safe Practices: Constable Joel Fraser posted to Bay of Plenty District.

Commissioner’s Award for Leadership: Constable Wilem Tipene posted to Bay of Plenty District.

Patron’s Award for second top student: Constable Joshua Kellett posted to Southern District.

Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Caitlin Oliver posted to Bay of Plenty District.

Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Aiden Toder posted to Wellington District.

Demographics:
18.0 percent are female, 82.0 percent are male. New Zealand European make up 65.2 percent of the wing, with Māori 6.7 percent, Pasifika 7.9 percent, Asian 16.9 percent, LAAM 3.4 percent.

Patron:
Raelene Castle, Ngāpuhi is the Group Chief Executive of Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ).  She joined HPSNZ in December 2020 and was appointed Group Chief Executive in April 2022. Before this, she spent seven years working in Australia as Chief Executive of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and then Chief Executive of Rugby Australia. She was previously Chief Executive of Netball New Zealand from 2007 to 2013.
Before beginning her career in sports administration, Raelene built a successful corporate career in communications, sales and marketing. This included general management and other senior roles at Telecom New Zealand (now Spark), Bank of New Zealand and Fuji Xerox. 
Raelene has held several governance roles in sport, previously serving as a board director of the ANZ Championship Netball, International Federations of Netball Associations, SANZAAR Rugby and the World Rugby Council.
She also has a rich sporting background as a former representative-level netball, tennis and lawn bowls player. Raelene was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2015 for services to business and sport.

Watch out for our Ten One graduation story coming soon with more images and details.

If you’re interested in joining police, you can find out more on www.newcops.govt.nz

Issued by Police Media Centre

ENDS

MIL OSI

Three teenage boys have been arrested after the stabbing of a shopkeeper in Auckland’s Newmarket.

Senior Sergeant Matt Bunce said the three went boys into Hobby Lords on Broadway at about 5.40pm on Tuesday, and allegedly stole things before running.

He said the shopkeeper chased after them and managed to catch one of the boys on nearby Nuffield St, but was stabbed.

He was taken to Auckland City Hospital where his condition was reported as moderate.

Security guards arrived and managed to hold the 16-year-old while police caught up to the two other boys – both aged 13 – at the Newmarket train station.

The 16-year-old has been charged with aggravated wounding and the others referred to Youth Aid officers.

“Grabbing Gunpla and running out the door whilst laughing is not very cool,” the store said on its Facebook page, before being made aware one of its staff members had allegedly been stabbed.

“Any additional information will be greatly appreciated,” it added.

Photos appeared to show the alleged offenders carrying Pokémon and Gundam merch.

Senior Sergeant Bunce said he was appalled at the level of violence.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Child Poverty Action Group

MIL OSI

The executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority says she believes she’s been “targeted” by police leadership, including the police commissioner, and says her reputation is now “shit”.

In an exclusive interview with RNZ, Angela Brazier says she’s “pissed off” with police for not publicly backing her what she has labelled as “unsubstantiated” allegations against her.

She also says the police watchdog’s report into how police handled allegations of sexual offending by former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming was “inaccurate” and says she did nothing wrong.

On Monday, RNZ revealed Brazier was retiring after 22 years in the police.

Her decision to retire was brought on by a combination of different things, including how she had been treated by police, Brazier says.

The Government announced in November that a new specialist firearms regulatory agency will be created, replacing the FSA. It will be headed by an independent chief executive appointed by the governor-general who would report solely to the firearms minister.

She said she would not be applying for the new role; “My reputation is shit now”, something she holds police “wholly” responsible for.

“I don’t think I’ve been supported well by police, but I’m a big girl, and, you know, I put up with that for a year. And when I look at what the future holds, you know, my role will be disestablished. And do I want to apply for the statutory Officer role when it could mean undoing what I’ve just been three years of my life doing? You know, the answer to that would be no.”

Brazier is not ruling out taking an “employment complaint” against police.

“I’m not litigious. I could have gone for and, you know, still might do, haven’t ruled it out because I know that I’d have grounds, but I don’t want to have that hanging over me. I just want to get on with my life and enjoy my retirement,” she said.

“Talking to you now is about me… giving you my perspective on what has happened, and I can categorically tell you that I’ve done nothing wrong. I haven’t, you know, there’s no bullying, there’s no financial mismanagement. I got a good performance review, really good from Tania [Former Deputy Police Commissioner Tania Kura] before she left, she was my supervisor after Jevon was stood down. So you know, it’s just been a whole lot of dust kicked up for no good reason, which has impacted on my health.”

The IPCA report ‘Ms G’

RNZ earlier revealed the identities of some of the senior leaders referred to in the IPCA’s 135-page report. Among them was Ms G, who is Brazier.

The IPCA said Brazier told them she had known McSkimming for about 20 years.

The Authority also said that when the Public Service Commission approached her for a reference check on McSkimming in the appointment process for interim commissioner in October last year she knew McSkimming had an affair, that he was being “harassed” with emails from the woman and that Kura had informed McSkimming that she had to investigate him as part of the police response.

However, Brazier told the PSC she had nothing relevant to disclose. She told the IPCA she did not think her knowledge was relevant to PSC’s question.

“Ms G’s disclosure was inadequate in light of her knowledge at the time,” the IPCA said.

Asked what connection the IPCA report had on her decision to retire, Brazier said “nothing”.

“Other than it’s annoying because the IPCA report is inaccurate and I provided the IPCA with my feedback at the time, and they didn’t correct it, so they had worked on an assumption that I knew more than I did. So that’s my position on it. I’ve done nothing wrong, and yet they’ve interpreted that I hadn’t given an accurate recount of Jevon in my reference checking that the PSC did at the time for the interim commissioner role that Jevon was asked to do.”

Brazier said the PSC rang her and asked a series of questions including whether there was anything that would prevent McSkimming from doing the job.

“And from my perspective, there was nothing that would prevent him from doing the job, he’d acted as the commissioner on many occasions and therefore was able to do the job…,” she said.

“I didn’t know he was under police investigation. I had Jevon’s perspective, he was my boss.”

Brazier told RNZ she knew McSkimming had an affair with a woman and that he was allegedly being harassed by the woman with emails. She did not know the affair was with a staff member. She says McSkimming had told her “everybody who needed to know, knew”.

“What I knew I knew from Jevon, not from Tania or police. And that was that… Jevon spoke to the then-commissioner Andy Coster… and then Andy spoke to Tania and wanted Ms Z to be assessed by the fixated threat unit.

“And that as part of that process that Tania would need to understand his emails, what the correspondence had been between both sides. Now when I spoke to the IPCA and they asked me… I used the word investigate, but actually it wasn’t a police investigation. It was as him as the victim, as opposed to the perpetrator. So it was my bad for using the word investigate.”

Brazier maintains that the knowledge of there being an affair was not something she thought worth disclosing to the PSC.

“It was eight years prior and he was pretty open about it, so it didn’t feel to me like it was something that would be held or could be held against him and would prevent him from being able to do the job.

“And that was the main point was, could he do the job? Was there anything that would prevent him from doing the job? So, you know, if you eliminated everybody that’s had an affair, there wouldn’t be very many people left in the public sector… certainly it’s not something that I believe would have prevented him from being able to do the job at that time, with what I knew then.”

She said if she had known more information such as the woman’s age (Ms Z was about 20 years younger than McSkimming when the affair began), and that she had worked at police then “I probably would have had a different perspective”.

She did not believe McSkimming misled her.

“He just didn’t give me all the facts, but likewise, I didn’t ask either. It’s a personal thing, and he declared that to me at the point when he became my boss. But it wasn’t in a way that was I needed to cover his back. It was, you know, ‘I’m not perfect. I’ve made mistakes, and I’m not proud of it, but everyone who needs to know knows’.”

Brazier thought the IPCA report was “unfair”.

“It did say there wasn’t corruption or collusion, but actually people were just trying to do their best with the information that they had at the time. But the way that the IPCA report is written is as if everybody were colluding, and that Ms Z was, you know, hard done by in terms of how she was treated and that she wasn’t listened to.

“But actually… that side of the story hasn’t come out as far as I’m aware.”

Asked whether she believed people were too trusting of McSkimming, Brazier said given what was known now she would say yes.

“Everybody can be wise in hindsight… I’d worked with him for 20 years, so I thought I had a pretty good handle on the kind of guy that he was, but obviously I didn’t, and I wasn’t the only person.”

‘I’ve been pissed off by police’

Brazier’s retirement also followed a “health check” of the police agency following concerns over its workplace culture, including intimate relationships as well as financial practices.

The review came after an “internal employment process” at the firearms regulator which was established following the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.

Brazier told RNZ all of the allegations made against her had been ruled unsubstantiated.

“Now I’ve been pissed off by police because they haven’t come out and said that the allegations weren’t upheld, and I believe that they should have done that, because that would have taken the smoke out of it, the heat out of it right? Because there’s nothing. There’s nothing to see here. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

She said she had asked police to publicly state that the allegations had not been upheld, but police would not, and claimed she was told “that that’s the way they always deal with media issues”.

“They don’t go back after there’s been an investigation and say, ‘Oh, it’s all good. Nothing to see here’. They just don’t do it. So they weren’t going to make an exception for me. Otherwise they’d have to make exceptions for everybody, the same as the health check report completely clear, nothing, nothing to see there at all.

“But that’s been a year of my life that’s been tied up in various investigations which came to nothing because there was nothing, and then the IPCA report.”

Brazier said she feels she had been treated “very poorly” by police in the last year.

“Because I haven’t been supported. I’ve had, it’s going to be 22 years in March. I’ve never had an employment issue. I’ve never had a complaint, a PG [personal grievance] in 22 years and the other 20 years I worked before that, which wasn’t for police.

“All of this has happened since the change in commissioner. So not an issue, a single issue before that. And then since we’ve got a new commissioner, he’s basically swept the floor. You’ll know all the people who have left, and I’m probably, I’ve been the last one hanging on that was under Coster’s reign and Jevon’s leadership. So it’s just it felt to me like I’ve been targeted.”

Brazier said Chambers’ leadership style was “different than many others”.

“There’s not a values alignment for me.”

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mike Johnson said the IPCA is an independent organisation which has delivered its findings.

“Police will not be responding further.”

In response to questions from RNZ, an IPCA spokesperson said the report “accurately sets out the evidence Ms Brazier provided to us and the conclusions we reached from that evidence”.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority is retiring two months after the police watchdog’s scathing report into how police handled allegations of sexual offending by former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

RNZ earlier revealed the identities of some of the senior leaders referred to in the IPCA’s 135-page report.

Among them is Ms G, who RNZ understands is Angela Brazier, the executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority (FSA).

A lawyer for Brazier earlier said she was challenging the IPCA’s findings in relation to her.

The lawyer earlier said Brazier was on “pre-planned leave”.

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

However, on Monday, RNZ was informed Brazier was leaving her role.

RNZ then approached police for comment.

A memo to staff from Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson, seen by RNZ, said Brazier had announced she was retiring from her position.

“Angela is the founding director of the FSA since it was established in 2021, launching New Zealand’s first digital firearms registry.

“During her 22-year policing career she has held a variety of roles across operations, strategy, transformation and partnerships, as well as corporate services manager for the Royal New Zealand Police College.”

Brazier will retire in April.

In response to questions from RNZ, police sent a copy of the same statement given to staff.

Following the IPCA’s report former police commissioner Andrew Coster resigned as chief executive of the Social Investment Agency and former deputy commissioner Chris de Wattignar, quit as the Upper North head of aviation security at the Civil Aviation Authority.

Former deputy commissioner Tania Kura and former assistant commissioner Paul Basham both retired ahead of the report being released.

Inadequate disclosure

The IPCA said Brazier told them she had known McSkimming for about 20 years.

When the Public Service Commission approached her for a reference check on McSkimming in the appointment process for interim commissioner in October last year she knew McSkimming had an affair, that he was being “harassed” with emails from the woman and that Kura had informed McSkimming that she had to investigate him as part of the police response.

However, Brazier told the PSC she had nothing relevant to disclose. She told the IPCA she did not think her knowledge was relevant to PSC’s question.

“Ms G’s disclosure was inadequate in light of her knowledge at the time,” the IPCA said.

RNZ earlier approached police for comment in relation to Brazier.

A lawyer acting for Brazier then emailed RNZ.

“I am requesting you cease and desist name publication and confirm that this will be done or in the event you still intend to proceed pause until we have been able to file a non-publication application with the High Court. Angela is challenging the ICPA findings in respect of her.”

RNZ earlier revealed a “health check” of the police agency had begun following concerns over its workplace culture, including intimate relationships as well as financial practices.

The review came after an “internal employment process” at the firearms regulator which was established following the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.

Police’s chief assurance officer Mike Webb earlier told RNZ the health check of the FSA was completed in October.

“It sought to identify whether disciplines around corporate hygiene and internal controls are widely understood and consistently applied in the FSA,” Webb said.

“The FSA was found to have operated in accordance with police policies in almost all cases sampled from December 2022 to June 2025 and the review identified a number of strengths in its corporate practices and controls.”

The review also made recommendations to “support improved police policy and practice”.

Three recommendations related to the FSA and 19 relate to wider police.

“Of note, the health check report highlighted some operational and governance risks for FSA and police in the areas of financial oversight, lack of specificity in the sensitive expenditure policy at the time, and conflict-of-interest management across wider police.”

Webb said Brazier had accepted the findings and recommendations in the report and “acknowledged there is always opportunity for improvement”.

The report was considered by the police’s senior leadership team (SLT) in late October, as well as the independent Assurance and Risk Committee in mid-November.

“The police SLT endorsed action to address the report’s non-FSA-specific recommendations, as well as tracking work on the recommendations.

“Several recommendations have already been actioned – for example, making updates to the sensitive expenditure policy, which are due to take effect from 1 December 2025.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

MIL OSI

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 December 2025 – Tanoto Foundation convened government leaders, international organisations, researchers, and civil society at the 2025 International Symposium on Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED), in Jakarta under the theme “ECED Ecosystem Synergy in Promoting the Best Start in Life.“

The symposium comes at a critical moment, as shared challenges across health, nutrition, education, and caregiving continue to shape early childhood development outcomes in Indonesia and globally, where many young children continue to face barriers to healthy development, from gaps in nutrition and care to limited access to quality early learning.

These challenges highlight the need for closer coordination across health, education, parenting, and social protection to ensure children receive holistic and equitable support from the earliest years.

Without strong cross-sector collaboration, Indonesia risks losing momentum in building its human capital and realising its demographic dividend towards Indonesia Emas 2045.

In partnership with key government ministries and cross-sector organisations, Tanoto Foundation convened the symposium as a platform to align policy, practice, and evidence across sectors, bringing together representatives from central and local government, international organisations, academia, civil society, and philanthropy.

The symposium featured two main discussion tracks focused on health and education, and parenting in early childhood.

The morning segment, “Synergising Health and Education for ECED”, focused on integrating health, nutrition, and early learning services, highlighting innovations in growth and development monitoring, nutrition interventions, and early stimulation within primary service systems.

The afternoon session, “Parenting and Early Learning”, placed families and caregivers at the centre of the ECED ecosystem, exploring responsive caregiving, interaction-based learning, and policy support to strengthen parents’ capacity to nurture children’s development.

Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin officially opened the symposium, emphasising the decisive importance of early childhood for national development.

“The age of 0 to 5 years is a highly decisive phase in determining whether a person will grow into a healthy, intelligent adult who can contribute to the nation, including to increase per capita income,” the Minister said.

“If we do not act quickly, we risk missing Indonesia’s demographic dividend. This is our responsibility to our children.”

The Government of Indonesia has reaffirmed early childhood development as a national priority through the Long-Term National Development Plan 2025 to 2045 and the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2025 to 2029, with Holistic and Integrated Early Childhood Development (PAUD-HI) designated as a key performance indicator.

Opening the afternoon session, Indonesian Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifatul Choiri Fauzi, highlighted the symposium’s contribution to policy strengthening.

“This forum brings together strategic cross sector perspectives. We encourage the resulting recommendations to be used to strengthen policies, regulations, and service innovations for early childhood development,” she said.

Indonesian Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Stella Christie, underscored the importance of science-based parenting and high-quality interaction.

“Caregiving with optimal interaction between children and caregivers has the greatest potential to maximise child development,” she said. “No technology, including artificial intelligence, can replace the power of human interaction.”

She added that children learn through curiosity, imitation, and everyday experiences, making responsive and evidence-based parenting critical for brain development and lifelong learning.

CEO of Tanoto Foundation Benny Lee reaffirmed the Foundation’s long-term commitment to early childhood development as a cornerstone of human potential.

“The early years are when the foundations of brain development, health, and character are formed,” Benny said.

“This is not the work of one institution. It requires a truly supportive ecosystem built through collaboration among government, civil society, academia, and philanthropy.”

He emphasised that Tanoto Foundation, founded by Sukanto Tanoto, Founder and Chairman of Royal Golden Eagle (RGE), views early childhood development as a primary investment, where collective action can deliver lasting and sustainable impact. “This symposium is about ensuring that every child receives the strongest possible start in life, every parent receives the support they need, and every sector moves forward together,” he said.

The symposium brought together up to 200 participants, with speakers from government, development organisations, academia, research institutions, and philanthropy.

https://www.tanotofoundation.org/en/

Hashtag: #RGE #TanotoFoundation #Philanthropy #Indonesia #ECED #EarlyChildhood #Healthcare

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

A Southland police operation has ended in a mass drug and firearms bust, after police executed 12 search warrants around Invercargill.

Police said eight people were arrested after they seized methamphetamine, firearms and more than $3000 in cash.

Operation Diablo was led by Southland’s Organised Crime Group and Criminal Investigation Branch, with support from specialist teams including a Drug Detection Dog unit.

Police said they were targeting gang-related drug offending.

Detective senior sergeant Greg Baird said the social harm caused by illicit drugs was significant.

“Gang members facilitating this don’t care about the damage they cause,” detective Baird said.

“We will continue to find and prosecute those who think this sort of criminal activity is acceptable. People deserve to live, work and play in our communities without these negative influences ruining their plans.”

Police arrested five men and three women who have appeared in the Invercargill District Court charged with possession for supply of class A and class drugs, unlawful possession of a firearm and threatening behaviour.

Police investigations are ongoing, and further charges and arrests have not been ruled out.

During Operation Diablo, police seized:

• Over 32 grams of methamphetamine
• Various quantities of cannabis
• Firearms and ammunition
• More than $3,000 in cash
• Multiple electronic devices

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Operation Diablo has led to the arrest of eight people and the seizure of drugs, firearms and cash from multiple addresses across Southland last week.

Organised criminal groups received pre-Christmas visits as Police executed 12 search warrants at properties and vehicles in and around Invercargill.

The operation was led by Southland’s Organised Crime Group and Criminal Investigation Branch, with support from specialist teams including a Drug Detection Dog unit. Police targeted gang-related drug offending as part of the crackdown.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Baird says the social harm caused by the sale and supply of illicit drugs is significant.

“Gang members facilitating this don’t care about the damage they cause,” says Detective Baird.

“We will continue to find and prosecute those who think this sort of criminal activity is acceptable.”

During Operation Diablo, Police seized:

• Over 32 grams of methamphetamine
• Various quantities of cannabis
• Firearms and ammunition
• More than $3,000 in cash
• Multiple electronic devices.

“It’s about preventing harm,” Detective Baird adds. “People deserve to live, work and play in our communities without these negative influences ruining their plans.”

Police have arrested five men and three women that have appeared in the Invercargill District Court. Charges include possession for supply of class A and class drugs, unlawful possession of a firearm and threatening behaviour.

Police continue to investigate. Further charges and arrests have not been ruled out.

Members of the public are urged to report any concerns or information about illegal drug supply or criminal activity.

• Call 105 or 111 if it’s happening now
• Provide information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

The High Court has ruled Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby were appointed unlawfully by the Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith.

Goldsmith says he’s taking advice on the judgment and considering “next steps”, including a possible appeal.

Human rights advocate Paul Thistoll had challenged the minister’s decision to appoint Rainbow and Derby, making four key arguments.

Two of those were upheld, that the minister failed to apply the correct legal test, and failed to take into account mandatory considerations. That the minister breached a “legitimate expectation” and “made an unreasonable decision” were not upheld.

The minister opposed the argument, but Justice David Gendall found the appointments were unlawful.

The appointment of Rainbow in August 2024 had prompted concern from some quarters – including Labour and the Greens – given his staunch pro-Israel views and previous comments about “a trans agenda”.

Derby had also come in for some criticism for sharing a tweet in 2023 which said the “trans movement” could not be tolerated in civil society.

The Judge explained in his ruling neither Rainbow or Derby were part of the initial shortlist of candidates for either role. A briefing was provided to Goldsmith, seeking approval for the shortlist of candidates proposed an assessment panel.

That panel included former Court of Appeal judge Sir Terence Arnold and former Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson KC.

After considering the briefing, Justice Gendall said the minister requested the panel remove two names from the shortlist for the role of Chief Commissioner and add two names, including Rainbow, and did the same with the shortlist for the Race Relations Commissioner role.

After the candidates were interviewed, the panel’s assessment of Rainbow resulted in “not recommended.” The panel observed his strengths, describing him as “articulate and engaging” and as having the ability to “build bridges across the political divide”, but noted his lack of legal experience.

The Judge also noted the applicant, Thistoll, contends there’d been “concerns raised by the ACT party” after Rainbow was initially unsuccessful, with its leader speaking directly to Goldsmith.

Derby was also interviewed, and while it considered she met a number of the criteria, the panel also found Derby “lacked depth and experience”, concluding it was unable to recommend her for appointment as Race Relations Commissioner.

The minister went on to appointment Derby and Rainbow in August, with them both commencing their roles in November 2024.

Thistoll’s lawyer Monique van Alphen-Fyfe argued the minister didn’t “expressly consider” the Commission’s detailed functions and whether Rainbow or Derby were capable of assisting in performing those functions.

The minister’s lawyer, Peter Gunn, argued saying it can reasonably be concluded that it is unlikely any candidate will have knowledge, skill or experience in all areas.

“Accordingly, the minister must assess the weight to give to the varying knowledge, skills and experience of each candidate.”

The Judge largely accepted van Alphen-Fyfe’s argument, but also agreed no one candidate will have skills in all areas. He ruled the incorrect legal test had been applied, “therefore, narrowly, this ground of review is made out”.

Thistoll took the case as a private citizen, “the Human Rights Commission exists to protect the rights of all New Zealanders, particularly the most vulnerable”.

“It is vital that those appointed to lead it are selected through a lawful, robust process that respects the statutory criteria set by Parliament.”

He told RNZ “coalition dynamics were definitely in play” in these appointments. He said ACT seemed “very keen” to have Rainbow appointed even though he “didn’t meet the statutory requirements”.

“The Court has confirmed that the minister cannot simply bypass the legal requirements of the Crown Entities Act and the Human Rights Act.”

Goldsmith told RNZ he’d received the judgment and was taking advice on next steps, “including a possible appeal”.

“The Court found that there was evidence to support both appointments, and it rejected arguments that my decisions were unreasonable.

“It also found I do not have to accept appointment panel recommendations, and could place different weight on the appointment criteria in the Human Rights Act.

“The two grounds that it did uphold by a narrow margin, could be described as technical.”

Neither Commissioner will be removed from their roles as a result of the ruling as Thistoll didn’t argue for this.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Seventy-seven new hats flew into the air as wing 391, the final graduating police wing of 2025, celebrated the end of their initial training from the New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) this afternoon. 

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, members of the police executive and wing patron, Louisa Wall – Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato, Ngāti Hineuru congratulated the 77 new graduating constables alongside their families and friends. 

“Only ten percent of people who apply to join police make it this far. Congratulations on the last 20 weeks and I appreciate the commitment you’ve given to become your absolute best,” says Commissioner Chambers.

The top award winner for the wing, former insurance assessor and high performance athlete, Constable Emma Leader is excited to be heading to Central District to start her career. 

“I am immensely proud to receive the Minister’s Award for First in Wing and the Driver Training and Road Policing Award. Joining Police has been a dream of mine since having the privilege of seeing my sister and partner join. My family and partner have been an incredible support, and I could not have achieved this without them. I am looking forward to getting started in my hometown of Palmerston North and contributing my best to the community.” 

Leadership Award Winner, Constable Ueleni Lolohea, is thrilled with his success and spoke to the wing near the end of the ceremony.

“Training at the Police College pushed me in ways I didn’t expect, both mentally and physically. It strengthened my confidence, my discipline, and my sense of purpose. I’m incredibly grateful to my family and whanau for being my backbone throughout this journey, and I’m proud to now serve my community as part of the New Zealand Police.”

Ueleni will be based in Hamilton.

Deploymenment:

The new officers will start their first day of duty in their districts the week beginning Monday 29 December 2025 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.

Tāmaki Makaurau has a total of 30, broken down into the three districts: Auckland City 9, Waitematā 10, Counties Manukau 11, Waikato 6, Bay of Plenty 7, Eastern 3, Central 7, Wellington 8, Tasman 4, Canterbury 8, Southern 4.

All Awards:

Minister’s Award recognising top student and the Driver Training and Road Policing Practice: Constable Emma Leader posted to Central District.

Commissioner’s Award for Leadership: Constable Ueleni Lolohea posted to Waikato District.

Patron’s Award for second top student: Constable Josiah Greig posted to Central District.

The Firearms Award: Constable Jacob Scholefield posted to Tasman District.

Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Luke Stewart posted to Eastern District.

Demographics:

20.8 percent are female, 79.2 percent are male. New Zealand European make up 71.4 percent of the wing, with Māori 2.6 percent, Pasifika 2.6 percent, Asian 20.8 percent, LAAM 2.6 percent.

Patron:

Louisa Wall – Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato, Ngāti Hineuru – is a former elite athlete and Member of Parliament who is a respected advocate for human rights, gender equality, and Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Her work spans over two decades across sport, politics, and diplomacy.
Louisa is a former Silver Fern and Black Fern, representing New Zealand in netball and rugby. She was part of the 1998 Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns team and brought elite sporting experience and leadership into her later public service career.
Elected to Parliament in 2008, Louisa served until 2022 as a Member of the New Zealand Labour Party. She was the driving force behind the Marriage Equality Act (2013) and led the passage of the Safe Areas Amendment Act (2022) to protect access to abortion services. She also advanced key amendments to the Harmful Digital Communications Act, ensuring stronger protections against image-based abuse. As Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and a leader within the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s global human rights efforts, Louisa consistently elevated Indigenous, women, and Takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ voices on the international stage.
In 2022, Louisa was appointed New Zealand’s inaugural Ambassador for Gender Equality (Pacific)/Tuia Tāngata, working with Pacific leaders, communities, and civil society to advance gender justice and inclusive development. She is currently the Women Deliver 2026 Mobilisation Advisor, supporting Pacific feminist engagement and spotlighting the links between gender, climate change, and Indigenous sovereignty.
A proud Tūwharetoa wahine, she chairs the Tūwharetoa Iwi Māori Partnership Board, leading work to embed hapū and iwi perspectives into health system design. Louisa also serves as Women’s Chair for ILGA Oceania and remains a trusted advisor, strategist, and mentor to emerging leaders across the region.

Watch out for our Ten One graduation story coming soon with more images and details.

If you’re interested in joining police, you can find out more on www.newcops.govt.nz

Issued by Police Media Centre
 

MIL OSI

State Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown has announced the appointment of two new Crown directors, one to the Airways Board and another to the Kiwi Group Capital Board (KGC).

“Strong governance is essential to the success of Crown companies, and these appointments will help ensure effective leadership in two critical sectors,” Mr Brown says.

Mayurie Gunatilaka joins the Airways Board as a director for a three-year term. She brings extensive governance experience in complex infrastructure projects in New Zealand and overseas, along with strong strategic expertise. Her leadership in infrastructure planning and delivery will help Airways maintain its focus on providing safe, innovative, and efficient air navigation services.

Susan Petersen joins the Kiwi Group Capital Board as a director for a three-year term. She is also serving as Chair of the Kiwibank Board, making her the first KGC director to hold a position on Kiwibank’s Board.

KGC is adopting a conventional commercial approach of overlapping board memberships between the Bank and the Holding Company, designed to strengthen the Board’s ability to achieve its strategic objectives and enhance its future resilience. To maintain independent oversight, KGC will limit the number of KGC directors appointed to the Kiwibank Board to the lower of three or one half of KGC’s total directors.

“These appointments bring proven expertise and strategic insight to the Boards, ensuring they are well placed to deliver for New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI

An international firearm regulation expert says the shooting at Bondi is not a sign gun laws aren’t effective – rather, it’s a wake up call for Australia’s enforcement.

A father and son targeted a Jewish festival on Sunday evening, killing 15 people with legally-owned rifles.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the elder, Sajid Akram, had been a licensed firearms holder for the past 10 years and legally owned six firearms. Six firearms were recovered from the scene.

Rebecca Peters is the former director of the International Action Network on Small Arms, and was the leader of the grassroots movement in Australia to change gun laws following the Port Arthur Massacre.

She told RNZ since that success almost 30 years ago, Australia’s standards had slipped.

“Complacency has been one of the results of the success of our gun laws initially,” she said. “We have had a reduction in gun violence, and so it hasn’t seemed so important, I guess, to the police and certainly to the parliaments.”

For example, it was a requirement for a gun owner to be a member of a gun club, and then clubs would assist with enforecement by notifying authorities of any no-shows, which might imply they’d been citing recreation dishonestly as a reason to get a gun. She questioned whether that was still rigorously followed.

“Over the years, we’ve found that all of the enforcement of the laws has become much more lax, especially on renewal.”

It’s been revealed the younger of the gunmen, Naveed Akram, 24, had long-standing links to Australia’s pro-Islamic State (IS) network, although he was not on any terrorism watchlists.

Still, Peters said those links should have been enough to prevent his father owning a firearm – let alone six.

Photographs of the attack indicate the weapons used were not semi-automatic. Peters said those were capable of causing much more harm, as they far reduced the time needed to reload, which meant more time firing bullets.

She said it still raised questions about the necessity of owning weapons capable of causing such harm for the purposes of recreation.

Data showed most Australians who owned guns lived in the cities and suburbs, she said. “Now, the average number of guns owned by a gun owner is four. And most Australians are really taken aback to think, ‘Why are people in the suburbs being considered to have legitimate reasons to have four guns?’”

She said the rules needed to be reassessed. “I think some kind of measures to limit the numbers, and to just really, really pay close attention to the question of has this person has really justified [their need to own a gun]?”

Even if that vastly increased the workload for police and other relevant authorities?

“I think ask anyone in Australia, do you think that’s fair to ask the police to really do a careful examination of who you’re arming with this product designed to destroy bodies, do we think extra paying attention and digging around is worth it? Absolutely.”

The Australian government agreed change was needed. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an urgent meeting of national cabinet on Monday afternoon, where premiers and first ministers unanimously agreed to bolster rules around gun ownership.

On the table were options to hasten work on a national firearms register, new rules to limit the number of guns a person could own, and further restriction of legal weapon types.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 December 2025 – Chubb announced today the appointment of Chris Colahan as Head of Commercial Property & Casualty, Asia Pacific, effective 9 February 2026. In this role, Colahan will have overall operating responsibility for Chubb’s Commercial Property & Casualty portfolio throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Colahan will report to Marcos Gunn, Regional President of Chubb Overseas General, Asia Pacific, and Brian Church, Division President, Property & Casualty, Chubb Overseas General. He will also join the company’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee.

On announcing Colahan’s appointment, Gunn said, “We are delighted that Chris is joining the Chubb team. He is a proven industry leader, with an extensive and deep understanding of the region, which will be invaluable as we continue to build our business in Asia Pacific. Chris is widely recognised for his commitment to excellence, and we are confident that under his leadership, our Property & Casualty business will continue to deliver outstanding results for our partners and clients.”

Colahan joins Chubb from AIG where he was the Regional President for Asia Pacific. Prior to this he held senior roles with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance in London and Australia, and at RSA Insurance across the region.

Colahan holds a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University.

Hashtag: #Chubb

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 December 2025 – The Steering Committee for the XXVIII Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly today hosted a one-year countdown kick-off press conference at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, signalling a significant milestone in the preparations for this prestigious international event. Supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the event is marking its inaugural staging in Hong Kong.

The XXVIII ANOC General Assembly is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong, China, from 7 to 10 December 2026 at AsiaWorld Expo. This landmark gathering is anticipated to welcome over 1,200 sports leaders, dignitaries, and representatives from 206 National Olympic Committees, the International Olympic Committee, International Federations, and Organising Committees of the Olympic Games. The Assembly’s agenda will also feature thematic seminars and diverse exchange events. A key highlight will be the prestigious ANOC AWARDS 2026. This anticipated event will acknowledge the outstanding achievements of athletes and members of the sports community during the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

The press conference was hosted by distinguished guests, including Mrs Gunilla LINDBERG, ANOC Secretary General, International Olympic Committee Member; Mr Kenneth FOK, Chairperson of XXVIII ANOC GA HK, China, 2026 Steering Committee cum Vice President of SF&OC; and Mr Edgar YANG, Vice Chairperson of XXVIII ANOC GA HK, China, 2026 Steering Committee cum Hon. Secretary General of SF&OC.

Miss Rosanna LAW, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said in the opening video, “In just one year, Hong Kong will have the honour of hosting the 2026 ANOC General Assembly—one of the most important conferences in the world of sports. We are so excited to welcome you and showcase the very best of our city: from our world-class venues and cutting-edge infrastructure to our vibrant culture and, most importantly, our famous Hong Kong hospitality. We can’t wait to see you here in Hong Kong next year!”

Mrs Gunilla LINDBERG, ANOC Secretary General, International Olympic Committee Member, said, “We’re delighted with how preparations are progressing. The close cooperation with the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, the Steering Committee of the XXVIII ANOC General Assembly Hong Kong, China, 2026 and local authorities is excellent. Along with the other key stakeholders, we are working as one team. This gives us great confidence that this will be an excellent General Assembly, which showcases the solidarity among NOCs and addresses the challenges and opportunities the Olympic Movement will face in the coming years.”

Mr Kenneth FOK, Chairperson of XXVIII ANOC GA HK, China, 2026 Steering Committee cum Vice President of SF&OC, added, “One year from today, Hong Kong, renowned as Asia’s mega-event capital and a dynamic bridge between East and West, will host the XXVIII ANOC General Assembly 2026. This event, made possible by the unwavering support of the Government of the HKSAR, is set to transform our city into an unparalleled international platform. Our goal is to collaboratively forge a global blueprint for sport’s future, generating profound economic, social, and sporting impact on a global scale.”

Both ANOC and the Steering Committee reaffirm their commitment to close collaboration, ensuring the smooth and successful delivery of the General Assembly. This event powerfully underscores Hong Kong’s role as Asia’s mega-event capital and a world-class MICE destination, reinforcing its influential global sports standing and capacity for major international collaboration. This strategic positioning enables the city to actively promote the sports industry and deepen international exchanges and cooperation, uniquely connecting the Hong Kong, China and the world.

Hashtag: #XXVIIIANOC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Former Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham has broken his silence following the scathing report by the police watchdog.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority’s report, released last month, found serious misconduct at the highest levels of police over how they handled accusations of sexual offending by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

The IPCA report recommended employment investigations against three staff, Basham, Detective Superintendent Chris Page, and Angela Brazier, the executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority.

On Tuesday, Basham released a statement via the police media team.

“This statement is being released considering the continued public interest in the IPCA report,” the statement began.

“I wish to confirm my commitment to engaging openly and transparently with the on-going independent employment investigation. To support this, I have appointed Paul Wicks KC as my legal counsel and look forward to contributing to that process. Since the investigation is still underway, I will not be making any further comment at this time.”

Basham was referred to in the IPCA’s report as Assistant Commissioner A.

The IPCA’s report said the terms of reference for Operation Herb, which Basham was “directly responsible for”, were “in no way consistent with police adult sexual assault policy and procedures”.

“He was unreasonably preoccupied with ensuring Deputy Commissioner McSkimming was not being unfairly disadvantaged in the forthcoming appointments process for the new Commissioner, for which he knew Deputy Commissioner McSkimming would be an applicant.”

The IPCA said there were several factors that mitigated Basham’s failings.

“He had only come into the role of Assistant Commissioner of Investigations in April 2024, with limited handover and in the context of the roll-out of new gang laws and other high priority matters. As he puts it, his ‘head was spinning’.

“He has acknowledged that if presented with the same circumstances again, he would do things differently, including being ‘unequivocal about the primacy of alignment to ASA policy in the terms of reference’.”

Basham retired in September, two months after former Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura.

RNZ approached Basham for comment following his resignation, on what connection it had with the pending IPCA report.

A police spokesperson messaged RNZ and said Basham wanted to pass on his retirement was “unrelated to anything other than it was the right time for him and his family. Entirely personal decision”.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The Government has introduced the Arms Bill to Parliament, bringing New Zealand one step closer to fairer, fit for purpose firearms laws, says Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee.

“This marks the final phase of reform of New Zealand’s firearms laws, building on earlier work to strengthen Firearms Prohibition Orders and improve the regulation of clubs and ranges,” says Mrs McKee. 

“There are over 50 policy changes included in the Bill. These are intended to strengthen public safety while also reducing regulatory burdens on licenced firearm owners.”

Key changes include:

• Updates to over 60 existing offences and the creation of eight new ones.
• Ensuring gang membership automatically disqualifies an individual from holding a firearms licence.
• Enabling more flexible rules relating to storage so firearms can be securely stored at any location approved by the regulator.  
• Establishing an independent Firearms Regulatory Agency with a chief executive reporting directly to the responsible Minister, not the Police Commissioner, and the removal of sworn Police Officers from the regulator.
• Improvements for specialist users including dealers, pest controllers, gunsmiths, collectors, museums, and other businesses.
• Closing loopholes and clarifying the law.
• Creating a new independent Firearms Licensing Review Committee responsible for reviewing licensing decisions.
• Removing the regulator’s ability to require additional information in the Registry outside of what has been prescribed in regulation.
• Updating the law to respond to emerging technology, including 3D printing.

The Bill will deliver on the ACT-National coalition commitment to ‘rewrite the Arms Act 1983 to provide for greater protection of public safety and simplify regulatory requirements to improve compliance and pass it through all stages during this term of Parliament.’

“I look forward to seeing the Bill progress to a full six-month select committee process where all New Zealanders can have their say,” says Mrs McKee.

Notes to editor:

MIL OSI

• Gunak Lee thought he was getting paid a few thousand dollars to smuggle a haul of 10 rare geckos, possibly worth over $140,000
• Instead, he was caught in a sting with an undercover DOC officer
• Lee claimed he was acting for another person he hadn’t met
• His lawyer said he was a young and naive mule
• He has been sentenced to 14 months in prison

A South Korean man who expected to be paid a few thousand dollars for smuggling rare geckos out of the country has instead been jailed for 14 months.

Gunak Lee, 23 and unemployed, was caught in a sting in October with an undercover Department of Conservation (DOC) officer at an Auckland hotel.

He thought he was buying 10 geckos for several thousand dollars, but the officer handed over just two in the operation, with the rest of the containers empty and hidden.

A search warrant was executed when Lee got back to his hotel room to check how many of the prized jewelled geckos he had.

Lee planned to fly back to South Korea that day, thinking he would only be fined if he was stopped at the border.

But at the Manukau District Court on Friday, Lee was sentenced for buying the protected jewelled geckos and possession of a threatened species.

“Wildlife doesn’t have brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers to call the police if something happens,” DOC prosecutor Mike Bodie said.

He said the transaction was clearly part of a planned international smuggling operation.

“This wasn’t spare of the moment; it was clearly a plan and premeditated,” Bodie said.

He said the jewelled geckos were “beautiful, attractive, unusual, but are animals” that could not sustain being exploited.

Jewelled geckos are only found in New Zealand, and their conservation status is classified as “at risk – declining”. The species are found in pockets of Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

DOC called for a starting point of two years’ prison.

The maximum penalty for buying protected wildlife is two years’ jail, or a $100,000 fine, or both.

If the court is satisfied it was for commercial gain or reward, this increases to 5 years jail, or a $300,000 fine, or both.

On the other charge of possessing a threatened species, the maximum sentence is three years’ jail, or a $50,000 fine, or both.

Lee’s lawyer, Joon Yi, said a starting point of six months was appropriate because Lee was exploited, fell victim to others and was naive.

“He’s so naive that even his own hotel, that he stayed in, he paid for out of his own pocket without any assurance he would be paid back or anything like that,” he said.

Yi said his client’s previous employer, who he thought of as an older brother, offered him the opportunity with a third party.

He thought “that would be it,” and the consequences were never explained to Lee, his lawyer said.

The undercover sting

Because of their rarity, distinctive features and striking colour, jewelled geckos are highly sought after in illegal international trading, according to DOC.

This was especially so in Europe, where a gecko can sell for more than €7,000 (NZ$14,000).

The Summary of Facts detailed Lee’s offending and the sting that led to his arrest.

On 13 October, he flew from South Korea to Auckland, arriving on a visitor visa.

Three days later, he met with an undercover DOC officer in the lobby of an Auckland hotel where he was staying, a meeting that he had arranged earlier online.

There, he agreed to buy ten New Zealand green geckos for US$15,000 cash.

The undercover officer had prepared a bag with several clear plastic containers, with the top two, in view, containing jewelled geckos.

It was pre-arranged that Lee would check the top containers to confirm geckos were there, pay US$5,000, and return to his room to confirm the rest.

There was an agreement that once Lee was satisfied, he would return to the lobby and pay the remaining money.

But he was arrested when he got back to his room, and the two geckos were recovered unharmed.

A search of his hotel room found another US$10,000 and containers to get the geckos out of the country.

In an interview, Lee said his flights and hotel were paid for by a third party he had not met.

Lee was expecting to be paid between NZ$3,600 and $4,800 to act as the gecko courier.

He said he had taken the risk because he was told he would only be fined if he was stopped at the border, and it would be paid for him.

Lee claimed he was unaware it was illegal to buy or possess wildlife in New Zealand.

He said he would have put each gecko inside a sock, and then inside a cardboard box before hiding them in his suitcase to fly back to South Korea that afternoon.

The 14-month sentence

Judge David McNaughton said he accepted Lee was not the principal offender.

“Whoever that person was, he arranged all of this at a distance,” he told Lee.

“He was insulating himself from any risk of getting caught, and clearly he was also doing this for commercial gain or reward, so it was a commercial operation,” he said.

The judge did not accept the defendant’s starting point of six months in jail, and started at two years.

He gave credit for Lee’s guilty plea, his age, and his lack of previous convictions.

“And to a certain extent, but not totally, your naivety, and the fact that you cooperated when you were interviewed.”

Judge McNaughton also imposed standard six-month conditions after he is released from his 14-month prison term, but told Lee he would likely be deported straight away.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Date:  05 December 2025

Gunak Lee was caught in an undercover sting operation involving the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ministry for Primary Industries and New Zealand Police.

He was charged under the Wildlife Act 1953 for buying absolutely protected wildlife, and the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989 for possessing a threatened species with intent to illegally export. He pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to 14 months in prison. The US $15,000 cash for the illegal purchase was forfeited to the Crown.

Lee booked just a three-day trip to New Zealand in October. On the morning of his departure, he met with an undercover DOC officer at a hotel and agreed to purchase ten live geckos for $15,000 USD (more than $26,000 NZD). The officer handed Lee a bag with two geckos visible at the top and a package underneath.

Lee paid an initial $5,000 USD to the officer, before taking the package to his hotel room to confirm it concealed 8 more geckos. He was arrested returning to his room, and the two geckos used in the sting were returned unharmed to DOC.

Dylan Swain, DOC’s Wildlife Crime Team Leader, says jewelled geckos are highly sought after in the international illegal reptile trade.

“Poachers are targeting jewelled geckos due to their rarity, distinctive features, and striking colouration. A single gecko can sell for over $14,000 (NZD) in Europe. There was a spate of poaching jewelled geckos a decade ago, and they continue to be a target in poaching attempts in New Zealand. They have also been found in illegal collections overseas.”

Jewelled geckos are only found in New Zealand, and their conservation status is classified as ‘at risk – declining’. Adults reach around 155-170 mm in length and can live for over 20 years. The species are found in pockets of Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

“Illegal wildlife trade is a serious and ongoing threat to native reptiles,” says Swain. “Many of our lizard species live in small, discrete populations, so any poaching of animals from the wild can have a significant effect on the species at a local level. It undermines the incredible conservation efforts of so many New Zealanders.”

“It’s a welfare issue for trafficked reptiles, too. They are often transported over long time periods in crude containers without proper ventilation, temperature control or food. Some estimates suggest that up to 80–90% of reptiles die before they are sold or delivered to buyers.”

“Illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between $7–23 billion USD annually. On top of threatening ecosystems and species, the trade fuels corruption and organised crime activities such as money laundering and false document production.”

Swain says that the public can help by reporting suspicious behaviour they see when out naturing by calling the 24-hour emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or emailing wildlifecrime@doc.govt.nz.

Contact

MIL OSI

BALI, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 December 2025 – Indonesia emerged as one of the strongest performers at this year’s ACES Awards 2025, with multiple organisations and leaders recognised for excellence in leadership, sustainability, innovation, and community impact.

ACES Awards Organiser MORS Group CEO Dr Shanggari Balakrishnan said that Indonesia’s presence “signals a nation undergoing a dynamic shift in leadership maturity,” highlighting the country’s growing sophistication in governance, sustainability integration, and mission-driven performance.

Indonesia’s Influence on Asia’s Leadership and Sustainability Agenda

Dr Shanggari also said that Indonesia’s strong slate of winners sends a clear message to the region, that future belongs to leaders who blend vision with accountability, innovation with social conscience, and growth with sustainability.

She reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Indonesia’s expanding leadership ecosystem through deeper jury partnerships, capacity-building programmes, and platforms that showcase Indonesian excellence across Asia and beyond.

“Looking ahead, the outlook for Indonesian participation remains strong.

“With rising youth leadership, strengthened governance, and increased investment in sustainability, the country is expected to play an even greater role in shaping the ACES Awards narrative in the years to come,” she added.

Indonesia’s Standout Winners at ACES Awards 2025

BINUS Group was honoured with Outstanding Leaders in Asia for its transformative impact on the education sector under CEO Ir. Bernard Gunawan.

Widya Esthetic won Asia’s Most Admirable Young Leaders for elevating aesthetic healthcare standards led by founder Dr. Ayu Widianingrum.

Harita Nickel / PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk secured the Green Innovation Award for groundbreaking sustainable mining practices like nickel slag repurposing and coral restoration.

Free The Sea received dual recognition as Asia’s Most Admirable Young Leaders and the Green Initiative Award for its innovative, community-driven environmental programs and the leadership of founder Christoph Dörn.

PT BRI Manajemen Investasi stood out, winning both Industry Champions of the Year and Asia’s Most Admirable Young Leaders for its leadership in alternative investments and values-driven financial products. Finally,

PT Daya Intiguna Yasa Tbk (MR D.I.Y Indonesia) earned the Community Initiative Award for its far-reaching programs addressing education, environmental wellbeing, and disaster response.

Hashtag: #ACESAwards #MORSGroup #Sustainability #Leadership #ACES2025

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

A year on from taking the reins as the country’s top cop, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers sat down with National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood to discuss his first fraught year in the job and how he plans to rebuild trust and confidence in police.

Sitting in an office on the 8th floor of Police National Headquarters, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers reflects on his first year as the country’s top cop.

“I love my job,” he begins.

“This year has been tough, no doubt about that. I found myself dealing with a lot of things, but I always knew that that’s the job that the commissioner has.”

For Chambers, the “at times chaotic” year began two days before he took on the role when he was briefed on an investigation into allegations of sexual offending by then Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.

A month later came another briefing – child sexual exploitation and bestiality material had been found on McSkimming’s work devices.

And then, before the year was out the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) released a scathing report into police’s handling of allegations made about McSkimming, finding serious misconduct at the highest levels of police – including former Commissioner Andrew Coster.

In a wide-ranging sit-down interview with RNZ, Chambers discusses the last 12 months including the scrapped controversial retail crime thresholds, about 130 police officers under investigation for falsely recording breath tests and how he plans to rebuild trust and confidence.

‘I just wanted to be a good policeman’

It was late last year when two men underwent the final interviews for police commissioner, Jevon McSkimming and Richard Chambers.

Both held high ambitions, and both men had taken different routes to the interview table.

For Chambers, he says he joined police in January 1996 as he “just wanted to be a good policeman”.

“(I) always wanted to join the police from the time I was a young lad, nothing’s changed…

“I never set out to aspire to be the commissioner, but I felt that I had something to add. I’m quite determined to make sure we focus on the right things for our country, and for my workforce. So I decided, yeah, I’m going to give this a go.

“And when I turned up for my interview here in Wellington I put on the table what I stood for, what I understood the priorities needed to be, and gave the choice to other people, and I’m the lucky one.”

In November last year it was announced that Chambers had been appointed as the commissioner, taking over from Coster.

Chambers didn’t officially begin the job until 25 November. However, two days beforehand he was given a briefing from a detective superintendent about allegations involving McSkimming from a former non-sworn employee who he had an affair with.

“I was advised that there was an investigation underway, that they had just put the right processes in place, the right structure around that, and that that investigation was focused on a complaint that had been received some time ago.”

Chambers says he was assured that the right people were involved, including “very capable specialists”.

“Even with what I was briefed back then, I was gutted to think that this was something that would ever occur.”

The following month, during police’s investigation into the allegations they discovered child sexual exploitation and bestiality on McSkimming’s work devices.

Chambers was briefed.

“To receive a call to say that this had been found, albeit very early days, was just inconceivable, unbelievable.

“I feel for the 15,000 plus men and women of New Zealand police who do a great job day and night across the country to have this sort of thing found within any part of the organisation, particularly within the most senior levels, is appalling.”

‘The worst thing for any police colleague’

Chambers spent New Year’s Eve alongside some of his colleagues in Tauranga and Tokoroa policing festivities.

He then went back to where he was staying with his family in Taupo. About an hour later he was woken by a phone call. Two police officers, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming and Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay, had been struck by a vehicle while on foot patrol in central Nelson.

“I knew it was not good. I said to my wife, ‘I’ve got to turn the light on, iron my police shirt’ and drove to Wellington.”

By 9am, Chambers was in Nelson. Later that day it was announced that Fleming, who had been in police for 38 years, had died.

“The loss of Lyn … was, without question, the toughest thing that I’ve dealt with this year in my first 12 months,” Chambers says.

“It is the worst thing for any police colleague to ever have to deal with. But, you know, five weeks into my time as the commissioner, it was pretty tough, actually, but it’s always going to be tough, that sort of tragedy.”

Chambers says that on day one of the job he made it clear that one of his priorities was supporting the frontline, which included their safety.

“Every day, I get messages telling me about staff on the front line who are assaulted, and I’ll make a point of reaching out to as many as I can, just to acknowledge some unpleasant circumstances.”

Then, in September, while in Australia attending the funerals of two Victorian police officers who had been shot while on duty, Chambers received a call to say Tom Phillips was dead and a police officer had been shot multiple times.

“I felt a bit helpless actually because I couldn’t get home quick enough… I got home as quickly as I could, and then went to the Waikato where I supported my staff and of course, our colleague who had been shot, who is incredibly lucky to have survived that, because it was incredibly close, too close.”

‘That’s not the New Zealand Police service that I want to be leading’

Another one of Chambers’ priorities when he became commissioner was retail crime.

In May, RNZ revealed a directive was sent to staff about not investigating retail crime below certain thresholds.

The directive said “nationally standardised value thresholds” were to be applied when assessing theft and fraud files. The value thresholds were: General theft $200, petrol drive off $150, shoplifting $500, fraud (PayWave, online, scam etc) $1000, and all other fraud $500.

Following the revelations and a significant backlash Chambers canned the directive, which he called “confusing and unhelpful”.

Looking back, Chambers says he was “disappointed” when he first heard about the existence of the order, after RNZ’s story.

“I expect better than that… that report to me said that we might have thought about doing what was easy for us, but we aren’t in this job for what’s easy for us.

“We are in this job to provide a service to New Zealanders, and that includes the retail community and so members of that community, you know, if they have a view that police don’t take their complaints seriously, and that’s not the place that I want an organisation to be in. So I said, ‘no, that isn’t happening’.”

Chambers said he had been “very clear” that retail crime was an “absolute priority”.

“We are getting fantastic results as a consequence of that focus. Our resolutions are increasing. We’re holding people accountable. That memo and those thresholds that some thought were going to be helpful, no, I got rid of that because that’s not the New Zealand Police service that I want to be leading.”

Then, in August, a new mapping feature to analyse breath testing data identified an anomaly that led to the discovery of more than 30,000 “falsely or erroneously” recorded tests involving about 130 staff.

Chambers says he was “disappointed” when he was informed about the discovery.

“Integrity matters, and trust and confidence in police is critical, and it’s those sorts of events that are most unhelpful.

“But I hope that coming out of it is that there’s an awareness that we will continue to do audits, we will continue to review performance and where expectations don’t meet what they need to be, then we’ll act on it.”

Asked what he had been told about what rationale had been given by the staff involved, Chambers said he did not know.

“We were meeting our targets … we had done incredibly well in terms of our road policing delivery, so none of that was necessary.

“It’s hard to understand what was driving it, because we were doing well…. if we were in a situation where we weren’t quite meeting our targets, then we get out there and we do more breath testing. We don’t manipulate a device to tell a story that’s not true.”

The c-words

Last month, the IPCA released its report into police handling of allegations of sexual offending by McSkimming.

Before it was released publicly, copies of the report were sent to a small group of people, including relevant ministers and Chambers.

Chambers said the one word he’d use to describe his initial reaction after reading through the entire report was “anger”.

“New Zealanders deserve better from the most senior levels of New Zealand police, and so do people across my organisation. They want to be able to believe in their leadership. They want to believe that their leadership is competent and focused on working really hard on the right things.

Chambers says he was “shocked” when he read about the concerns from senior police at the time that the allegations could harm McSkimming’s chances of being commissioner.

“Anyone who deserves to be the commissioner of New Zealand police must get the role on merit by being focused on the right things, and to think that people put their career pathways before you know, integrity and leading 15,000 people for our country is beyond belief.

“There’s no other way to describe it, then they were clearly, as the IPCA report says, very focused on someone’s career pathway and aspirations to be the commissioner of police. Thank heavens that never happened.”

Within minutes of the report being released Chambers says he called the woman’s lawyer and expressed his disappointment in what he had read and apologised on behalf of police about the treatment she had endured and that she was not taken seriously.

Chambers wants to reinforce that what happened involved a small group of the most senior leaders of police, and did not reflect the rest of the organisation.

Several c words have been used to describe the IPCA report, from collusion, to cover-up and corruption.

Asked where he stood, Chambers said everyone had their own opinion.

“The word corruption is a very strong word, but, you know, I have heard a number of people use that word to describe this. I want to be able to move on from using certain words that might describe this behavior.

“I want to focus on leading the organisation forward and doing the right thing being positive about what we are doing. We’ve already made significant changes. I want this chapter, if there’s a c word, I want that chapter to be book ended, and then we can move forward and do all the things that the public expect us to be doing as senior leaders and as an organisation and working hard for victims, which has always been a priority. I said that on day one, and this chapter is one that has led a lot of people down.”

The IPCA report recommended employment investigations against three staff, former Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham, Detective Superintendent Chris Page, and Angela Brazier, the executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority.

Chambers said he had engaged a King’s Counsel to lead the investigations and anticipated some findings before Christmas.

The year ahead

Chambers readily concedes that his first 12 months has felt “at times chaotic”.

“I haven’t had a break yet. I have not had a day off.”

Asked how he navigates dealing with such a high-pressure job, Chambers says over his career he’s developed a better understanding of what strengthens his resilience.

“For me, there’s a range of things. I love to go for a run, I look after my diet as best as I can. I do my best to spend time with my wife and children. I try and get a decent amount of sleep. That’s probably my biggest work on at the moment.

“I try and find time to do things that I enjoy doing, whether it’s fishing or mountain biking or whatever it is… but for me, I felt my running in particular this year, and the support of my family has helped a huge amount.”

Despite feeling like he’s put out more fires than he’d anticipated, Chambers says he’s also “really pleased” with the progress made on a number of fronts including restructuring the police executive that he felt was “too big, too expensive” and putting savings into frontline policing.

He also points to progress on retail crime and the gang legislation and says he’s hopeful police will meet the target of 500 extra staff next year.

“I’m really, really pleased with the progress that we have made, and the feedback that I get from my staff across the organisation and also the public is really, really encouraging.

“So whilst, yes, put out plenty of fires, the balance to that is that we have made a lot of progress, and I’m really pleased about that.”

Chambers says he’s only in Wellington one or two days a week. The rest of the time he’s around the country, while also travelling overseas for international obligations.

“I work really hard to be as visible as I can.”

Over summer he will spend a couple of days at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne working alongside frontline staff and will be working in Nelson on New Year’s Eve.

“I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that I’m the same person who applied to join New Zealand police in the late 90s. I’m still a policeman. I’ve still got a contribution to make to the operational environment, and I know that my staff enjoy me being out and about with them, because it sends a very clear message that I’m working hard to understand the world that they are in day and night.”

On Tuesday Chambers announced the focus for 2026 was on the four priorities he outlined a year prior: core policing, supporting the frontline, leadership and accountability, and fiscal responsibility.

Specifically, he had set specific goals around service, safety and trust, including getting trust and confidence up from 69 percent to 80 percent.

The other benchmarks included getting satisfaction for services to 80 percent from its current 71 percent, a 15 percent rise in resolutions for retail crime, and a 15 percent reduction in violence in public places.

He also pointed to a 20 percent increase in Māori at police over the past five years.

He says his first priority is to get a new leadership team in place, which he was hopeful would be announced in the next few weeks.

“Then I’ll have the opportunity to reinforce my expectations and the priorities that we as a senior leadership team will focus on…”

A year ago as he stood at a press conference alongside Police Minister Mark Mitchell, Chambers told media he didn’t talk about policing by consent, a popular phrase under Coster’s leadership.

“I talk about trust and confidence,” he said.

“It’s fundamentally important that the police have a trust and confidence of the public, and we’ve got some work to do at the moment.”

Chambers told RNZ on Tuesday that there weren’t too many people he’d come across who understood what policing by consent meant.

“Let’s focus on doing the basics well. We all understand what trust and confidence means, whether that’s internally or externally,” he said.

“We have moved up a couple of percentage points around external trust and confidence, which is good, but recent events like the IPCA report and other things have a potential impact on that. So we’ve got to learn from those situations. We’ve got to make some changes, and we’ve got to keep trying real hard, and I’m determined to ensure that we return to the high levels of trust and confidence that New Zealand Police has had, albeit quite a few years ago, but there’s no reason we can’t do it again.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand