HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 March 2026 – DFI Retail Group (DFI or the Group) is pleased to announce its 2025 Sustainability Disclosure, highlighting the Group’s continued progress and commitment to advancing sustainability across Asia.

In 2025, DFI delivered strong progress on key sustainability commitments:

• 22% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 2021 baseline, with a target of 50% reduction by 2030.
• Waste diversion rate improved to 66%, up from 61% in 2024, with a target of achieving 80% by 2030.
• Invested US$3.9 million in community initiatives across markets.

The Group also advanced Scope 3 decarbonisation across supply chain of four key commodities – rice, coffee, dairy and beef. Initiatives included the launch of 380 tonnes of Low-Carbon Rice achieving a minimum 30% on-farm emissions reduction, sourcing 100% deforestation-free certified coffee beans for 7CAFÉ Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore, and IKEA, and partnering with The Mills Fabrica to launch the DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge to identify global solutions for beef and dairy emissions.

Scott Price, Group Chief Executive, DFI Retail Group shared, “We remain committed to our purpose of sustainably serving Asia for generations with everyday moments. In 2025, we made clear progress on our pathway to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030, with investments in refrigerant management, energy efficiency and behaviour change initiatives across our operations. At the same time, we continued to deliver affordable, sustainable products that meet customer expectations, including the introduction of Low-Carbon Rice in Hong Kong and the expansion of our ‘Grounds to Green programme’ at 7Eleven. These efforts, together with disciplined waste and packaging management, keep us firmly on track to meet our 2030 sustainability targets.”

Erica Chan, Group Chief Legal, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer added, “Strong governance and transparency remain central to how we deliver on our sustainability ambitions. By streamlining our disclosure and enhancing our materiality assessment, climate scenario analysis, and transition plan, we are aligning with global standards such as IFRS S1 and S2. This ensures stakeholders gain a clear, holistic view of our progress and priorities, while reinforcing our commitment to creating long-term value across People, Products, and Planet.”

In 2025, DFI continued to be guided by its Sustainability Framework, centred on the three pillars of People, Products and Planet, with Governance as the cornerstone. This framework remains integral to the Group’s approach, ensuring robust leadership and oversight while driving initiatives that empower people, expand sustainable product choices, and reduce environmental impact across operations and supply chains.

Highlights of 2025 Initiatives:

1. People: DFI Group and its business formats continued to support communities through Our Community Giveback initiatives, investing US$3.9 million and reaching 1.25 million beneficiaries across 12 markets. The Health and Beauty segment launched professional health services at Mannings and Guardian, extending access across more than 450 pharmacies in all markets. For team members, capability building was strengthened through major initiatives such as the launch of DFILEARN, enhanced leadership programmes, and structured career development frameworks, empowering growth across all levels of the business. At the same time, DFI upheld rigorous standards for suppliers, maintaining 100% ethical audits of Own Brand factories in high-risk countries and reinforcing responsible practices across supply chains through comprehensive assessments, audits, and engagement.
2. Products: In 2025, 48% in-scope Own Brand products carried third-party sustainability certificates, up from 28% in 2024. At the same time, 83% Own Brand plastic packaging component that is recyclable, reusable or compostable, keeping us on-track to meet the target of at least 85% by 2030. The expansion of the 7Eleven’s ‘Grounds to Green” Coffee Grounds Upcycling Programme further reflected our efforts to embed circularity principles where relevant. The programme repurposed used coffee grounds into natural fertiliser to grow fresh produce, which was then incorporated into 7-SELECT juices and ready-to-eat items.
3. Planet: DFI recorded a 22% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2025, compared to our 2021 baseline, on track towards our 50% reduction target by 2030. As refrigerant leaks remain one of the primary sources of these emissions, the Group continued upgrading refrigeration systems and, in April 2025, commissioned the first CO₂-based natural refrigerant system in Hong Kong’s food retail sector at the Cloudview Market Place store in North Point. This was followed by the installation of a sub-critical CO₂ refrigeration system in Oliver’s The Delicatessen in Central Hong Kong in September 2025, marking important milestones in advancing low-carbon operations across the portfolio. Waste diversion improved from 61% to 66% in 2025, as part of our efforts to achieve 80% waste diversion by 2030.

By embedding sustainability into our strategy, operations, and value chain, we are not only tackling today’s challenges but also building a resilient, responsible business that creates lasting value for our customers, communities, and the environment.

For detailed information on the various sustainability initiatives undertaken by DFI, please refer to the Sustainability Disclosure in the Integrated Annual Report 2025. To learn more about DFI’s efforts, please visit DFI’s website.

https://www.dfiretailgroup.com/en/

Hashtag: #DFIRetailGroup #SustainabilityDisclosure #PeopleProductsPlanet #Mannings #Guardian #7-Eleven #Wellcome #MarketPlace #IKEA #yuu

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

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

Last year was among the hottest on record, as the world’s “addiction” to fossil fuels continues to drive global warming, new data shows.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed the average global temperature last year was 1.43°C warmer than the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.

2024 remains the hottest year on record, but 2025 was the second- or third-hottest, across the nine major global datasets.

The organisation said the global climate was more out of balance than at any other time in observed history, as greenhouse gas concentrations reached their highest levels in at least 800,000 years.

Most of the trapped heat was stored in the ocean, which is warming at an accelerating pace.

Together with melting sea ice and glaciers, that was driving global sea level rise – which projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show will continue for centuries.

Arctic sea-ice hit a record low in some satellite datasets last year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the planet was being pushed beyond its limits.

“Every key climate indicator is flashing red.”

Current major conflicts were exposing another truth, Guterres said.

“Our addiction to fossil fuels is destabilising both the climate and global security.”

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, after the country was attacked by Israel and the US, has spiked oil and gas prices and prompted fears of global inflation.

The WMO’s State of the Climate report said increasingly severe weather, driven by climate change, was already affecting agricultural production and displacing people from their homes.

“The cascading and compounding impacts of multiple, sequential disasters severely limit the ability of communities to prepare for, recover from and adapt to shocks,” the report said.

That was especially true in places that were already experiencing conflict or other types of insecurity.

In New Zealand, inflation-adjusted data published by the Insurance Council showed that since 2019, insurance companies had paid out nearly $6 billion for extreme weather-related events in New Zealand.

That did not include pay-outs for severe weather at the beginning of this year, which killed six people in a landslide at Mount Maunganui, cut off entire communities, and closed major roads.

Victoria University professor of climate science James Renwick said the science of climate change had been understood for a century or more now.

“We know what we have to do to stop it,” he said. “Stop burning fossil fuels.”

Policymakers had been given that message for decades but emissions just kept increasing, he said.

He hoped the latest report “moves the dial”.

“The costs of inaction are already astronomical, let’s not make them overwhelming.”

Last week, the High Court in Wellington heard a case taken by two environmental NGOs against the government over its emissions reductions plans, which the organisations argued were risky and unlawful.

The Environmental Law Initiative and Lawyers for Climate Action told the court that the government broke the law when it dismantled dozens of climate policies soon after the election, before it had consulted the public.

The current plan relied overwhelmingly on offsetting emissions by planting forestry, rather than tackling emissions at their sources, the organisations said.

The court has reserved its decision.

Similar cases in the UK succeeded in forcing the government there to re-write its own emissions plans.

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

Returning to her spiritual home of Tokelau was a profound experience for Petty Officer Christina Sola, who visited the island while on deployment with the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) during the recent Operation Calypso in the South West Pacific.

New Zealand-born, but of Tokelauan, Samoan and New Zealand European descent, Petty Officer Sola reconnected with whānau when HMNZS Canterbury arrived in Tokelau.

Incorporated in the operation was the celebration of the centenary of New Zealand’s administration of Tokelau and on board the ship for the occasion was New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.

“To step ashore alongside my shipmates, and on this occasion in the presence of the Governor‑General Dame Cindy Kiro, was an immense honour and a moment of profound personal and cultural significance,” Petty Officer Sola said.

“Tokelau is my tūrangawaewae – a place where I feel grounded spiritually, mentally and physically. It is sacred and treasured land, richly woven with history, culture and tradition. Each time I arrive, it instantly feels like home.”

Petty Officer Sola’s Tokelauan family hails from Fakaofo atoll. Her husband Penehe, also of Tokelauan descent, comes from the atolls of Nukunonu and Atafu. They have four children and she credits her husband’s unwavering support for being able to continue doing the job she loves in the Navy.

The communications warfare specialist enlisted in 2008 and has worked across a wide range of operational and leadership roles supporting New Zealand’s defence and security efforts, both at home and around the world.

She last visited Tokelau in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Petty Officer Sola said the situation was entirely different then and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

“Canterbury was tasked to deliver routine cyclone season support and essential supplies. This included new freshwater tanks, solar equipment, generator maintenance, and most importantly, Covid-19 vaccination supplies.

“Tokelau had no recorded cases of Covid-19 at the time and there was a very real possibility that, if we were not careful, we could have been the ones to introduce the virus to a population of fewer than 1,500 people.

“I was incredibly grateful that our deployable teams completed the mission without any incident and I was still able to see my family, while not touching one another to keep the strict two-metre distancing policy in place.”

This recent arrival was very different from the last, with loved ones from both her own and her husband’s family welcoming her across the three Tokelauan atolls.

“These are moments I will cherish forever. I will always acknowledge the sacrifices they have made – and continue to make – so that our families around the world can pursue opportunities and lives abroad, including those of us living and serving in Aotearoa, New Zealand.”

Petty Officer Sola’s career has seen her sail from the sub-Antarctic to the Pacific, across to Asia and over to the United States.

As part of the Navy’s extensive operation to the South-West Pacific and alongside the Tokelau centenary visit, HMNZS Canterbury crew facilitated an upgrade of critical tsunami and volcano monitoring equipment on Raoul Island, and conducted a successful search and rescue operation near Tonga.  

With New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel aboard, the military sealift vessel covered 4580 nautical miles, without the ship needing to take on additional food or fuel over 23 days.  

MIL OSI

Synlait has described its half-year net loss of $80.6 million as disappointing as it pledges to deliver a pathway to recovery.

The dairy company, majority-owned by China’s Bright Dairy, reported after tax result was $85.4m lower than the same period last year.

Revenue rose just over $32m to $949m but debt soared by 88 percent to just over $472m. Synlait’s forecast base milk price rose from $9.50 to $9.70 taking forecast total milk price to $10.10 per kg/ms.

Chief executive Richard Wyeth said the company faced multiple headwinds – a major one being manufacturing problems as it tried to catch up on its supply of inventory to customers.

“The revised plan meant that we had surplus raw milk, particularly over the peak season,” he told an investor call.

“When we looked through the numbers, it became clear that the only option was to sell that milk through the peak.”

Wyeth said some of the milk sales didn’t go to plan and milk was sent back to its Dunsandel plant, which meant workers had to stop their inventory catch-up and process the extra milk into whole milk powder.

“Whole powder is the only ingredient that could be made at short notice without creating significant down time on the dryers, up to 48 hours to change.”

“To create the perfect storm, whole milk powder prices decreased sharply at the end of 2025 which impacted the returns on that ingredient portfolio.”

He described the season as one of the most frustrating seasons in his 18 years in the industry.

“We faced multiple headwinds, and had very little choice as to how we could deal with them. At each juncture, we carefully costed and analysed the options and even with the benefit of hindsight, there’s very little we would have done differently that would have improved this result,” he says.

Where to from here for Synlait?

The dairy company’s deal to sell North Island operations, including Pokeno manufacturing site, to global healthcare company Abbot for $307m is set to be completed by 1 April, Wyeth said.

“The transaction not only helps Synlait’s balance sheet, it removes a loss-making asset from our financial performance, and will deliver a simpler Synlait.

“From there, our stabilised, simplify and scale strategy provides a solid roadmap to return Synlait to success.”

Wyeth said it’s still working to rebuild customer inventory and expects an insurance claim to help cover some of the losses incurred as a result of manufacturing issues in the 2025 financial year.

The company did not provide guidance for the full year, with company chair George Adams saying there is a lot of work to do.

“Behind our roadmap, sits a real determination to ensure the coming 12 to 24 months will be seen as a period where Synlait under promised and over delivered,” he said.

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

As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.

Te Tari Pureke – Firearms Safety Authority, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.

Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.

“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.

“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”

Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.

The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”

Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:

• Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
• Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
• How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have?

“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.

ENDS

Background information

What is the ‘Roar’?

It is the breeding season of New Zealand’s red deer species. The roar runs from mid-March through April. The roar lasts approximately four weeks, with stags being the most vocal attracting mates in the middle two weeks.

Who are the Recreational Firearms Users Group?

The Recreational Firearms Users Group was formed to help align the important messaging of the various stakeholder groups involved in recreational hunting in New Zealand.

This group consists of Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Fish & Game NZ, Game Animal Council, Mountain Safety Council, NZ Deerstalkers Association, Department of Conservation and Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority.

Useful sources:

Game Animal Council: https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/the-roar/

Department of Conservation: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/deer/red-deer/

Te Tari Pureke – Hunter Safety: https://www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/hunter-safety

The 7 rules of firearms safety: https://www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/7-rules-firearm-safety

Data on hunter injury numbers: https://www.mountainsafety.org.nz/explore/research-and-insights/a-hunters-tale

MIL OSI

Date:  20 February 2026 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

“Tongariro is a Dual World Heritage site, a taonga, and a cornerstone of the Ruapehu District economy. The fires have damaged biodiversity, disrupted recreation, and affected the livelihoods of families and businesses across Ruapehu District,” Mr Potaka says.

“That is why we are investing $3.5m from the International Visitor Levy (IVL) over five years to fund weed control, pest management and biodiversity monitoring. 

“The IVL ensures visitor revenue goes back into maintaining and improving the places that support local jobs, businesses and communities.”

Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro is working alongside DOC to deliver Maunga Ora, a restoration plan based on science, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

“Recovery is already visible, with native plants pushing through the charred ground. But without sustained weed control and pest management, including managing deer, that regeneration will be at risk,” Mr Potaka says.

“I want to acknowledge the commitment of Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, DOC staff and the wider Ruapehu community who have been working on the ground since the fires. Their partnership is critical to restoring the mauri of this sacred landscape.

“The investment restores ecological resilience while backing the regional economy and people who depend on it.

“Tongariro is our taonga and restoring its mauri is essential. That’s why the Government is working to secure its long-term future.”

Contact

MIL OSI

Date:  23 March 2026

DOC Waikato Operations Manager Niwha Jones says his staff have been working hard to reopen and assess tracks, and the latest to be made available to the public is Mangakara Nature Walk.

The Mangakara Nature Walk is a family friendly short walk and easily accessible from Grey Road. It has a range of educational information signs about the various specimen trees and plants found there.

Niwha says the storm destroyed two footbridges on the track – meaning the loop of the walk cannot be completed.

“It’s going to take us several months to arrange replacement of those bridges, so until that work is done the Mangakara Nature Walk is a ‘there and back’ experience to two end points,” he says.

Niwha discourages inexperienced visitors from crossing streams on the track while bridges remain unavailable, and to comply with all DOC signage and website alerts for all tracks.

“We want people to have a safe and enjoyable experience, so please enjoy the walk in its current configuration.”

Meanwhile, DOC staff have used a drone to capture footage of some of the landslips further up Pirongia maunga. The footage shows two large landslips near the Mahaukura Track, which includes a helicopter pad used by DOC for various operations.

“The drone footage the team has captured reinforces our view this track is not safe for naturing and we do not want people using it. The slip hazards are considered significant and further assessment is needed.”

Niwha says his team still has a lot of work to do in the wake of the February storm and urged the public to respect closures and ensure they make sensible decisions to have safe experiences on the maunga.

“If it’s closed, there’s a very good reason it’s off-limits to the public – and we ask people to respect those closures.”

People can visit the DOC website pages for individual tracks for the latest updates. Website pages carry alerts on closures, detours or other information people need to be aware of.

Contact

MIL OSI

The White Ferns have clinched the T20 international series against South Africa with a game to spare, after a commanding six-wicket win in the fourth match in Wellington.

Batter Sophie Devine starred with a rapid innings of 64 off just 34 balls, as New Zealand chased down the 160-run target with nine balls remaining.

Devine blasted 10 boundaries, including four sixes, as the New Zealand women completed a record T20 run chase on home soil.

The veteran’s 23rd T20 half century drew praise from captain Melie Kerr for leading the way.

“Soph was outstanding and to win with more than an over to spare was outstanding,” Kerr said.

Batting first, South Africa scored 159/6 from 20 overs, with Annerie Dercksen setting up the significant total in a quickfire 55 runs off 32 balls.

Despite the Proteas’ powerful batting late in their innings, the Proteas were undoubtedly let down by a woeful effort in the field.

A series of dropped catches saw the White Ferns’ big guns, Devine and Kerr, let off the hook.

“When you give chances to batters like Devine, you are going to regret it,” South African captain Laura Wolvaardt said.

“We’re going to have to go back to the drawingboard, be better and have that World Cup in mind.”

New Zealand bowler Jess Kerr took a career-best 3/16 off her four overs in a player-of-the-match performance.

The final T20 of the five-game series is scheduled for Christchurch on Wednesday.

Follow the live action here:

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

It’s a conservation story unlike any other.

How did a high-profile crime that had the nation’s farmers up in arms and a visit to an out-of-the-way rubbish dump lead to the discovery of critically endangered native bats in a Northland forest?

The tale begins late one night in 2002, when Kawakawa farmer Paul McIntyre disturbed three men trying to steal a quad bike from his shed.

As the would-be thieves sped away, McIntyre fired a shot at their ute – he said he was aiming for the tyres – but hit Sam Hati in the neck instead, leaving him critically injured.

The two other offenders fled, leaving their injured cousin behind.

Among the police officers who responded that night was Senior Constable Wayne Mills, then the officer in charge at Paihia station.

Mills was guarding a cordon on Oromahoe Road, a winding, unsealed road that runs through the middle of Ōpua Forest.

“I was on the roadside in the forest and I was standing outside my car, and that’s when I heard some noises, which were unusual,” he said. “I couldn’t describe them now, but as I looked around, I could see these very small things darting around the trees.”

Mills was flummoxed at first.

“It was the early hours of the morning, but you could see them flapping around. I wasn’t aware that there were bats up here, but I didn’t think that what I was seeing or hearing was birds, and that’s why I thought, ‘What else could it be?’

Then I thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s bats’.”

Mills never reported what he saw, but he did tell a few mates.

Years later, the story finally reached the ears of Brad Windust, a founder of local conservation group Bay Bush Action.

Windust heard the tale in the most unlikely place – Whangae Transfer Station, near Kawakawa.

“I was at the dump one day and I was chatting away to the guy there, and he said to me, ‘Oh yeah, there’s bats in Ōpua Forest. A policeman was here once and he told me there’d been a shooting, where a farmer had shot an intruder, and he was waiting to see if there were any other intruders trying to make a getaway’.

“‘Then he had the strangest thing happen, he’s sure he saw little bats flying around him’.”

That casual chat at the dump was a revelation for Windust.

“I was just absolutely thrilled to hear it, because we’d been doing pest control in Ōpua Forest for years and we didn’t know these critically endangered bats were in there.”

The tale had grown during the intervening years – in the version Windust heard, the bats were flapping around the police officer who, alarmed by the mysterious creatures, had his hand firmly on his gun.

Mills said the story had been embellished over time, but the bats did leave a lasting impression on him.

By then, a decade had passed since Mill’s sighting and Windust feared Ōpua Forest’s bats may have become extinct.

“We got some bat recording devices and we put them up where the cop car had been sitting. After two weeks of recording, we picked up one bat flying past, so we knew they were still there.”

Since then, Windust said, Bay Bush Action had rolled out multi-species pest control to all 1700 hectares of Ōpua Forest, greatly reducing the numbers of rats, feral cats and stoats that were the bats’ greatest threats.

Right now, a band of volunteers, with support from DOC, was installing bat detectors throughout the forest to find out if the bats had managed to survive – and hopefully multiply.

Windust said the survey was concentrating on the edges of wetlands, where long-tailed bats, or pekapeka-tou-roa, like to feed.

He described New Zealand’s native bats as “absolutely incredible”.

“They’ve evolved on these islands for millions of years and they’re tiny. They’ve got long fur to keep them warm when they’re hibernating in the winter.

“They’re incredible fliers. They fly like a swallow, catching their prey on the wing.”

Windust said bats used sonar to find insects, sending out 100-200 clicks a second and listening for the rebound to locate their prey.

He said the short-tailed bat was “like a Transformer”, able to fold up its wings and turn them into an extra set of legs to walk around the forest floor.

Native bats had just one pup a year, which made them highly vulnerable to introduced pests, as did their habit of roosting in the hollows of old puriri trees or northern rata.

Forest and Bird Northland conservation manager Dean Baigent-Mercer said bats were New Zealand’s only native land mammals.

“They used to be very common from the 1800s back into time, but as soon as the mammalian pests came and people started chopping down native forests, they disappeared really rapidly. What is left now is the last of the last.”

Baigent-Mercer said one of the three species of native bat was already extinct.

“The other two are very, very rare now and we’re lucky enough to find them popping up in all sorts of places, but in very low numbers. They are critically threatened with extinction.”

That would be a tragedy, Baigent-Mercer said.

“They’re just wonderful creatures and part of the whole diversity that was here before humans came. They give us a view into the past, but also what the future could be.”

The two surviving species differed in size, the length of their tails and their feeding habits.

“Long-tailed bats are insectivorous and they’ll fly up to 20km from their roosts. They dart out at dusk and go along streams, and eat mosquitoes and moths and whatnot.

“The short-tailed bats have really large communal roosts and also eat nectar. They’ll fly down to the ground and walk along on their elbows, feeding on a parasitic flowering plant called dactylantus.”

Baigent-Mercer said bats clung on in small numbers around the country, from the slopes of Mt Ruapehu to Henderson on the edge of Auckland city.

In Northland, they were known to survive at Omahuta, Herekino and Maungataniwha, among other places.

If you were wondering what happened to the farmer Paul McIntyre, he was charged with shooting and injuring Sam Hati with reckless disregard for the safety of others.

He was found not guilty in a jury trial at Kaikohe District Court.

In a separate retrial, he was also found not guilty of a lesser charge laid under the Arms Act.

Upset that McIntyre had been charged for what they saw as an attempt to protect his property, Northland farmers raised more than $20,000 to help cover his legal costs.

Moerewa man Sam Hati pleaded guilty to theft and possession of a firearm without a licence, and was sentenced to 250 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.

Hati told the court the incident had changed his life and he had vowed to steer away from crime.

The judge said he would have gone to jail, had it not been for his life-threatening injuries.

He died of an unrelated medical issue five years later, according to a report in the Northern Advocate.

Co-offenders Raymond and Ned Brown were sentenced to six months’ jail and 150 hours’ community work respectively.

As for former police officer Wayne Mills, he said he was stoked to play a part in the discovery of a rare species.

“I think it’s awesome, just awesome,” he said.

The results of the Ōpua Forest’s first-ever formal bat survey will be known in the next 2-3 weeks.

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

12 March 2026 – Blake Hornblow

During my first night on Auckland Island, I wake to the sound of my tent fly trying to take flight, 50 knot winds battering it in relentless gusts. As the flapping subsides, I hear a loud cry somewhere in the dark outside the tent—a female sea lion calling for her pup. Still half-asleep, I reach for my headtorch—only for my hand to plunge straight into a pool of water surrounding my sleeping mat.

Naturally. It appears that some of the 40 mm of rain overnight has decided to drain directly into my tent.

In that moment I realise one thing: Auckland Island doesn’t do gentle introductions.

As I emerge from the tent and stand amongst the wind beaten rātā trees I think to our mission here for the next six weeks. I have been dreaming of working on this island for years, driven by the chance to contribute to the Maukahuka Auckland Island Restoration programme — an ambitious effort to remove feral pigs, feral cats, and mice from this wild subantarctic island, so that the multitude of endemic flora and fauna can once again thrive. Now I’m finally here.

While here, our team of four will be living some 500 km south of New Zealand’s mainland at a remote field base called Camp Cove, tucked into the bottom of Auckland Island. Camp Cove has hosted people before: first, on 7 February 1905, it was here that the castaways of the Anjou found shelter after their ship struck rocks on the western cliffs two days before.

When we first arrived on the SV Evohe we worked not far from where the Anjou wrecked at Bristow Point on the western cliffs. The scale of these cliffs is immense. While looking at them I found it hard to imagine, not only surviving a shipwreck here but also the challenge that lies ahead to remove feral pigs, feral cats and mice that hunt for seabirds and megaherbs there. These cliffs hold some spectacular seabird species and some of the only albatross that still manage to breed on the main Auckland Island. Predation from feral pigs is a major problem so most of the remaining nests are now on steep, inaccessible ledges. White-capped mollymawk / Toroa and Light-mantled sooty albatross / Toroa pango still breed in a colony at South-west Cape.

I had the privilege of mapping the extent of the colony using a drone. Flying from nearby cliffs it was breathtaking to see the island alive with such impressive birds. Once the island is pest-free we hope to see a return of these birds to other parts of the island.

The team saw a few lone Gibson’s Albatross sitting on failed nests, tucked among the tall, wind-swept tussocks. Nearby, the ground was torn up by feral pig rooting. Here on Auckland Island, feral pigs and feral cats make it almost impossible for these birds to successfully breed. These albatrosses are made for the open ocean — they spend most of the year gliding over the Southern Ocean, sometimes circling the globe — but they still need a safe refuge to return to when it’s time to nest. This subantarctic island, just a speck in the South Pacific, could once again become that haven for them and so many other species.

For those of us without a three-metre wingspan, getting to the Auckland Islands isn’t quite so simple. With no airport within hundreds of kilometres, our only option was the sea — a 48-hour voyage from Bluff aboard the 25-metre sailing yacht Evohe. She and her crew know these waters better than most, having ferried conservationists south for nearly three decades. Rolling over five-metre waves for two days gives you plenty of time to appreciate just how remote this place is, and just how determined you must be to reach it.

Now the boat has left us, and my flooded tent is a stark reminder of how far I am from home. I start to ferry my damp sleeping bag into the shelter of our base tent and reflect how Maukahuka is more than just a project — it’s a world-first effort by DOC and Ngāi Tahu to remove feral pigs, feral cats, and mice from Auckland Island and restore the mana of this subantarctic World Heritage site. By returning 46,000 ha of wilderness to its natural state, we’re safeguarding habitat for more than 500 native species. One of Earth’s last truly wild places. Maybe that’s worth a flooded tent or two.

What species would you love to see return to Auckland Island once it’s pest-free? To hear more from the field follow DOC’s Conservation Blog over the next six weeks. To learn more about the programme or to be part of this incredible endeavour follow the link below to donate.

Auckland Island/ Maukahuka | NZ Nature Fund

MIL OSI

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

Public transport is experiencing a boom, with commuters flooding onboard while fuel costs soar, and passenger numbers set to tumble.

Last week 91 octane petrol had risen 55 cents a litre since the beginning of the Iran war, with diesel up 90 cents in the same time, hitting personal and commercial budgets amid an existing cost-of-living crunch. And a string of commuters in the main centres told RNZ they were turning to public transport to help cut costs.

• $4 a litre 91 petrol is coming, but take care with data showing it’s here in main centres

Passengers numbers have grown for both buses and trains in Wellington, the Greater Wellington Regional council says.

Prior to this year, there had been a six percent decrease in public transport use year-on-year. But now, both the price of fuel and ongoing major traffic disruption from construction on Lower Hutt’s RiverLink project had turned that around.

It means the Wellington Region is expected to have its highest day ever for public transport use in the next couple of weeks.

• Watch: Seven weeks worth of fuel stocks in NZ – finance minister says

The steep trajectory of fuel costs meant the cost of driving 15 kilometres in Auckland reached nearly double the cost of taking public transport last week, Auckland Transport said – without parking costs factored in.

And the Auckland public transport uptick has already reached records, with Tuesday the busiest day since 2019, councillor Richard Hills said.

Passenger numbers were seven percent higher than the previous Tuesday, and had 7000 more trips than the previous busiest day.

“It’s great to see more people choosing public transport and trying it out,” Hills said.

Wellington public transport challenges levelling as demand increases

Wellington “has had a hard road for public transport patronage over the last couple of years”, said the regional council’s transport committee chairperson Ros Connolly.

“We’ve had a number of headwinds, you know. We’ve had working from home, we’ve had quite high numbers of unemployment in the Wellington region, and the cost of living has all meant that our public transport numbers haven’t been as high as we would have liked them to be. So year-on-year we’ve had about a 6 percent year-on-year decrease.

But in recent weeks, “that number has absolutely turned around,” she said.

“We’ve definitely seen the impact of higher fuel prices on people’s transport decisions …So unlike Auckland, we haven’t quite topped our highest day since 2019, but we can say we are getting close, and we’re confident that in the next fortnight, if things continue to track the way they have, that we will see Wellington experience that record number.”

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

One person has been seriously injured, after an explosion in the engine compartment of a steam train at Glenbrook Vintage Railway.

Fire and Emergency sent four trucks to the vintage railway station between Glenbrook and Waiuku in southern Auckland just before 4pm.

A spokesperson said, when firefighters arrived, the blaze was contained inside the engine compartment of the locomotive.

St John Ambulance took one person to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition.

– more to come

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

Revenge served.

The Crusaders dished up a vengeful performance against Moana in Albany, to all but banish memories of their loss to the side at home in 2025.

“They stung us deeply last year,” said coach Rob Penney.

“I wouldn’t say revenge, but it was certainly something that we were well aware of, there was a lot more physical presence about us this year compared with last year.”

The defeat was buried in ruthless fashion, the Crusaders putting fifty on the proud franchise in their first appearance on the North Shore for the year.

After a lacklustre effort from a Will Jordan-less Crusaders against the Blues, Penney threw the challenge down to his backs to take the pressure off their superstar fullback.

Step up Sevu Reece, Chay Fihaki, Braydon Ennor and Leicester Faingaʻanuku.

The quartet were lethal with ball in hand alongside Jordan, combining for five scorching tries and some scintillating running rugby.

“You start rattling those names off, and how blessed are we with the talent that we’ve got? We’ve just got to keep supplying the opportunities. The ability for us to have multiple threats across the park is such a key for us, we’ve got the cattle.”

Penney worried too much reliance was being put on their superstar fullback, who was also handed captaincy duties for the clash with David Havili sidelined.

“Will stepped in and took over that leadership role superbly. So really, we didn’t miss a beat.”

After a rough start to their campaign, both Jordan and Penney felt things were clicking for the defending champs.

“It’s nice to get back-to-back victories, we’re a dangerous side and I think there’s still growth for us.” Jordan said.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Cantabs, up by just three at half-time, before the floodgates burst open.

“The job was not fully done, we felt that was close towards the back end of the first half, and the boys just went to work in the second half, it was awesome,” said Penney.

Penney said his side was still far from the finished product.

“We still have a wee way to go. I think we’ve got a lot in us, and so I hope we have the ability to unleash further.”

A scary prospect for opposition sides.

“I hope so,” said Penney.

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

Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee today approved new changes to the city’s planning rules to better protect people and property from floods and other hazards, while focusing more new homes in safer, well-connected places near jobs and public transport. 

The decision sees the current planning requirements – called Plan Change 78 – withdrawn and replaced with a new plan change for Aucklanders to have their say on, through public submissions. 

The new plan change – Plan Change 120 – will introduce stronger rules to steer buildings away from high-risk areas for flooding, coastal erosion, and inundation. This includes more restrictive consenting rules for new builds and, in the worst affected areas, limiting development to single houses.  

Mayor Wayne Brown says today’s decision will future-proof Auckland.

“We need a physically and financially resilient future. This will allow us to downzone flood-prone land and build up in areas that make sense—like around transport corridors, walkable catchments, and where we have invested significantly in infrastructure, in water pipes, roads, and train lines. It’s really not rocket science.

“Today’s decision allows for a rational discussion on how and where we live, based on fact. The public will get to have their say through hearings, submissions and through their local representatives. I look forward to hearing the public debate,” says Mayor Brown.

Addressing flood and natural hazard risks

Councillor Richard Hills, chair of the Policy and Planning Committee, says the decision gives Auckland a simpler path to safer, better-connected housing choices while meeting government requirements for capacity. 

“In 2023, Auckland experienced one of its most significant natural disasters. The floods devastated our communities, causing billions of dollars of damage, and most shattering of all, loss of life.  

“Aucklanders are clear that they want stronger rules to limit development in high flood risk areas. We started seeking the legal ability to do this immediately after the 2023 floods, with law changes being made in August this year.

“Today’s decision lets us better protect people and property from flooding and other natural hazards more quickly than we could under Plan Change 78, while focusing more homes where housing demand and public transport access are highest.

“I encourage all Aucklanders to give their feedback and be part of shaping this proposal,” he says.  

Better access to existing infrastructure

Plan Change 120 will see the removal of blanket rules allowing three storey housing on most residential sites across Auckland. Instead, it focuses homes near town centres with easy access to jobs, services and fast, frequent public transport. This follows the council’s compact city approach.

“This proposal gives more people better access to transport infrastructure that all Aucklanders have paid for. With $5.5 billion invested in City Rail Link, trains will be running every few minutes carrying tens of thousands of passengers from next year – people should be able to live and work nearby. It helps get the best return on public investment.

“It’s not just about the number of homes, it’s about whether they are in locations that can meet people’s needs and make it easier to reach they services and facilities they use every day. Strong evidence shows Aucklanders want to live near jobs, public transport, shops, and services. That’s where housing demand is strongest.” says Cr Hills.  

The law behind Plan Change 78 did not allow the council to introduce more restrictive zoning in high-risk hazard areas or opt out of blanket rules allowing three-storey homes across Auckland – including areas with limited transport connections, until the law changed in August 2025.    

Plan Change 120 creates capacity for approximately two million homes, as did Plan Change 78, and as is required by central government. This does not mean two million homes will be built. Instead, it provides a wide choice of locations for homes, and housing types, to meet long-term market demands.

What changes under Plan Change 120?

Plan Change 120 will: 

• introduce stronger planning rules in high-risk flood and natural hazard areas, quickly and simply, reducing future risk to people and property. 
• remove blanket three-storey housing rules (known as the Medium Density Residential Standards) across almost every residential area across Auckland. 
• focus new homes around the city centre, town centres, rapid transit stops such as train stations and the Northern and Eastern Busways, and frequent bus routes. This includes the $5.5 billion investment in the City Rail Link. 
• meet government directions for increased building heights around five key Western Line stations: 15 storeys at Maungawhau, Kingsland and Morningside; and 10 storeys at Baldwin Avenue and Mt Albert stations. 
• give infrastructure providers a clearer picture of where growth is expected, compared to Plan Change 78. This helps them plan and prioritise future investment. 

What happens next? 

• By 10 October 2025: The council will write to the Minister for the Environment seeking approval to notify the new replacement plan change. 
• 30 October 2025: Public notification is expected, subject to the minister’s agreement. 
• 3 November to 19 December 2025: Public submissions are expected to open, subject to the minister’s agreement. 
• Following submissions, public hearings will be held by an Independent Hearings Panel. 

MIL OSI

Auckland’s Future Housing Plan – Proposed Plan Change 120 – makes important changes to Auckland’s planning rules, and there is discussion happening in communities across the city. 

The plan change strengthens the rules for building new homes in places at risk of flooding and other natural hazards while also meeting central government direction on housing capacity.   

It aims to better protect people and property, while enabling more new homes in well-connected areas near jobs, shops, services and fast, frequent public transport.

But some of the things being shared aren’t accurate, from forcing homeowners and tenants to relocate, new homes being built immediately to comparing Auckland to different situations in different cities.

Here are some quick questions and answers to help you understand what Proposed Plan Change 120 does – and what it doesn’t do.

Question: Does Plan Change 120 make people leave their homes?

Answer: No, it has nothing to do with relocating or moving people out of their homes. Plan Change 120 does not require anyone to leave their home or relocate – that is not how planning rules work. 

Instead, it strengthens rules for building in areas with known hazard risks, like flooding, so future buildings are more resilient or reduced in the most vulnerable areas, meaning people living in these areas are better protected. Existing homes remain and development will still happen but with tougher rules.

Question: Will the whole city be “blanketed” by higher-density homes indiscriminately?

Answer: No, taller buildings are only proposed in certain areas, mostly enabled near train stations, rapid busways (like the Northern Busway), frequent bus routes, and town centres where jobs, shops and services already exist.

These are locations where research shows public transport access and housing demand are strongest, and which help to support higher productivity across Auckland. 

Not every property will be developed that way. What gets built depends on what the market determines, property owner choices, and what can feasibly be built, not just planning rules. Development usually happens gradually, typically over many years and even in areas allowing taller buildings, there will still be a mix of housing types. 

Question: Has Plan Change 120 changed the floodplains? 

Answer: Auckland Council has continuously published information it has on flooding and other natural hazards – Plan Change 120 only introduces updated rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan that manage development in these areas.

Information on natural hazards change over time. This is due to changes in modelling inputs and assumptions, understanding of climate change and improved technology. In recent years new modelling has been undertaken to consistently reflect latest climate change information across the region.

The newer modelling has also been able show a greater level of detail about potential flooding risk than previously understood – for example, anticipated depths and velocities of floodwaters.

Question: Are homes being put into flood plains? 

Answer: Plan Change 120 allows residential development in flood plains in existing developed areas where the hazard is low, medium or high, as long as the risk can be maintained at or reduced to a tolerable level, for example through the provision of a safe evacuation route and a floor above the flood level.

Any new development will need to go through the resource consent process to determine its appropriateness against the relevant policy settings.

For sites that are constrained by very high flood hazard flooding, the zoning has changed to limit development to the Residential – Single House zone.

For all other sites, in some cases the zoning has changed to allow for additional intensification opportunities. However, the level of development that is suitable on those sites will be dependent on a site-specific assessment and the hazard conditions on site.

Question: Didn’t Christchurch push back on intensification, so Auckland should too?

Answer: No, Christchurch made significant changes to its planning rules to meet government’s intensification requirements.  

Christchurch only withdrew from some parts of the government’s housing intensification requirements because it could prove that its updated planning rules enabled enough housing capacity to meet what the legislation required – 30 years of capacity that has been shown to be commercially feasible to build. This is the legal test that applies to Christchurch. 

Auckland’s housing capacity requirement is completely different. The legal test for Auckland is that the new Plan Change 120 must enable at least the same amount of housing as the withdrawn Plan Change 78 (the previous plan change required by central government) would have enabled. 

Christchurch and Auckland are very different cities with different growth-related challenges, different legislation and their legal housing capacity requirements are not calculated in the same way.

Question: Isn’t housing capacity just a target and does leads to more choice?

Answer: No, housing capacity is not a building target, but it does provide more housing choices over time. Housing capacity required by Plan Change 120 is the theoretical number of homes that could be built if every suitable site across Auckland was fully developed to the maximum the rules allowed.

In reality, far fewer homes are built, even over many decades, and not every site will be developed. Plan Change 120 allows for the same housing capacity as the previous planning rules from central government called Plan Change 78. Capacity is not a construction target. Taking-up opportunities for development depends entirely on property owners and developers.

Capacity is set deliberately high, so developers and property owners have more choices in different locations and for different housing types. This flexibility helps to respond to changing market demands and helps improve affordability over the long term, which is supported by economic data and analysis. 

Question: Will I be forced to sell or develop my property?

Answer: No, nothing forces you to sell or develop. Property owners can continue to live in, sell, maintain, improve or redevelop their home as the planning rules allow, what happens with their property is entirely up to them. 

Plan Change 120 sets tougher standards for the future development of new homes or buildings, so they are more resilient, or to limit how much new housing can be built in areas most at risk from hazards like flooding to help reduce future risks to people and property.

There is no requirement to develop. It is entirely up to owners whether they want to sell, develop, or do nothing at all.

Question: Will my suburb change overnight with new buildings appearing?

Answer: No, Plan Change 120 doesn’t trigger immediate development. Planning rules only set out what’s allowed to be built, they do not require that homes get built or that development happens. Plan Change 120 simply enables where different types of housing could go in future. Not every property would be suitable for taller buildings. What actually gets built depends on property owners, what is determined by the market and other rules such as resource consents. 

Homes cannot be built at that speed anyway. When development does occur, it happens gradually, even over decades, and varies widely across neighbourhoods.

Question:  Won’t housing in expensive places still be unaffordable?

Answer: Allowing for more housing density can help make homes more affordable over time. For most homes, land is the biggest cost. Allowing more homes on one property spreads that cost, so each home can be more affordable than a single house on a full section. 

Areas near jobs, shops and transport are in high demand, which pushes up land values, so more homes in these areas provide more housing choices.

While homes won’t suddenly be “cheap,” more choices — like townhouses and apartments — give people more choice at different price points and creates competition in the market, helping ease price pressure over time.

What does Proposed Plan Change 120 do?

Here’s the simple version, plan change 120 proposes to:

• Strengthen rules for building new homes in areas at risk from flooding and other hazards, with the worst-affected areas mainly limited to single houses.
• Enable more homes within walking distances of the city centre, other town centres, train stations, stops on the northern and eastern busways and along some frequent bus routes.
•  Meet central government direction for significantly more housing capacity and taller buildings around key train stations to support investment in the City Rail Link.

This could mean:

• Better protection for people and property by strengthening the rules we already have, reducing exposure to hazards that are becoming more common with climate change.
• More new homes where it makes more sense, in well-connected places close to jobs, shops, and fast, frequent public transport – where demand for housing and transport access is strongest.
• More housing choices in more locations with easier access to everyday services and facilities.
• More transport choice, less congestion, and better access to game-changing infrastructure that all Aucklanders have paid for – helping to get the best return on billons of public investment.

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

An offender who became enraged during a meeting with his probation officer repeatedly stabbed the man in what has been described as the most serious attack on a probation officer in the country’s history.

The officer suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in the head and four times in the chest by Taylor Lara Broughton, who had taken a flick knife to the meeting.

After the initial attack, he continued trying to stab the officer, but the victim’s “valiant and determined resistance” saved his life, a judge said.

Broughton later claimed he stood by his actions.

Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA), a Corrections staff union, told NZME that probation officers’ work was inherently dangerous but they were not given the basic protections, training or resources needed

to keep them safe.

It was concerned for its Community Corrections members, saying that, despite the near-fatal attack, Corrections has largely failed to act on the union’s safety recommendations.

But Corrections said its review into the incident, and a wider review, identified what more it could do to provide safe work environments for Community Corrections staff, and it was in the process of implementing safety enhancements.

However, it said the risk of violence could not be eliminated entirely and noted assaults on the staff were rare.

A prior risk assessment of Broughton, who had no history of violence or aggression towards Corrections’ staff, considered him suitable to be alone with his probation officer.

While Broughton had a knife in his pocket, Corrections said it does not have the authority to use metal detectors or conduct body searches at its community sites.

Enraged offender pulled out flick knife

According to court documents released to NZME, Broughton was serving a sentence of intensive supervision for firearms and offensive weapons offending when he met with his probation officer at Community Corrections in Whanganui

on 9 April, 2025.

That morning, the pair were wrapping up their appointment when, without warning, Broughton became enraged because the officer would not let him sign a document and keep a copy.

He waited until the officer turned and was distracted with paperwork before, “in a swift action”, he took the flick knife from his pocket and swung it at the victim, causing a deep cut to the side of his head.

A scuffle ensued, during which Broughton stabbed the probation officer in the chest four times as the officer tried to fight him off.

As they fell to the ground, Broughton continued trying to stab him but was prevented from doing so.

Other staff members intervened and Broughton was subdued and restrained until police arrived.

The officer was hospitalised for treatment of the stab wounds, a fractured rib and a small bleed in his lung.

Meanwhile, Broughton told police he became angry because he was unable to keep the document, which he said he was normally allowed to do.

He said he “stands by [his] actions”.

Broughton was sentenced in the Whanganui District Court in January this year for the attack.

‘Most serious assault ever’

At the hearing, Judge Bruce Davidson said the officer’s injuries were initially life-threatening, with one wound close to his heart and another near a vital artery. The injury to the head caused a small skull chip.

“This attack is said to be the most serious assault ever on a probation officer in New Zealand,” Judge Davidson said, according to his sentencing notes.

The judge said there was nothing to suggest Broughton had any obvious angst with the probation officer, “who was doing his level best to assist with [Broughton’s] rehabilitative pathway under the intensive supervision sentence”.

The victim was described as an experienced and skilled probation officer who, the judge said, had tried hard to defend himself.

“Your attack was sudden, swift and lethal and most likely it was only the valiant and determined resistance of your victim that saved his life,” Judge Davidson told Broughton at the hearing.

Since the attack, the officer has suffered ongoing concussion, headaches, fatigue and an inability to concentrate.

“The effects for him have been profound, physically, psychologically and emotionally,” the judge said.

“These effects have flowed on to his immediate family, whānau and work colleagues. Only now, some nine months later, he is on a return-to-work plan.”

At sentencing, the Crown proposed 11 years’ imprisonment as an appropriate starting point, submitting that Broughton lacked remorse and insight and that there were barriers to treatment given his failure to engage with the intensive

supervision sentence.

But the defence suggested a starting point of seven years and six months, submitting the attack was brief and something had “triggered [Broughton’s] rage”. His deteriorating mental health and personal background were justifiable

mitigating factors, his counsel said.

Judge Davidson said the writer of Broughton’s presentence report was rightly “deeply troubled” that Broughton had armed himself before attending the appointment, and by his “rather casual, if not nonchalant” attitude towards weapons

and violence.

The judge described the attack as extreme, sudden and unprovoked. He said it was premeditated and the injuries had a significant and profound effect.

However, he had also watched CCTV footage of the incident and described it as brief, lasting about 20 seconds.

For that reason, the judge stopped short of the Crown’s suggested starting point and instead adopted one of nine years and six months.

He then applied an uplift for offending committed while Broughton was serving a sentence and noted his prior firearms and weapons convictions.

Broughton was given credit for his guilty plea, mental health and the causal link between his “violent and traumatic” upbringing and his offending.

His final sentence on the charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was six years and three months’ imprisonment.

Probation officers’ safety under the spotlight

This week, PSA national secretary Duane Leo told NZME that Community Corrections staff manage a population that is by nature “volatile, violent, and anti-authority”.

He described the work undertaken as “fundamentally unsafe and dangerous”.

“Yet staff receive minimal training in how to respond to violence and aggression and what training is provided is regarded by PSA members as completely ill-matched to the risks they face every day,” Leo said.

He said PSA members say they see no difference in their health and safety at work a year on from the stabbing.

“Offenders may come into offices affected by methamphetamine or other substances and there is no weapons detection before they enter a room with their probation officer.”

The PSA has been explicit in its demands to Corrections since the stabbing over what is required to ensure probation officers are kept safe at work, Leo said, adding that very few recommendations have been supported by Corrections.

The urgent requests included body-worn duress alarms, GPS monitoring of staff, professional supervision, especially when managing violent offenders and sex offenders, information-sharing with police, and pay in accordance with the

risks they face, which their colleagues working in prisons receive.

Leo said the government must properly resource Community Corrections to support rehabilitation, while Corrections must ensure public and staff safety.

Brigid Kean, Corrections’ acting director, communities, partnerships and pathways, said keeping staff safe was the top priority and any violence directed towards them was completely unacceptable.

Safety processes were in place at all Community Corrections sites around the country, including Whanganui, she said.

This included staff training on de-escalation and keeping safe at work, physical security features, CCTV and technological security features enabling staff to call for urgent assistance.

Kean said for security reasons, she could not detail all the security measures in place.

She said Corrections’ review following the stabbing identified more than 40 “appropriate steps to deliver effective enhancements to safety”, of which it had started implementing more than half.

A start would be made on the remainder over the next two years, she said.

However, the PSA said that of the actions Corrections had already begun implementing, only one had been completed as of February 27. Nine were in progress, seven were in the planning stage and three had not yet started.

-This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.

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

A technical fault has halted sailings on a Cook Strait ferry this weekend, disrupting travel between Wellington and Picton.

Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries said a fault was identified on board the Connemara on Saturday morning.

The ferry will remain in port while the issue is investigated and repaired.

As a result, multiple sailings between Wellington and Picton have been cancelled on Saturday and Sunday.

Cancelled sailings include the 8.15am Wellington to Picton service on both days, as well as Picton to Wellington sailings scheduled for 2.30am and 2pm on Saturday, and 2pm on Sunday.

Bluebridge said affected passengers were being contacted by email and text message.

However, the company warned there were limited options available to rebook passengers on alternative sailings.

Standby lists will be available at both ports for affected customers hoping to travel on later sailings.

Customers could change their booking online or contact Bluebridge’s customer service team, although the company said its call centre was experiencing very high call volumes.

Sailings on the Connemara were also cancelled earlier this month due to a separate technical fault.

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It’s likely 91 octane petrol will hit $4 a litre before long, but take care with Gaspy data showing it’s already there.

Gaspy spokesperson Mike Newton said while 91 was near that level in the more remote parts of the country or difficult to access stations, people marking empty petrol stations with a $4 price could be skewing the data in more central areas.

He said people were marking the price high so those stations moved to the bottom of the list.

There have been reports on the app of 91 hitting $4 in parts of Auckland, but the stations themselves said it was still selling at $3.29.

However Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said based on current spot prices, the price at the pumps could be significantly higher: “When you look at the current spot price for refined product in Singapore and Korea, that’s roughly equivalent to $3.80.”

There were already signs people were driving less than normal, he said.

Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said a $4 per litre 91 price was looking much more likely.

Both Kiernan and Eaqub said the most pressing concern was what would happen when supply was disrupted, which may be in about five weeks’ time.

“There’s been so much disruption, it’s really that lack of supply, the feedstock into the refineries, that’s the big concern at the moment,” Eaqub said.

“Things are still on the way. It’s going to be the next lot of ships, because the ships from Hormuz have arrived in Korea and Singapore now, so there is no more new feedstock going in… that’s why we need to keep watching the ships that are sailing from Singapore and Korea for the next little while.”

He said it was likely to hit a crunch in May or June.

Diesel shortages were more of a concern, he said. “There’s disruption in fuel supplies, diesel supplies in the provinces already. It’s the unpredictability of it, because most of the logistics sector relies on contracts with preferred suppliers and they expect to be able to pull in and fill up.

“When they can’t it puts the whole network under pressure. That’s why I think it’s so important for us to have some kind of logistics strategy and coordination framework. The ports, the fuel companies and the logistics sectors need to figure out how to consolidate load. Even if there are not physical shortages in total we might not have enough diesel in the right places.”

He said if petrol was low in places people might not be able to get to work. “You run out of diesel on a truck, you’ve got a whole container, two containers full or couple of truckloads of animals stranded in the middle of nowhere… it’s much worse in terms of consequences.

“Individually, it’s bad when you get stuck out of petrol, but diesel is literally the lifeblood of the economy.”

Even if a ceasefire was announced now, and stock began to flow freely again, there would still be a period of disrupted flow.

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Emergency services are responding to a boat explosion in Tauranga.

Police said they were called to the scene at the marina about 1.35pm.

One person suffered moderate injuries, police said.

Fire and Emergency said it heard from “another emergency service” that there was a fire on a boat, but there was only “a little bit of smoke”.

St John confirmed it had sent two ambulances and a manager.

“Our crews assessed and treated one patient who was transported in a moderate condition to Tauranga hospital.”

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Emergency services are responding to a boat explosion in Tauranga.

Police said they were called to the scene at the marina about 1.35pm.

One person suffered moderate injuries, police said.

Fire and Emergency said it heard from “another emergency service” that there was a fire on a boat, but there was only “a little bit of smoke”.

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The Automobile Association (AA) is warning against panic buying or stockpiling fuel, saying large quantities may impact house insurance claims.

Several Gull, Foodstuffs, and Tasman Fuels stations ran out of petrol and diesel on Thursday and Friday, as the crisis deepened in the Middle East.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Friday told Morning Report the price increases were extremely tough and affecting all New Zealanders.

Willis said she did not want to see a situation where people could not drive to work, and instructed IRD and Treasury to come up with a package that could be implemented with urgency ahead of the Budget.

AA principal policy adviser Terry Collins told RNZ the government had been “very clear” the country had enough fuel.

“Occasionally you’ll see a service station that runs dry. That’s usually because they’re offering a good deal.”

Changes to consumer demand in response to rising prices meant the usual fuel deliveries were not always able to keep up, he said.

“We’ve had a rush on some of those service stations, they’ve run dry. It doesn’t mean we’re running out of fuel. It just means that that filling up regime has been interrupted.”

It was dangerous to store large quantities of fuel in residential homes – even in jerry cans, Collins said.

“Even though the cans are suitable for it, the danger that occurs is if you’ve got a large quantity and it’s attributed to some damage or a fire, then you may have some insurance problems.”

Insurance providers would not expect people to have large quantities of fuel at their homes, he said.

“It’s ok to have those cans for your chainsaw, your lawnmower, your motorbike or boat … but large quantities of fuel is just not recommended.”

How to save on fuel

Collins said there were two ways to save at the pump: finding the cheapest fuel, and maximising efficiency.

“We have a fuel standard. It’s nearly all the same. You will never notice the impact between different brands.

“Once you’ve got it, it’s how you use it. So simple tips about anticipating traffic, keeping gaps in front of you with the other cars … make sure your tyre pressure is all correct.”

“And generally, if you’re travelling places, put all your trips together this weekend.”

‘Another nail in the coffin’

Grey Power president Gayle Chambers said she was concerned rising petrol costs could lead to social isolation for older people.

“Many people, they’ll go out for coffee, or go to the likes of Senior Citizens in their car. If the petrol goes up too much more, they’re going to find that they’re going to have to restrict themselves as to where they go and how often they go.

She acknowledged if restrictions were brought in, that would be hard for everyone, but for the elderly it would be “just another nail in the coffin”.

Older people were likely to be worse affected because many were on restricted budgets.

“It makes it pretty hard. It’s mentally hard on people, as well as anything else,” Chambers said.

Isolated island communities hit hard

Chatham Island council held a meeting Friday to try to come up with a way to soften the blow for the isolated community which has seen diesel prices jump by more than $1.

Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust chief executive and council interim chief executive Bob Penter said diesel was at $2.29 per litre and petrol at $4.50 per litre before the conflict in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, on Waiheke Island, petrol prices on Friday were sitting close to $4 and the main Waiheke ferry was making some timetable changes to accommodate increasing fuel costs.

Great Barrier Islanders were also expecting access to the mainland will reduce if fuel continues to rise.

Local Board member Izzy Fordham Friday said their prices were slightly more than the rest of Aotearoa. At her local $4.17 a litre for petrol and $3.76 for diesel.

Fuel efficient rail

A rail advocate told RNZ a return to the rail network of the past could help deal with the fuel problems of the future.

The Future is Rail’s Paul Callister said if the country had electrified trains between the major cities, the fuel crisis would be less of a problem.

“We know that rail is very energy efficient, has hardly any emissions – even diesel trains pulling freight trains or passenger trains are very light on the use of fuel.”

Some of the billions of dollars being spent on Roads of National Significance could instead be spent on rail, he added.

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