Northland News – Public help sought to find ‘Mickey Mouse’ plant in gardens

August 26, 2025

Source: Northland Regional Council

Biosecurity experts are asking for the public’s help to identify the locations of an invasive plant hiding in gardens around Kerikeri, Opua and Mangonui and in other Far North areas.

Mickey Mouse plant (Ochna serrulata) is an issue because it can form dense monocultures that prevent regeneration of native species, and it grows and reproduces prolifically in Northland’s mild climate.

Joanna Barr, Northland Regional Council’s Biosecurity Manager – Pest Plants, says Mickey Mouse plant was originally introduced and shared as a garden plant in New Zealand.

It is currently primarily found in urban gardens and unmanaged/disturbed areas, but it is spreading. “Its berries are inedible to humans but are very attractive to birds which spread the plants a considerable distance.”

She says now is a good time for people to be on the lookout for it as it comes into flower in spring and then starts to set its unusual looking fruit in November/December.

It has yellow buttercup-like flowers that are followed by distinctive red and black fruiting bodies.

These fruiting bodies are what give the plant its name because they resemble the face of Mickey Mouse, with black berry-like fruits perched on a red base. These are surrounded by what look like red petals.

Ms Barr says council’s Biosecurity team would like assistance from Far North residents in identifying possible locations of the plant, especially in the Kerikeri, Opua and Mangonui areas.

“These observations will help us determine the distribution of Mickey Mouse plant and help us in our battle to control this plant’s spread.”

Mickey Mouse plant is a shade tolerant shrub that is usually 1-2m tall. It has elongated oval leaves that are 13-50mm long and have finely-toothed margins. It has pimply-textured bark.

Ms Barr says anyone who thinks they have seen a Mickey Mouse plant should contact the Northland Regional Council’s biosecurity team on (0800) 002 004.

“We will have a Biosecurity Officer come out and check the site and if Mickey Mouse plants are found, will undertake control at no cost to the landowner.”

Mickey Mouse plant has a deep tap root which makes it almost impossible to remove manually, and it will often re-sprout if not controlled correctly.

“Please do not try and pull them out yourself or mulch them because this could spread the seeds.”

Ms Barr says one good feature about the plant is that it does not have long lived seed, which is a big advantage in eradicating it from a site.

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Wheeling and dealing lands trio in Police hands

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Two-wheelers were the target for thieves in West Auckland last night with arrests made in two separate incidents.

Just after 5pm, Police observed a pair on a moped weaving through traffic in Titirangi.

Upon closer inspection officers realised the moped was wanted in relation to a previous incident and Eagle was called in to assist in tracking it until it was abandoned in an underground carpark.

“One person was taken into custody without incident and we are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the second person,” Waitematā West Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Kelly Farrant says.

Less than an hour later, Police were called by a member of the public who could see people inside their Glen Eden property.

Inspector Farrant, says the alleged offenders stole two electric bikes from the Panzic Place address before fleeing in a vehicle.

“The Police Dog Unit was quickly on the scent and located the vehicle travelling through Glen Eden where it was stopped.

“Two people, both with warrants to arrest, were quickly taken into custody and the bikes were found at a nearby property and returned to their owner.

“We take burglary and theft incidents seriously, if you see something suspicious please call 111 immediately.”

To report a crime after it has happened, contact Police on 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

A 34-year-old man will appear in Waitākere District Court today charged with burglary and possession of an offensive weapon.

A woman, 34, was also charged with burglary and will appear in Waitākere District Court today.

Another person has been referred to Youth Aid Services.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

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EIT at the heart of international graduates’ love story

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

4 minutes ago

When Yimeng Cao (Yee) and Han Hao (Hans) first met at EIT in 2019, neither imagined it would one day lead to a wedding.

The two international students had both been living in Qingdao, a major coastal city in China’s Shandong Province, before moving individually to Hawke’s Bay through articulation agreements between EIT and their universities. Hans studied at Binzhou Medical University in Yantai and arrived at EIT in 2017, while Yee moved a year later after studying at Qilu University of Technology in Jinan.

The pair first crossed paths in 2019 when Hans, already enrolled in the Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science, was asked to share his experience with new students, including Yee, who had just begun her English language preparation programme.

The two stayed in touch casually, adding each other on WeChat but continuing on separate paths. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science graduates Yimeng Cao (Yee) and Han Hao (Hans) with School of Viticulture and Wine Science Programme Coordinator Cryn Russell (left) and Head of School Sue Blackmore (right).

“I returned to China at the end of 2019 for the holidays, but because of COVID-19 I couldn’t return to New Zealand for a year and a half,” said Hans

While he was stuck in China, Hans was able to continue studying his theoretical courses via distance but needed to complete the practical courses in-person when he returned to New Zealand.

This delay in Hans’ studies brought the two into the same class, and eventually into each other’s lives in a more meaningful way.

“We became classmates, we studied together, we laughed together,” Hans said.

By mid-2021, just as they started dating, Yee moved to Auckland to study a master’s degree in food engineering. Within two weeks, Hans made the decision to join her and worked at Babich Wines.

The couple married in China at the end of last year and now live there. They returned to Hawke’s Bay this year as part of their honeymoon, taking the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, visit the campus, and reflect on where their journey together began.

“EIT is the most important part of our love story. It means a lot to us, so we had to return,” Hans said. “We even went to see the vineyard and the winery again. It brought back a lot of memories.”

They now work together in Yee’s family business in the flame-retardant chemical industry, although Hans says he is still passionate about returning to the wine world in the future.

Both have fond memories of their time at EIT, not just for how it brought them together but for the learning itself.

“I wanted to study wine, and EIT gave me a great opportunity to learn and grow,” Yee said.

“The courses were very practical,” Hans said. “We worked in the winery and made real wine. We also really liked the lecturers. They supported us and made the learning feel personal. That experience helped me a lot when I later worked at a winery in China.”

Dr Cryn Russell, School of Viticulture and Wine Science Programme Coordinator, said: “I first met Yee and Hans at their respective universities in China, both were excited and nervous about travelling to New Zealand to begin studies at EIT”.

“As educators, we often speak of learning journeys and sometimes those journeys lead to something even more life changing. Watching Yee and Hans grow academically and personally, and seeing their paths intertwine at EIT, reminds us that education doesn’t just shape a career, it can shape lives.”

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Energy Minister to attend APEC Energy Meeting

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Energy Minister Simon Watts will travel to Busan, the Republic of Korea, to join leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region at the 15^th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Ministers Meeting.

“Energy security and affordability are my bottom lines as Minister for Energy. International collaboration is crucial for achieving these goals, and I look forward to contributing to discussions on how we can build more resilient, secure, and sustainable energy systems in the region and harness energy innovation,” Mr Watts says.

“Korea’s theme for APEC 2025 – Building a Sustainable Tomorrow – is incredibly relevant for New Zealand as we deal with our own energy security and affordability challenges on our path to doubling renewable energy by 2050.

“The meeting is an important chance to connect with many of my counterparts and build momentum behind the region’s shared energy goals. In particular I intend to engage with colleagues from the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea while offshore.”

Key topics of discussion include electricity expansion for a secure supply, strengthening grid security and reliability, and AI-driven energy innovation.

Mr Watts is attending the conference from Tuesday through Thursday.

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Social Investment Fund open to change lives

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Social service providers now have a new opportunity to change lives, with the opening of the Social Investment Fund this week, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.

The agency has also identified priority groups for the first round of the fund as children with highly challenging parental or schooling situations, specifically:

Children with parents who are, or have recently been, in jail
Children of parents who experienced the care system, and
Children who have been stood down or suspended from
school before age 13

“Data and evidence – which underpins the social investment approach – shows children who fall into those groups are most likely to experience poor outcomes and require costly government support throughout their lives.

“It also shows us that intervening earlier in their lives helps not just them, but also the country as they make better contributions as citizens, saving the taxpayer in the process.

“The Social Investment Fund is designed to improve outcomes for families, individuals and communities by investing in what actually works, and to give organisations that know those communities best the freedom to get on and do what they do best.

“The Fund enables the Government to invest earlier, smarter, and with a much more transparent measurement of the impact those interventions have for the people they’re designed to help.”

The Fund has $190 million over four years in Budget 2025 for those carefully targeted investments.

Notes to editors:

More information on criteria, specifics of applying and reporting requirements can be found here.
Social Investment Fund FAQs can be found here.
Three projects were identified at Budget 2025 to demonstrate social investment in practice. They are: Autism NZ, Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa and He Piringa Whare’s Te Tihi o Ruahine.

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Pacific Healthy Homes initiative delivers for families

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The Pacific Healthy Homes Initiative has already helped over 300 Pacific households with warmer, drier homes, and the Government is extending it, Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.

Since July 2024, the initiative has built on the Healthy Homes and Warmer Kiwi Homes programmes, with additional eligibility for older Pacific peoples with chronic health conditions.

Nearly $4 million has been invested so far, with an additional $1 million committed through to 30 June 2026.

Dr Reti says the programme is delivering real results:

Over 300 Pacific households supported in the past year
More than 5,200 interventions such as insulation, heating, and minor repairs
200 more households expected to benefit over the next year

“The Government is focused on improving the lives of Pacific families,” Dr Reti says.

“The Healthy Homes Initiative provides simple additions, like curtains, heat pumps, better ventilation, that keep a home warm and dry.

“By investing in healthy homes, we are reducing preventable illnesses, helping keep Pacific children and older people out of hospital and able to keep going to school, to work and be a part of their community.”

The initiative is delivered by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in partnership with local providers in South Auckland and Porirua.

“All new funding goes directly into homes, ensuring families receive the support they need to live healthier lives,” Dr Reti says.

The University of Otago is independently evaluating the programme to guide future investment in Pacific housing solutions.

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Kiwi Franchise Sector Looks to US Expansion Lessons as Local Brands Grow

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: Kiwi Franchise Sector Looks to US Expansion Lessons as Local Brands Grow

New Zealand’s franchise sector is drawing inspiration from Australian brands expanding into the US, with lessons on systemisation, investor confidence, and operational consistency highlighted at the International Franchise Expo in New York. Local companies like Candoo Crew are applying these insights to strengthen their domestic models, positioning service-based franchises for sustainable nationwide growth.

The post Kiwi Franchise Sector Looks to US Expansion Lessons as Local Brands Grow first appeared on PR.co.nz.

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Government Cuts – New data shows human misery of public sector cuts

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: PSA

New data revealing there are almost 30 people competing for each public sector job shows the human cost of the Government’s arbitrary cuts to the public service, says the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

Data from 75 public organisations shows there were almost 286,000 applications for 10,000 public service jobs in the first half of this year – a ratio of 28.5 applications per role, compared to just eight applications per role in 2023.

PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the figures expose the human cost of the Government’s arbitrary cuts to the public service.

“The numbers speak for themselves – competition for public sector jobs has more than tripled from eight applications per role in 2023 to almost 30 now. Real people who had more to give have been thrown on the scrapheap by a Government that made arbitrary 6.5 to 7.5 percent cuts across the board.

“Some large ministries dealt with thousands of applicants – the Ministry of Social Development alone had almost 20,000 applicants for 1,000 roles, while some agencies like Crown Law had 460 applications for just 13 roles.

“These cuts weren’t made because there was any identified need to reduce jobs or improve efficiency – they were made purely to pay for tax cuts including $3 billion for landlords. The human cost of those political priorities is now clear.

“This is a public service that is starting to crack under pressure as remaining staff struggle with increased workloads while their skilled colleagues who were providing essential services are now desperately seeking work, with many moving overseas.

“Among those cut were people modernising our IT systems to make our health system more responsive and efficient, and staff at the Department of Internal Affairs who keep our kids safe from online predators. These weren’t inefficiencies being trimmed – these were essential services being gutted.

“There is important work that needs to be done to support New Zealanders, and there are committed people ready and willing to do it. It makes no sense to have a public service under pressure while skilled people who were laid off are now struggling to find work.

“The Government needs to properly fund the public service to meet the needs of all New Zealanders,” Fitzsimons said.

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Palestine Forum of New Zealand Condemns Israel’s Killing of Palestinian Journalists in Gaza

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand strongly condemns the recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza that killed at least six Palestinian journalists, as they carried out their professional duty of documenting the ongoing assault on the Palestinian people.

The targeted attack on media workers near Al-Shifa Hospital follows a disturbing pattern of deliberate violence against Palestinian journalists, who have been systematically silenced for bearing witness to atrocities. According to international press freedom organisations, more than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, making this one of the deadliest conflicts for media workers in modern history.

“Journalists are not combatants. They are the eyes and ears of humanity,” said a spokesperson for the Forum. “Killing journalists is not only a violation of international law, it is an assault on truth itself. By silencing Palestinian voices, Israel seeks to erase evidence of its crimes and deny the world an honest account of what is happening in Gaza.”

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand calls on:

The New Zealand Government to urgently demand independent investigations into these killings and hold Israel accountable under international law.
The international community to ensure full and unrestricted access for foreign and local media to Gaza, in line with the recent Media Freedom Coalition statement supported by New Zealand.
All media outlets in Aotearoa, New Zealand, give prominence to the testimonies and reporting of Palestinian journalists, whose courage comes at the cost of their lives.

We stand in solidarity with the families of the martyred journalists and with all those in Gaza who continue to risk everything to make the truth known. Their voices will not be silenced.

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Events – Big wins and bigger spirit at inaugural Raine & Horne NZ conference

LiveNews Publisher

August 26, 2025

Source: Raine & Horne

Paul Billinghurst and Neville Ruske honoured with first-ever Max Raine Award in NZ.

Highlights

Raine & Horne New Zealand held its first standalone National Conference in Rotorua, uniting professionals from 60+ offices for two days of learning, networking, and inspiration.
Hosted by television personality Hilary Barry, the Gala Awards Night celebrated sales, property management, and franchise excellence, with a traditional Māori welcome and an atmosphere of pride and community spirit.
Raine & Horne Tauranga | Mt Maunganui | Katikati | Waihi | Waihi Beach won dual Top Office awards and directors Paul Billinghurst and Neville Ruske became the first NZ recipients of the prestigious Max Raine Award for leadership and entrepreneurship.Christchurch, NZ – 26 August 2025 – Raine & Horne has marked a major milestone in its New Zealand growth journey with the successful staging of its first-ever standalone National Conference, held at Rydges Rotorua on 12–13 August.

The event brought together real estate professionals from more than 60 offices nationwide for two days of inspiration, learning, and connection. Alongside keynote presentations from adventurer Kevin Biggar and psychologist Dr Paul Wood, five speakers from within the Raine & Horne network – ranging from high-performing sales agents to business owners – shared powerful and down-to-earth stories of on life, survival and success.

The program concluded with a spectacular Gala Awards Night hosted by television presenter Hilary Barry. Opening with a traditional Māori welcome, the evening celebrated excellence across sales, property management, and franchise categories.

Among the standout office winners was Raine & Horne Tauranga | Mt Maunganui | Katikati | Waihi | Waihi Beach, led by directors Paul Billinghurst and Neville Ruske of the NRG Group, which claimed dual honours as Top Office – Top Producer (GCI – Sales Dollar Value) and Top Office – Top Seller (Sales Units).

For the first time in New Zealand, the prestigious Max Raine Award for integrity, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit was jointly presented to Mr Billinghurst and Mr Ruske by Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne. The award commemorates Max Raine, who served as Chairman from 1973 to 2011 and was a pioneer of real estate franchising in Australasia.

In the individual sales categories, Bernadette Griffiths of Raine & Horne Mt Maunganui was crowned Top Salesperson – Top Producer (GCI – Sales Dollar Value), while Nicky Bax from Raine & Horne Thames took out Top Salesperson – Top Seller (Sales Units).

Christian O’Malley from Raine & Horne Cashmere secured first place in the Top Sales Value – Team or Individual category, and Rhonda Bradley of Raine & Horne Dargaville was recognised with the Sales Growth Award.

In the franchisee awards, Adrian Louttit of Raine & Horne Rangiora won Top Franchisee – Top Producer (GCI – Sales Dollar Value), with Tina Lawson and Nick McIsaac-Luke

from Raine & Horne Parklands taking the Top Franchisee – Top Seller (Sales Units) title. Rozie Khan from Raine & Horne Manukau was recognised with the Franchisee Growth Award.

James Shepherd, General Manager of Raine & Horne New Zealand, described the conference and gala awards night as a landmark moment for the Raine & Horne brand in New Zealand.

“Our first standalone national conference wasn’t just about business growth—it captured the camaraderie and unity that makes Raine & Horne unique in New Zealand,” Mr Shepherd said.

“The gala awards night was truly special, with the entire room cheering, clapping, and celebrating their peers who won awards. The atmosphere was one of genuine joy and community spirit.”

Mr Shepherd added, “What struck me most was the balance—there’s healthy competition driving our people to achieve more, but at the same time, a remarkable willingness to support and lift each other up. It’s an exciting time for our rapidly expanding network.”

2025 Gala Awards – other major winners

Auction Shield – Raine & Horne St Martins
Top Auction Lister– Rhys Chamberlain, Raine & Horne Alexandra | Cromwell
Brand Awareness Award– Lee Johns, Raine & Horne Timaru
Best New Talent – Salesperson – Renee Hayward, Raine & Horne Timaru
Outstanding Office Support – Lisa Lindsay, Raine & Horne Mt Maunganui
Outstanding PM Office– Raine & Horne Mt Maunganui
Outstanding Property Manager– Nicola Connor, Raine & Horne Mt Maunganui.

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