Man faces shoplifting charges after traffic stop

August 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

A prolific shoplifter faces court today after allegedly offending across the Auckland region for more than a year.

Communities staff sighted his vehicle travelling through Ōtara on Tuesday.

“The vehicle was of interest to Police in relation to a series of thefts from retailers, and our staff carried out a traffic stop,” Senior Sergeant Simon Cornish, of Counties Manukau East Police, says.

“On speaking with the driver, staff established that he was a priority national target for the NRISU.”

The 39-year-old man was arrested on the roadside.

“Police have laid 18 shoplifting charges against the man,” Senior Sergeant Cornish says.

“We will allege in court that he has offended at supermarkets, and other Auckland retailers, beginning in March 2024.

“The latest offending occurred at retailers in Pakuranga and Wairau Valley, just earlier this month.”

He will appear in the Manukau District Court today on his charges.

“I’d like to acknowledge our Ōtara team for their work on bringing about this result, which means the man can be held accountable for his behaviour in court,” Senior Sergeant Cornish says.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

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Emergency Responses – NEMA identifies what caused emergency alert issues during Kamchatka tsunami event

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

The National Emergency Management Agency says it has got to the bottom of the issues reported by the public during the Kamchatka tsunami event of 30-31 July, when NEMA issued Emergency Mobile Alerts to warn people of dangerous tsunami activity in coastal areas.

NEMA’s Director Civil Defence Emergency Management John Price says the systems that issued and transmitted the alerts worked well on the day – and that public safety was at the centre of the decision to issue alerts. He says NEMA has now identified why some people received multiple alerts, or no alerts at all.

John Price says these issues are largely down to how different mobile devices behave, and the decision to send the alerts only to cellphones in coastal locations.

“First of all, we know explanations are little consolation for those who were awoken by alerts in the middle of the night. We are very sorry that this happened, and we’re looking at ways to address this in future. However, we make no apologies for getting the message out to keep people safe.

“NEMA only issued two alerts – at 4.13pm on 30 July and 6.30am on 31 July – but some people received multiple alerts during the night. We’ve discovered this is likely related to overnight software updates and device settings.

“As for those who didn’t receive alerts – tsunami alerts are only sent to coastal areas, so if you were inland then we didn’t send you the message because you were not at risk.

“The good news is that there is no problem with the systems we use to send the messages. The alerts were effective in reaching the targeted coastal areas and getting the message out to stay away of the water while dangerous tsunami activity was happening.

“We sent alerts to over three million mobile devices around the country, and when you consider the sheer variety of makes, models, and software, it’s inevitable some variations will emerge at the receiver end.

“After every emergency, we debrief to identify what went well and what needs to improve. We’re working through this now to ensure we’re doing the best we can at keeping people safe from tsunami and other threats.”

John Price says over 30 countries have cell broadcast alerting systems similar to New Zealand’s, and they have proven effective in alerting the public to severe and urgent threats to life, health or property.

“Emergency Mobile Alerts reach nine in ten people, so is a really reliable and effective way to get the message out so people know what to do to stay safe.”

Q&A

Why did I get multiple alerts?

Firstly – we are very sorry to everyone who found this disruptive, especially those who got woken several times in the middle of the night. This was not the intention and there are a few possible explanations.

When your phone does an automatic software update overnight it reboots. If you turn your phone off and on again during an alert broadcast, you will get the alert again. So when your phone reboots after an update, you will get the alert a second time.
During the early morning hours, some devices refresh their network connections. This process may have cleared cached data, prompting your phone to give you the alert again. While your device should recognise that it has already received and displayed the alert, it appears that some devices are more conservative and elect to redisplay.
If you have multiple active Sims / eSims, you will get an alert for each Sim.
If your phone moved between 3G and 4G networks during the alert broadcast, you will get the alert again each time your phone connects to the new network. This can happen if you’re travelling into a poor coverage area, or if your phone drops in and out of networks.
Some phones have an optional alert reminder feature turned on. This can cause your phone to alarm repeatedly during the alert broadcast. If your phone does have this feature, you should be able to find it in your phone settings and turn it off.

As we don’t have any control over how individual devices behave, we can’t completely stop these issues from happening again – but we are looking at ways we can reduce their impact.

Why did I get the alert at a different time?

We issued the alerts at 4.13pm on 30 July – to warn that the dangerous tsunami activity would hit overnight – and on 6.30am the following morning – to warn that the activity was now hitting our shores. But we continued to transmit these alert broadcasts for several hours. This was so people entering the area later still got them.

You might have got an alert when commuting home at 5.30pm, or into work at 8am.

The most likely answer is that you were outside the coastal areas we sent the alert to. But then you entered the broadcast zone at a later time, triggering the alert on your phone.

So – if you took the 7am train from Upper Hutt to Wellington, you’d probably have received the alert around 7.20am as you entered Lower Hutt and into the coverage of the cell towers closer to the coast. Your fellow passengers may have received them at different times, depending on the location of their provider’s cell towers.

Or if your phone was off or in flight mode at the time the alert was sent, you would get the alert once your phone turned on or out of flight mode.

Why didn’t I get an alert?

Do you live in Hamilton? Palmerston North? Geraldine? Or perhaps an inland suburb of a coastal city? Then don’t worry – we never sent it to you.

Emergency Mobile Alerts are sent to zones that are geotargeted based on where the risk from the hazard is. We identify the cell towers from all three telecommunications companies in the hazard area, draw a shape around them, and send the message to the area inside that shape.

Tsunami only impact coastal areas, so we issue alerts to geotargeted locations that are forecast to be impacted by the tsunami waves. For the Kamchatka event, we issued alerts to all coastal parts of New Zealand – but not to inland communities.

Not inland? Check out our troubleshooting advice on why you might not have got an alert.

It’s important to remember that Emergency Mobile Alert is an extra channel to help keep you safe in an emergency. It does not replace other alerting systems or the need to take action after experiencing natural warning signs. Seek information from radio and other media, your local Civil Defence’s online channels, and trust your own danger sense if you experience natural warning signs such as a long or strong earthquake by the coast, or rising floodwaters.

Why did everyone in my house get the alert except me?

We get asked this a lot, and on the surface it must seem like something’s gone wrong. Usually there’s a straightforward explanation – you’re on the border of the geotargeted broadcast area.

The geotargeted areas aren’t a clean border. It dep

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Geology – Discovery of Hidden Faults Sheds Light on Mystery of ‘Slow Earthquakes’

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand

Discovery of Hidden Faults Sheds Light on Mystery of ‘Slow Earthquakes’ – “This is a major step forward in understanding the geological processes happening beneath our coastlines”

Scientists have uncovered a key piece of the puzzle behind the unusual ‘slow earthquakes’ occurring off the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

A new international study, published in Science Advances, identifies hidden fault structures called polygonal fault systems (PFSs) as a major influence on the behaviour of the northern Hikurangi subduction zone. These shallow geological features, found in sediments entering the subduction zone, appear to play a critical role in where and how slow slip earthquakes occur.

“This discovery helps explain why slow earthquakes occur where they do,” says Dr Philip Barnes, marine geologist at Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA) and co-author of the study. “It also shows that these events may be influenced by the reactivation of old fault structures that formed much closer to the surface than the present depths of the subduction zone.”

In the Hikurangi subduction zone, the Pacific Plate is diving beneath the Australian Plate. While the southern section of this zone remains locked and capable of producing massive earthquakes over magnitude 8, the northern part behaves differently. It regularly produces slow slip events, movements that unfold over days to months, releasing tectonic stress without sudden shaking.

“Slow slip events do not cause violent shaking themselves, but they can increase stress on nearby faults and may trigger more damaging earthquakes. Understanding what controls them is vital to improving earthquake and tsunami warnings.”

The international study was a collaboration between researchers from China, the US, and Earth Sciences New Zealand, using data from the International Ocean Discovery Program and the high-resolution three-dimensional NZ3D seismic survey conducted off Gisborne. Using high-resolution 3D seismic imaging, deep-sea drilling data from the International Ocean Discovery Program, and advanced computer modelling, the research team was able to map out PFSs in unprecedented detail and to evaluate their role in the subduction zone.

“These faults form over millions of years during sedimentation, long before and initially away from the subduction zone. But as the seafloor is dragged into the subduction zone during the convergence of the tectonic plates, they can be reactivated and evolve into major thrust faults. Our analysis also shows they provide important pathways for fluids, which play a major role in fault slip.”

This connection between fault structure and fluid migration offers new insight into one of the key processes thought to trigger slow earthquakes, says Dr Barnes. The study also confirms that these fault systems create a complex and variable structure along the megathrust, which can influence stress patterns and strain distribution.

“Until now, we lacked the imaging resolution to link these features directly to slow slip behaviour,” says Dr Barnes. “This study changes that, and gives us a new lens to better understand subduction zone dynamics.”

While scientists first identified the PFS type of fault at subduction zones 20 years ago off the southwest coast of Japan, they couldn’t determine how these complex structures influenced subduction and seismic slip, says lead author Maomao Wang, a marine geologist at Hohai University in China. “It wasn’t until we analysed these beautiful 3D seismic images that we confirmed their widespread presence along New Zealand’s north Hikurangi margin, revealing their potential role in shaping slow earthquakes.”

The findings may also have implications beyond New Zealand. “Similar fault systems have been observed in subduction zones around the world, including Japan’s Nankai Trough. By highlighting the mechanical and hydrological effects of PFSs, the study adds a missing piece to the global understanding of how slow earthquakes work.”

“This is a major step forward in understanding the geological processes happening beneath our coastlines,” says Dr Barnes. “With better models and better data, we are now in a stronger position to understand how subduction zones work.”

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Education and Employment – Teachers strike important to ensure quality education – NZCTU

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi

The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is today supporting PPTA members across the country who are striking for fair pay increases, more subject specialist advisors, and greater teacher-led professional development funding.

“The union movement stands in solidarity with secondary teachers who are fighting for a quality education system,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“Workers never make the decision to strike lightly. PPTA members are rightly taking action to ensure that schools can attract graduates and retain experienced teachers.

“It is unacceptable that teachers are being offered the lowest pay increase in a generation at the same time as they are facing an overhaul of NCEA.

“A quality education system affects all of us. Students, parents and communities all benefit from teachers having what they need to support our young people.

“The Government is prioritising tax cuts for the rich over essential public services. Everyone should be grateful to the teachers who are taking strike action this week,” said Wagstaff.

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Legislation – Law change could save farmers and taxpayers millions – Federated Farmers

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind a new Member’s Bill that could bring much-needed clarity to New Zealand’s climate change laws – and save millions in legal costs.

National MP Joseph Mooney’s Climate Change Response (Restriction on Civil Proceedings) Amendment Bill aims to confirm a common-sense principle: if a person or business is complying with national climate change laws, they can’t be sued for causing climate-related damage.

“It sounds very obvious, but that’s not how the law appears to be working right now,” Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Wayne Langford says.

“It’s crazy that companies like Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, who are fully meeting their legal climate obligations right now, can still be dragged into court and sued for allegedly causing harm through emissions.

“We fully support Joseph Mooney’s Bill, which will restore some much-needed common sense and save farmers, food processors and taxpayers millions of dollars in court costs.”

Climate activist Mike Smith is taking seven major New Zealand companies, including Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, to court over their greenhouse gas emissions.

He says the emissions are harming Māori land and culture, and is claiming public nuisance, negligence, and breach of a duty to stop contributing to climate change.

The High Court threw out two of the claims but allowed the third to proceed.

After appeals from both sides, the Supreme Court has now reinstated all three claims, allowing the case to go to trial, and the matter is now back in front of the High Court.

Federated Farmers says the case sets a dangerous precedent.

“Every New Zealander contributes to climate change in some way,” Langford says.

“When you turn on a light switch, cook dinner, drive your car – even an EV – you’re using energy and consuming goods. All of that has emissions behind it.”

In most cases, those emissions come from companies operating within New Zealand’s legal framework – following rules set out under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), reporting requirements, and other regulatory obligations.

“So, it’s silly stuff to then try and sue those law-abiding companies,” Langford says.

He points out that long-lived carbon dioxide emissions are already captured under the ETS, and the Government is actively investing in research and tools to help farmers reduce their short-lived methane emissions.

“If these companies are following the rules, there has to be some certainty and protection in that, or the legal risk becomes unmanageable.”

Mooney’s Bill would provide that certainty by spelling out in law that private legal action cannot be taken against individuals or companies for their greenhouse gas emissions, provided they’re complying with climate laws already set by Parliament.

“Rather than force the courts to debate and decide what the law in New Zealand is, this Bill would allow Parliament to exert its authority and define the law,” Langford says.

He says it’s no different from how things work in other areas of law.

“If a property developer gets resource consent to build a high-rise apartment, the neighbours can’t turn around and sue them for the shade or noise.

“That’s because we recognise the developer has done everything required under the law to get permission.

“Why should climate law be treated any differently?”

Smith’s lawsuit covers major electricity generators, petrol retailers, dairy farming and dairy processing.

Langford warns that if Smith’s case is successful, it would see a host of vital industries face major cost and risk.

The case could open the floodgates to further lawsuits against other industries that also produce emissions, even if they’re fully compliant with New Zealand’s climate regulations.

“In practice, the only way for those industries to avoid legal risk would be to stop emitting entirely – meaning they’d effectively have to shut down overnight.”

He says that would be economically disastrous and would leave the Government scrambling to urgently rewrite the law to protect the economy.

“If the case is successful, Parliament will simply be forced to urgently change the law. Let’s not wait for that crisis. Parliament should clarify the law now, before this goes any further.”

Federated Farmers is urging the Government to adopt Mooney’s Bill as a Government Bill, which would significantly speed up its passage through Parliament.

“Rather than wait for Fonterra and Dairy Holdings to go through a lengthy and expensive High Court process – something that will also cost taxpayers dearly – the Government should step in now and provide certainty.

“We need to focus our time, energy and taxpayer dollars on solutions that actually reduce emissions, not on endless litigation against companies doing everything the law requires.”

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Legislation – Collins admits plans to restrict the right to strike – PSA

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: PSA

Public Service Minister Judith Collins’ admission in Parliament that the Government is looking at restricting public sector workers’ fundamental right to strike is deeply concerning and demands further explanation, says the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

In response to questions in Parliament yesterday from Camilla Belich, Collins stated the Government is “looking at how we can strengthen the bargaining system so that people might have better options available before racing off to strike, such as, for instance, mediation or any other sorts of facilitated bargaining.”

PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says Judith Collins needs to come clean about exactly what the Government is planning, as mediation and facilitation already exist and are regularly used.

“Judith Collins admitted in Parliament that the Government is looking to further limit the right to strike. This is a very serious matter and demands an urgent explanation.

“The right to strike is a cornerstone of our democratic workplace relations system. Any attempt to restrict this fundamental right would be a direct attack on working people’s ability to negotiate fair wages and conditions.

“This Government has already shown it is willing to remove basic rights without consultation when it stripped away women’s pay equity rights in the dead of night. It has also already undermined the right to strike by introducing pay deductions for partial strikes.

“Collins talks about ‘better options’ but what she’s really talking about is forcing workers into new processes that favour employers and which remove the remaining few tools workers have to push back. There are already significant limits on the right to strike in New Zealand.

“The right to withdraw labour is fundamental to the balance of power in workplace negotiations and should not be further restricted.”

The PSA is calling on Collins to rule out any further restrictions on the right to strike and to instead focus on ensuring public sector workers receive fair pay rises that keep pace with the rising cost of living.

“Public sector workers provide essential services to New Zealand and face the same cost of living pressures as everyone else. They deserve to be paid fairly and treated with respect, not have their rights stripped away,” Fitzsimons said.

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Further victims identified in Tasman fraud investigation

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Tasman District Police investigating a couple alleged to have defrauded a person of more than $1 million have now identified 10 potential victims of the pair.

Following media coverage of the pair’s arrest last week, Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Dye says four more potential victims have come forward, while Police enquiries have identified another three potential victims.

“This is on top of the three people who had already made complaints to Police, and resulted in the arrests of the pair,” he says.

The 28-year-old man and 38-year-old woman arrested last week are due to reappear in Christchurch District Court on Monday 25 August, on multiple charges of obtaining by deception.

A search warrant conducted on a storage unit in Wanaka as part of the enquiry last week located a .22 rifle, restricted weapons, and over 2000 rounds of ammunition. Further enquiries in relation to the warrant are ongoing, and charges are likely to be filed in coming weeks.

“I would like to thank those who have contacted Police as a result of media coverage last week,” Detective Sergeant Dye says.

“Members of the Tasman Organised Crime Unit are in the process of contacting all identified victims in order to obtain statements in relation to any offending.”

ENDS

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Appeal for information following shots fired at Wigram house

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Attribute to Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan:

Christchurch Central Police investigating an incident where shots were fired at a house in Wigram are appealing to the public for information.

Police responded to the incident on Brian Keogh Lane around 12:45am on Thursday 14 August, after receiving multiple 111 calls reporting loud bangs being heard in the vicinity of the address.

Thankfully, no one at the address was injured.

We would like to speak with anyone that may have seen a person, or people, running west towards Carrs Road along the Southern Motorway near the Awatea Road overbridge, or any suspicious activity in the Carrs Road or Wigram Road areas.

Police are also appealing for anyone that may have dashcam footage, who were traveling on the Southern Motorway between 12:35am and 1am on Thursday 14 August, to please contact Police immediately.

If you have any information that could assist Police, please contact us via 105, either over the phone or online. Please reference file number 250814/6432.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Cabinet approves next steps on greyhound racing industry

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Cabinet has formally agreed this week to the closure of the greyhound racing industry in New Zealand.

A bill will be drafted to bring this decision into law. The move follows last December’s announcement of the Government’s in-principle decision to end greyhound racing as of 31 July 2026.

The decision was made following ongoing concerns about animal welfare and three reviews of the industry (2013, 2017, 2021) which all outlined significant safety issues.

Cabinet also agreed in full to the recommendations contained in an interim report of the Ministerial Advisory Committee – set up to plan the transition away from greyhound racing

Racing Minister Winston Peters says the Committee’s report provides a clear path to ensure the welfare of the dogs, and certainty around the wind-down process.

“Having a comprehensive plan is crucial. First, a key part of this work is the re-homing of racing greyhounds and now we have a clear way forward. Second, it gives those involved in greyhound racing the certainty to plan their transition to other work,” Mr Peters says.

The Committee has been consulting with representatives of the greyhound racing sector, rehoming agencies, animal welfare groups and government agencies to develop its recommendations.

The Committee’s report outlines the changes to the law needed to close the industry. These recommendations include setting up a Transition Agency funded by the TAB. The agency would manage the re-homing programme and support of industry participants through the closure process.

Mr Peters says he intends to appoint Committee members Heather Simpson (Chair), Murray Johnson and Lindsay Burton to the board of the Transition Agency when it is established.

The Bill to formally end greyhound racing will be introduced to Parliament later this year. The public will be able to make submissions to the select committee as part of the process.

“It is important people get the opportunity to have their say. The decision to end greyhound racing was not one Cabinet took lightly. I acknowledge the impact that closing the industry will have on those involved.

“But globally the industry is winding down, with Tasmania recently announcing an end to greyhound racing. The bottom line is too many dogs continue to die and be seriously injured, and it is time to do the right thing,” says Mr Peters.

The Ministerial Advisory Committee’s report can be found here. Further information on the review of the greyhound racing industry can be found on the Department of Internal Affairs website.

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Canterbury Police thank public and staff for feedback on proposal

LiveNews Publisher

August 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Submissions on Canterbury Police’s redesign proposal closed on Monday, and Police are now working their way through the feedback.

Canterbury Police District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill thanks staff and the public for their engagement as local Police leaders look to ensure our people and resources are well organised to meet the community’s needs.

“We received around 200 staff submissions and 800 submissions from the public or external parties, including some petitions.

“This was a very important process for our staff, as the people directly impacted by these proposals. Staff sent in very well considered, high quality feedback.

“Members of the public have also sent in some outstandingly articulate and thoughtful feedback which demonstrated people have taken the time to look over the proposals in detail.

“All this feedback has been invaluable and has reinforced for me that we need to take more time with some aspects of the proposal and to keep tracking with others.

“While we are keen to provide decisions as soon as possible, we also need to allow enough time to consider all the feedback thoroughly.

“Our team is now working through the feedback for us to consider before any final decisions are made. I hope to be in a position to provide an update on next steps and indicative timeframes in the coming weeks.”

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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