Three people have been arrested, and synthetic cannabis, cash, and ammunition seized, following five search warrants in Christchurch this morning.
Detective Sergeant Brad Grainger, from Canterbury’s Organised Crime Team, says there has been an increase in the manufacture and supply of synthetic cannabis across the district over the last month.
In today’s warrants, Police located:
one firearm
significant cash
imitation firearms
50 rounds of ammunition
7.7 kg of packaged synthetic cannabis – estimated at around $200,000 in street value
possessions seized as suspected assets from criminal offending.
Synthetic cannabis has been the most lethal form of illicit substances in New Zealand in recent years, having been implicated in at least 70 deaths.
In talking with local retail staff, and with people sleeping rough, Detective Sergeant Grainger says the Christchurch Community Beat Team was hearing about issues related to synthetic cannabis use.
“Although this is not a top-of-the-line ‘sexy’ drug, the significant increase in the supply of synthetic cannabis lately has affected retail offending and disorderly behaviour,” Detective Seargeant Grainger says.
“It appears to have added to crime and disorder reported by local business leaders in the Christchurch area,” he says.
“We’re pleased to have these people before the court, but we won’t stop there, we continue to investigate so our communities can be safe and feel safe.”
A 51-year-old man was arrested on charges of supplying a non-approved psychoactive substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm, and was due to appear in Christchurch District Court today.
A 52-year-old man was arrested on charges of supplying a non-approved psychoactive substance, money laundering, and unlawful possession of ammunition and was due to appear in Christchurch District Court today.
A 44-year-old man was arrested on charges of possessing a non-approved psychoactive product for supply, and for selling a non-approved psychoactive product, and is due to appear in Christchurch District Court 5 September.
Further charges are likely.
High Alert, New Zealand’s drug early warning system, has issued five notifications related to serious synthetic cannabis harm over the last four years. More information on synthetic cannabis is available here. If people choose to use this substance, drug checking is recommended to lower the risks.
Anyone who needs assistance for drug dependency is encouraged to find help or contact the Alcohol Drug support line on 0800 787 797.
Please call 111 if you witness any unlawful activity happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact, with as much information as you can safely gather.
Information can also be reported anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please attribute the following to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Van Kempen:
A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Rotorua this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to an assault on Trigg Ave around 12:20pm.
Upon arrival, a man was located in a critical condition but died at the scene.
Police would like to reassure the community that while an area of Trigg Ave is cordoned off, there is not believed to be any risk to the public.
Police are continuing to make enquiries to locate those responsible.
Police ask anyone who may have seen what happened to please get in touch.
If you have any information that can assist the investigation, please make a report online, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number P063544271.
Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Further information will be provided when we are in a position to do so.
Falling interest rates are good for growth, businesses, jobs and Kiwis paying off their mortgages, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
The Reserve Bank announced today that it was reducing the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 3.25 to 3 per cent and signalled two further reductions this year.
“The latest reduction means the OCR has now fallen from 5.5 per cent to 3 per cent in just a year,” Nicola Willis says.
“I welcome the bank’s decision to respond to a difficult second quarter of the year with more stimulus.
“Lower interest rates support businesses to expand and grow, support increased construction activity, create jobs and put more money in people’s pockets.
“The falling OCR means repayments on a 25-year $500,000 floating mortgage are about $330 less a fortnight today than they were a year ago.
“That makes a big difference to the family budget and, as more mortgages come up for refinancing, more households will benefit. About 40 per cent of fixed mortgages are due to come up for repricing in the next six months.
“I know many families are still doing it tough, but the Reserve Bank’s view is that we are through the worst of it and the economy is starting to pick up.
“The Government’s responsible economic management is making a difference.
“Taking the pressure off inflation has allowed the Reserve Bank to lower the OCR when it needs to be adjusted.”
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2025 – To address the increasingly diverse medical needs of pet owners in Hong Kong, Veterinary Emergency Centre (VEC) is proud to announce the launch of two major new services: Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialty Service (Internal Medicine) and HomeVet Services, in addition to our existing 24-hour emergency and critical care. This marks VEC’s commitment to providing a one-stop, comprehensive healthcare solution for pets across Hong Kong, ranging from emergency care and advanced diagnostics to in-home palliative support — aiming to be the most trusted guardian of your pet’s health.
VEC has provided 24-hour emergency, critical care, surgery, outpatient, and hospitalization services for pets, supported by a team of experienced and dedicated veterinarians who remain on duty even during adverse weather. The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities including operating theatres, intensive care, CT & X-ray Imaging, echocardiography, dental care, endoscopy, blood transfusion, oxygen chambers, and cryotherapy — ensuring precise diagnosis and treatment at critical moments.
Three Core Services for Comprehensive Pet Wellness 1. 24-Hour Emergency Care: Every Second Counts in Safeguarding Lives
As the frontline of veterinary medicine, VEC’s emergency services utilize a highly professional triage system to ensure that pets in critical condition receive prompt attention, maximizing the golden window for life-saving treatment. Our team of veterinarians and nurses is on-site 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and ready to respond immediately to emergencies such as gastric torsion, dystocia, foreign body ingestion, accidental fractures, hematuria, or urinary obstruction, arranging surgery whenever necessary. For pets requiring hospitalization, our dedicated nursing staff provide owners with daily updates, offering reassurance during anxious times.
Posey Leung, VEC Hospital Manager, shares “In veterinary care, our nursing team serves as the eyes and ears of our veterinarians, playing a vital role on the front lines. We continuously monitor the vital signs of hospitalized animals, quickly detect any changes in their condition, and accurately interpret monitoring data. In the emergency department, we gather medical histories, conduct initial assessments and triage, and determine the urgency of each case—all within minutes—to ensure critically ill pets receive the most timely and appropriate care.”
2. Internal Medicine: The “Sherlock Holmes” of Complex Pet Cases
Our newly launched Internal Medicine service is dedicated to tackling complex, chronic, and unexplained cases often referred from other clinics. Acting as the “Sherlock Holmes” of the veterinary world, our internal medicine specialists manage chronic conditions (such as persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and endocrine disorders), severe illnesses (like multi-organ failure or pancreatitis), and other intricate non-surgical diseases.
Fanny Cheung, VEC Assistant Operation Manager, explains “What distinguishes our internal medicine specialists is the time and depth they invest in understanding each pet’s medical history. We allocate up to one hour for every consultation, enabling thorough communication between the veterinarian and the owner to craft a highly personalized treatment plan and significantly improve the pet’s quality of life. Importantly, our specialist Dr. Koo is fluent in both Cantonese and English, allowing for direct, seamless communication with owners, removing language barriers and ensuring more accurate diagnoses.”
3. HomeVet Services: Reducing Stress with Care in a Familiar Environment
To meet the growing demand for flexible care, VEC has introduced HomeVet Services, bringing professional veterinary care directly to pets in the comfort of their own homes.
“Housecall services have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they effectively reduce the anxiety pets may experience in unfamiliar settings. This approach is especially beneficial for pets with mobility challenges or larger breeds, allowing them to receive care without the stress of travel. It also offers great convenience for households with multiple pets.” Fanny shares.
“By visiting pets at home, our veterinarians can gain a more complete understanding of their daily environment and habits, making it easier to identify potential health risks such as environmental allergens or unsafe toys. When a pet reaches the end of its life, we can also provide in-home palliative care, ensuring a peaceful farewell surrounded by family in familiar surroundings. Most importantly, if further diagnostics or intensive care are needed, pets can be seamlessly transferred to VEC’s 24-hour hospital, where our expert team provides continuous monitoring and advanced treatment.” Fanny adds.
VEC remains committed to ongoing investment in resources, combining a skilled professional team, state-of-the-art facilities, and compassionate service to provide Hong Kong’s pet community with the most trusted and reliable medical support.
Scope of Services: Provide 24-hour emergency, hospitalization services and veterinary housecall services. Offering professional support for urgent situations at any time.
Veterinary Emergency Centre (Davis Street) Address: Shop C & H, G/F, Luen Gay Apartments, No. 9A-9C Davis Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong.
Scope of Services: Internal Medicine Specialty Service, a full range of surgical and orthopedic procedures as well as outpatient consultations.
General Enquiries: 2334 2334 Emergency calls open 24/7: 6828 6620 WhatsApp: 5599 1144
The Government has made significant improvements to the freshwater farm plan system through the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act which has now passed into law, says Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard.
“These changes are about making farm plans workable and affordable so farmers can get on and farm without unnecessary red tape,” Mr Hoggard says.
The Act allows the Minister for the Environment to approve industry organisations to certify and audit freshwater farm plans, replacing the previous requirement where regional councils provided approval.
“This reduces duplication and cost for farmers who are already part of robust industry assurance programmes such as Horticulture New Zealand’s NZGAP or Fonterra’s Tiaki plans,” Mr Hoggard says.
“If farmers and industry groups are already doing good work to identify and manage risks, we want to recognise that rather than force more paperwork on them.
“Farm plans will be built around actual risk on farm, and the practical actions the farmer will take over time to reduce them. This is another step toward ensuring farmers can continue to feed the world without getting tied up in complex resource consents, and balances this with protecting the environment.”
Many smaller farms will no longer need a freshwater farm plan – the minimum farm size needing a plan for sheep and beef, arable, orcharding, and viticulture land use is now 50 hectares, up from 20ha.
This means that for around 8,000 smaller, lower risk farms the requirement for a freshwater farm plan has been scrapped completely.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the primary sector drives New Zealand’s exports, underpinning our economy and standard of living. When farmers do well, every New Zealander does well.
“We’re continuing to progress a full overhaul of the RMA and replace it with a common-sense system that works. In the meantime, these practical amendments ensure farmers can get on with the job until we get there.”
These reforms support both environmental stewardship and growth.
“Farmers are already doing a huge amount of work investing in freshwater management. Our job is to make sure the rules are practical, efficient and fit for purpose so the sector can continue to lead the world,” Mr McClay says.
It’s not just the use of sedatives – it’s the neuromuscular blockers designed to ensure those watching the death only see peace and calm when the reality could be quite different.
Family First is today releasing a podcast that highlights the reality of what happens when drugs are given for assisted suicide and euthanasia.
In the podcast interview with Sharon Quick MD – a retired American paediatric anaesthetist and critical care physician – she talks through the drugs used overseas, and likely here in New Zealand, and what they actually do to the human body.
From the use of lethal drugs to paralyse patients so they cannot speak or respond, to sedatives which wear off quickly, to declaring a person dead when it’s not clinically possible – her insights are disturbing and clearly why pro-euthanasia groups do not wish to discuss the reality of the lethal drugs used, and why New Zealand authorities do not disclose what lethal drugs are administered. Her insights from clinical experience are disturbing yet importantly contribute to a deeper understanding of what euthanasia / assisted suicide actually involves.
As New Zealand continues to see an increase of euthanasia deaths and a push for expansion, it is more important than ever that people understand the reality of what is happening when lethal drugs are administered.
Dr Quick notes how the use of sedatives such as propofol are frequently used and even though highly dosed, patients can often wake within 30 minutes of the drugs being administered. Alongside this, sedatives can cause hypoxia which in turn can lead to seizures, unusual breathing patterns, and gasping. As she notes, this is difficult to watch and why in the executions of prisoners, the use of neuromuscular blockers became standard – and now in euthanasia / assisted suicides.
Disturbingly, Dr Quick notes that the frequent use of neuromuscular blockers during euthanasia are designed to keep the family happy, not the patient. Neuromuscular blockers paralyse the patient so that family and others can see no movement at all. As Dr Quick herself notes, neuromuscular blockers “causes the person not to be able to move any voluntary muscles so they can’t move their arms or legs. They can’t breathe, they can’t speak, they can’t even blink.”
Dr Quick says, “I am concerned that someone’s propofol, their anaesthetic has worn off and they are paralysed and they’re unable to speak. They’re unable to move. They’re unable to say, I can feel everything I can.”
“I want to breathe, but I can’t breathe…. so they may be dying in agony. But the protocols are to prevent them from moving so that there aren’t any uncomfortable, like seizures or uncomfortable looking motions for the families to witness. And yet we have no idea what’s going on in the heads of those patients who are taking that long to die.”
She also calls out pro-euthanasia advocates who say that people can be dead within a minute or two. From her clinical experience, she notes that it is impossible to confidently say a person is dead in such a short space of time.
The full podcast and transcript can be found here:
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.
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 didI 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 – butnotto inland communities.
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
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.”
