Media advisory: Special Olympics flame in Central this weekend

Day Street homicide: Name release

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November 5, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of a woman found deceased in a central Auckland apartment at the weekend.

A homicide investigation commenced after the woman was located around 7.35pm on Saturday, 1 November.

She was 38-year-old Luisa Qelesenikau Mate.

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says, “our thoughts are with Luisa’s family and her children, for the loss they have suffered, and our investigation team is continuing to support them through the process.”

A 38-year-old man has been charged with her murder.

He has been remanded in custody to reappear on 18 November in the Auckland High Court.

Detective Inspector Baldwin says Police is not seeking anyone else in connection with the investigation.

“I’m still calling for anyone who has information and has yet to speak with us to come forward,” he says.

You can get in touch with Police by contacting 105 and reference file number 251101/3740 or Operation Spring.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

HeyMax Launches in Hong Kong and Announces Partnership with Cathay

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November 5, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

The Singapore-based loyalty platform builds on its July acquisition of Hong Kong fintech krip, partnering with Cathay as part of its strategy to scale its regional rewards ecosystem and expand partner and user growth.

SINGAPORE and HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2025 – HeyMax, the Singapore-based loyalty and travel rewards platform, today announced its launch into the Hong Kong market, marking its first international expansion and a new partnership with Cathay.

The move underscores HeyMax’s ambition to build Asia’s leading open loyalty ecosystem, enabling users to earn and redeem miles across multiple brands and partners. The company also plans to quadruple its team and expand regional partnerships to support this growth.

“As one of the world’s leading travel hubs, Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in connecting global travellers,” said Joe Lu, CEO and Co-founder of HeyMax. With both strong outbound and inbound demand, it’s a key market in building our global traveller network. HeyMax is well-positioned to help consumers turn everyday spending into meaningful travel experiences, while enabling businesses in Hong Kong to tap into the travel economy as a powerful way to engage their customers and members.”

Users in Hong Kong can earn Max Miles from over 300 leading merchants including Watsons, Trip.com, Klook, Starbucks, foodpanda and redeem them for flights, hotels, and rewards from over 30 programs, including Cathay, ALL Accor, and Qatar Airways. These partnerships reflect HeyMax’s role in connecting financial, lifestyle, and travel partners through a unified rewards platform that helps businesses drive deeper loyalty and unlock new value for consumers.

As part of the launch, starting today Cathay members in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia* can convert Max Miles into Asia Miles and redeem them for travel and lifestyle rewards, including flights on Cathay Pacific, partner airlines, and over 800 partners worldwide.

“As a premium travel lifestyle brand, partnering with HeyMax enables us to further strengthen our lifestyle ecosystem beyond our home hub of Hong Kong, giving our community of travellers across Southeast Asia more ways to turn everyday spending into meaningful travel experiences,” said Jonathan Ng, Cathay Regional Head of Customer Travel & Lifestyle for Southeast Asia and Oceania. “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering greater flexibility, value, and choice to our members, wherever they are in their travel journey.”

The partnership marks a major step in expanding HeyMax’s regional rewards ecosystem and driving new collaborations.

“Hong Kong is one of Asia’s most influential markets for travel, finance, and lifestyle, a natural fit for HeyMax’s next phase of growth,” said David B. Wang, General Manager of HeyMax Hong Kong and Global Head of Loyalty Partnerships. “Through close collaboration with our partners, we look to help brands connect more deeply with travelers via Max Miles and strengthen our growing network of airline and hotel partners.”

Beyond merchants, HeyMax is also working with major partners operating in Hong Kong and beyond such as MoneyHero, Octopus, Preferrd and Visa, who are integrating Max Miles as part of their rewards and customer engagement strategies.

In addition, HeyMax’s FlyAnywhere feature lets users redeem Max Miles for any flight, on any airline, anywhere in the world. In addition to travel rewards, users can earn miles when purchasing digital vouchers from local favourites such as HKTVmall, 7-Eleven, JHC, and Starbucks, or when shopping for select lifestyle products.

The launch comes as Hong Kong continues to attract fintech and travel-tech companies seeking to serve a growing base of regional consumers.

“We welcome HeyMax’s decision to expand in Hong Kong,” said Jayne Chan, Head of Startups at InvestHK. “HeyMax’s expansion into Hong Kong underscores the city’s status as one of the region’s most vibrant startup hubs, with strong technology-powered customer engagement that supports continued growth in the travel and loyalty sectors.”

HeyMax aims to reach one million users and issue more than 2 billion Max Miles regionally by the end of 2026. The company continues to expand across financial services, insurance, F&B, and lifestyle sectors, following fivefold year-on-year revenue growth and an annualized revenue run rate of US$6 million reported in May.

*Applicable to members in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Hashtag: #HeyMax

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

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

Wuxi Strikes a Historic Note as UNESCO “City of Music”

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November 5, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2025 – With its recent inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as China’s first “World City of Music,” Wuxi is stepping confidently into a new chapter where culture, heritage, and innovation harmonize to shape a global cultural profile.

The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra at Yuantouzhu

The recognition adds Wuxi to a prestigious roster of 76 music cities worldwide, such as Vienna, Liverpool, and Havana, marking a milestone not only for the city but also for China’s contemporary cultural landscape.

Long celebrated as the “Hometown of Chinese Folk Music,” Wuxi is the birthplace of renowned musician A Bing (Hua Yanjun) and his poetic masterpiece Erquan Yingyue (Moon Reflected on Second Spring). This emotionally profound composition continues to resonate across generations—its resonance once prompting conductor Seiji Ozawa to say that one should “listen kneeling” to fully honor its depth. Among China’s top ten erhu classics, eight originated in Wuxi, echoing the city’s deep musical roots.

Garden Music Concert in Wuxi

Yet Wuxi today is not just looking back—it is accelerating forward. The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, established in 2023, has quickly assembled world-class talent and embarked on tours across China and abroad, performing in cultural centers from Shanghai to Lisbon, London, and Tokyo. The new Wuxi Symphony Concert Hall, set to open on January 1, 2026, will serve as a flagship venue for international musical exchange.

Cultural continuity is another hallmark of the city. The Tianyun Society Kunqu salon has thrived for more than 400 years, while the “Nightingale” Youth Arts Program has nurtured artistic talent for over four decades. Wuxi’s music industry is robust and diverse, spanning 370 music companies, 2,079 training institutions, and a creative industry valued at nearly USD 1 billion annually. The city is also a global center for instrument craftsmanship, producing 50,000 erhu each year alongside harmonicas, accordions, and harps.

Wuxi’s musical story has always been global. From Yang Yinliu, who bridged Christian and Chinese musical traditions, to Gu Yuxiu, who translated Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and helped found China’s national symphony and conservatory institutions, the city has long served as a bridge between East and West.

Widely known as the “Pearl of Taihu Lake” and located just 30 minutes from Shanghai, Wuxi is recognized for its economic vitality, with a 2024 GDP of RMB 1.63 trillion. Today, its musical vision is expanding that identity—turning industry into artistry, heritage into contemporary creativity, and local culture into global resonance.

Wuxi’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music is not merely an honor—it is a new overture. What comes next may be even more compelling than the title itself.

Hashtag: #Wuxi

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

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

Hawke’s Bay Police investigating Twyford burglaries

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November 5, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Hawke’s Bay Police are investigating a series of rural burglaries in the Twyford area and are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying a possible vehicle or person of interest.

Three incidents have occurred in close proximity over consecutive nights.

Police believe these incidents may be linked and are seeking any information that could help identify a vehicle of interest or suspicious activity in the area during these times.

What we’re asking from the public:
• If you live in or travel through the Twyford area and have CCTV, dashcam footage, or noticed any unusual vehicles or persons between 30 October and 1 November, please contact Police.
• In particular, we are interested in any footage or sightings near Ormond Road, Raupare Road, and Evenden Road during the early morning hours.

If you have information that may assist, please contact Police via 105 quoting file number 251031/8604, or report anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.

Transporting New Zealand supports changes to WoFs

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November 5, 2025

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Transporting New Zealand is endorsing proposals from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to reduce the Warrant of Fitness (WoF) frequency for light vehicles, and the CoF A frequency for late-model rental vehicles.

NZTA is currently consulting on reducing the inspection frequency, as well as expanding the scope of the inspection to include checking that Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are working.

“While heavy vehicles are our members’ bread and butter, many also have light vehicles in their fleet,” says Transporting New Zealand Policy & Advocacy Advisor Mark Stockdale. Transporting New Zealand also represents 70 light-vehicle transport companies including trade firms, as part of its membership of over 1,000 transport operators.

“These proposals bring New Zealand more into line with common practice in many other countries, where inspecting vehicles only once every two years is the norm.”

NZTA is proposing that new light vehicles would have their first WoF issued for 4 years (currently 3), while vehicles aged 4-10 years would only require a WoF every two years (currently annual). All light vehicles aged over 10 years would be tested annually, whereas currently only those built from the year 2000-on are, with everything else 6-monthly (except vehicles aged over 40 which are now annual, which was only introduced in September). In addition, light rental vehicles aged under 5 years will only require an annual CoF A inspection (currently 6-monthly).

“New Zealand has the most frequent vehicle safety inspection frequency in the world, with older light vehicles required to be tested as often as every six months,” Stockdale says. “Our closest neighbour, Australia, doesn’t even have a periodic inspection in most states, and neither does Canada. But despite our frequent testing regime, New Zealand’s road toll isn’t any better than those countries with lesser – or no – inspections,” Stockdale adds.

Transporting New Zealand says road crash data shows that vehicle defects are a very small contributing factor to crashes, and NZTA analysis concludes that the cost of our frequent inspection regime outweighs the safety benefits. The consultation document concludes that these changes would benefit 1.6 million light vehicle owners and reduce compliance costs by between $1.6-2.6 billion over a 28-year period.

“These are common sense productivity changes that catches New Zealand up to the rest of the world and will save time and money for businesses and motorists,” Stockdale concluded.

About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.

Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4,700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.

Appointments – Pita Tipene is new NRC chair, Jack Craw deputy

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November 5, 2025

Source: Northland Regional Council

Northland Regional Councillors have elected Pita Tipene – one of two Te Raki Māori Constituency representatives – as their new chair, with Jack Craw, representing the Whangārei Central General Constituency, elected as his deputy.

Unlike district councils, whose mayors are chosen by the public through local elections, the regional council’s equivalent – its chair – is voted in by councillors.

The election of the chair and deputy was one of the new council’s first formal tasks after councillors were officially sworn in at their inaugural meeting in Whangārei today (subs: Weds 05 November).

Chair Tipene today paid tribute to the council’s former Chair Geoff Crawford for his work over the previous term of council.

Chair Tipene says councillors are a team that will work collectively on behalf of Te Taitokerau to take the region forward over the next three years.

“My immediate goal is to build unity of purpose amongst councillors, council management and staff on behalf of the people of Northland who we serve.”

Chair Tipene says council needs to focus on its core business and where possible work with the region’s three district councils. “Together we can do much, much more.”

Meanwhile, also sworn in at today’s meeting were new councillors Colin (Toss) Kitchen (who will represent the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa General Constituency and who returns to council after a three-year break), John Hunt (Coastal South General Constituency) and Arama Morunga (the other of council’s Te Raki Māori Constituency representatives).

Joining them in taking their oaths of office were returning councillors Craw, Coastal Central Constituency councillor Amy Macdonald (who is currently in Wellington and was sworn in there today), Joe Carr (Far North General Constituency), John Blackwell (Kaipara General Constituency) and Cr Crawford (Mid North General Constituency.)

New Zealand entering a resources golden era

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November 5, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

New Zealand is set to benefit from the renewed global interest in gold and other metals and minerals, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.

Mr Jones says a mining permit granted today to extract one of the country’s most significant gold discoveries in decades represents a multibillion-dollar opportunity for Central Otago.

New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals has granted Matakanui Gold Limited, a subsidiary of Santana Minerals, a 30-year mining permit for the Rise and Shine prospect, part of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project in the Dunstan Mountains.

“This is a major milestone for the progression of a project that will deliver well-paid employment, infrastructure investment, and economic resilience in Central Otago,” Mr Jones says.

“The proposed mine will directly employ 357 people and support an additional 500 jobs annually through indirect employment, with a strong focus on hiring locally. The average annual salary is expected to be $140,300, more than double the Central Otago average.

“It’s not just localised benefits either. Every New Zealander is set to gain from this development as the Crown collects hundreds of millions of dollars in projected royalties in the first 14 years of operation. The company forecasts it will pay an additional $800 million in taxes. That will go towards meeting our future healthcare, education and infrastructure needs.

“This is also an important project for training our next generation of miners. The operation is proposed to utilise opencast mining initially, and underground mining in later stages which is great news for the sector as these specialised skills are needed to support the growing pipeline of new mining projects across New Zealand over the coming decades.

“This Coalition Government is committed to using the wealth beneath our feet to create regional opportunities, deliver productive jobs that develop skilled workers, bolster trade and exports, and contribute to the prosperity of our people, now and into the future.”

As a listed fast-track project under Schedule 2 of the Fast-Track Approvals Act 2024, Matakanui Gold can access an expedited consenting pathway for the remainder of the permissions needed before mining can begin.

“It’s projects like Bendigo-Ophir that demonstrate the untapped potential of our minerals estate, even in areas thought to be exhausted by historical mining. I want to congratulate Matakanui Gold on its mining permit and I’m delighted to see it has also submitted a substantive application through Fast-track.”

Mr Jones also today welcomed news from Endura Mining, formerly Federation Mining, that it has raised close to NZ$172 million to finance the development of the Snowy River Gold Mine on the West Coast.

“That’s money flowing straight into the local economy, the pockets of workers, businesses and the Crown,” Mr Jones says.

The former Provincial Growth Fund provided a $15m loan to Federation, as Endura was called in 2019, to help develop the Snowy River mining project near Reefton.

“That investment is proving its worth now with AustralianSuper, Endura’s largest shareholder, among the latest investors backing the project. Orion Resource Partners, a multibillion-dollar global investment firm, is another.

“Orion has a long history of investment in metals and minerals. I am delighted to see New Zealand taking its rightful place at the forefront of new investment in mining,” Mr Jones says.

Jobs data shows importance of driving economic growth

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November 5, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Labour market statistics released today highlight the importance of the Government’s ongoing work to rebuild the economy and deliver more job opportunities for Kiwis, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

The data released by Stats NZ shows unemployment increased from 5.2 per cent to 5.3 per cent in the September quarter and is broadly in line with pre-election and more recent forecasts.

“Our Government is determined that New Zealanders who are seeking work can find it. That‘s why we’re so focused on strengthening the foundations from which local businesses can grow and create new jobs.

“Since being elected we have worked hard to fix the damage done to our economy during a period of reckless government spending, sky-high inflation and rising interest rates.

“We’ve successfully fixed the foundations. Taxes have been reduced. Inflation is back in band. Interest rates have fallen. Recovery is underway.

“There is more to do to accelerate New Zealand’s economic recovery. We are working to ensure more Kiwi employers can be confident about starting, expanding and creating new jobs. That’s why we are driving our going for growth plan.

“We’ve delivered the Investment Boost tax incentive for businesses, accelerated $7 billion of major public infrastructure projects pre-Christmas, fast-tracked consents for job-rich privately funded projects, opened new markets for our exporters, welcomed in new investment from around the world, reduced red tape for businesses and championed growth policies in sectors from agriculture through to our space industry and the film sector.

“New Zealanders have worked incredibly hard for economic recovery. Now is not the time for expansive new taxes, or a return to reckless fiscal management. Now is the time for our Government’s plan to back aspiration, effort and job-creation.”

Road closed, Puketaha Road and Taylor Road intersection, Gordonton

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November 5, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Puketaha Road and Taylor Road are closed near the intersection following a seirous crash this afternoon.

Police were called to the two-vehicle crash at around 1pm.

Initial indicators are that there has been critical injuries.

The Serious Crash Unit have been advised and the roads will remain blocked while emergecny services work at the scene.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible and expect delays.

ENDS