Fall in love with Tāwharanui Regional Park

February 26, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

When it comes to Tāmaki Makaurau’s most loved regional parks, there’s a good reason why Tāwharanui is a favourite among many Aucklanders – once you set foot on its white-sand shores, you’ll be forever smitten.

Add to that the highly swimmable waves, rock pools teeming with marine life, and the piercing call of kiwi at night, and the scene is set for a glorious day at the beach or a memorable camping trip.

Make a day of it

At just more than an hour from downtown Auckland, Tāwharanui Regional Park is far away enough that you feel like you’ve left behind the urban hustle and bustle, but not so far that anyone will be asking ‘are we there yet?’. There are no shops near the park, so pack a picnic or stop off in Matakana Village for supplies before embarking on the 20-minute drive along the peninsula.

You’ll know when you’ve arrived because you can only enter the park via the automatic gates in the 2.7km predator-proof fence, which keeps introduced predators like stoats, rats and possums out so that native birdlife can flourish.

Make a splash

Dreamy Anchor Bay is a popular spot for swimmers, surfers and boogie boarders. At low tide, you can climb the rocky shelf to the left of Anchor Bay and explore the rock pools for octopus, starfish and sea anemones – the rocks can be sharp so wear suitable footwear. You can even go for a dip in the larger pools – one is the size of a hot tub – while the waves crash beside you. Remember to just look at the sea creatures and don’t touch, as Tāwharanui is a protected marine reserve.

Go exploring

Head out to the bush on one of the walking tracks. The Ecology Trail is a 4km loop that will take you through native bush, streams, beaches, and regenerating wetlands where you might spot the endangered pāteke (brown teal). Other rare birds to look out for include the takahē and the tīeke (North Island saddleback). If you’re after a decent mission, the 9km North/South Coast Tracks takes around four hours and will treat you to stunning views at the end of the peninsula.

Stay the night

If you’ve got a few days, book a tent site. Located to the left of Anchor Bay, beside a quieter stretch of beach, the campground sits at the base of a grassy hill beloved by kids who spend hours boogie boarding down its slopes or hanging out along the ridge as the sun sets. There is also an all-modes and vehicle-based campground too.

Be sure to book early as the campground often fills up months in advance. And if camping’s not your thing and you want the comfort of a bathroom (the campsite has a long drop), Tāwharanui Bach sleeps six people and is located around the other side of the park.

You might see a kiwi

If you’re staying over, pack some red cellophane and put it over your torch to increase your chances of spotting the growing population of North Island brown kiwi that bash and crash their way along the beachside paths at night.

If you are lucky enough to see a kiwi on your visit, sit or stand quietly and observe them. Make sure you give them their space, and don’t chase or harass them.

Volunteer

Help protect this precious taonga by volunteering with Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society (TOSSI), which has been working with Auckland Council for 21 years. Choose from a range of jobs that fit your fitness level and enthusiasm, including monitoring kiwi calls, participating on community planting days and setting traps.

Visit tossi.org.nz or follow TOSSI on Facebook for more information.

MIL OSI

Work on Timaru’s Evans St starts Monday, 3 March

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A month’s largely daytime road re-surfacing along Timaru’s SH1 Evans St gets underway next week (Monday, 3 March), says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

The area being re-surfaced is between Te Weka St and Beverley Road, close to 400 metres, 7 am to 7 pm.

Two-way traffic will be maintained for most of this work but some side roads will be affected, says Chris Chambers, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA in South Canterbury.

Beverley Road intersection will be closed throughout.
Trafalgar St will be left in/left out with an intersection closure when it is being re-surfaced.

“This work is dependent on dry, warm conditions to ensure the new surface sticks and will be long-lasting,” says Mr Chambers. “If it rains or temperatures drop significantly, the project may be extended. We will endeavour to keep all the business owners and residents around our work sites informed throughout.”

NZTA thanks everyone in Timaru for slowing to 30km/hour through this work site over the next four or more weeks and being alert for pedestrians using the traffic islands.

Consultation on no-stopping lines/removal of parking

This consultation is underway until mid March. The proposed no-stopping lines are part of the plan to widen Evans St to two lanes in each direction through this section of SH1 to improve traffic movements/efficiency. NZTA will inform people of the outcome and any changes to the existing road layout before the line marking for the re-surfacing project, starting 3 March, is completed.

MIL OSI

SH1 Drury to Manukau northbound closure tonight and tomorrow nights

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises State Highway 1 will be closed to northbound traffic between the Drury Interchange and the Manukau Interchange overnight tonight (Wednesday 26 February) and tomorrow (27 February).

The closure will also impact the below on- and off-ramps.

Drury northbound on-ramp
Papakura northbound off-ramp
Papakura interchange (Loop & Diamond) northbound on-ramp  
Takanini northbound off-ramp and on-ramp
Hill Road northbound on-ramp
SH1 Manukau northbound off-ramp
SH1 northbound to SH20 northbound Link

The SH1 northbound closure between the Drury Interchange and the Manukau Interchange will be in place between 10pm and 5am. The above ramp closures and other lane restrictions may be in place before the advertised closure times for this section of SH1.

Northbound traffic will be detoured via Great South Road and Redoubt Road.

During this time, different contractors will undertake road works as part of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project, as well as general motorway maintenance activities, such as line marking, lighting, stormwater improvements and barrier maintenance, between Papakura and Manukau.

These works have been coordinated and scheduled over two nights to maximise the amount of work carried out while minimising overall disruption to motorists.

People are asked to plan ahead and allow additional time for their journeys.

This work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience while this important work is completed.

MIL OSI

Further arrests for gang insignia breaches following Operation Poster

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant James Keene:

Today, Police have made further arrests following an investigation into gang insignia breaches during the tangi for a senior Mongrel Mob member late last year.

On 14 December 2024, a major Police operation was carried out in Napier for the funeral. At the time, Police made three arrests for displaying gang insignia and four arrests for disorder offences.

During the operation, Police noted several other breaches where people were displaying gang insignia. Today we have executed 13 search warrants across the Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, Wairoa, Auckland, and Dannevirke areas to seize these items.

Police have arrested 11 people: four in Wairoa, four in Hawke’s Bay, one in Dannevirke, one in Auckland, and one in Gisborne. They are all due to appear in their respective district courts in the coming week, and further arrests are likely.

At the addresses Police seized 13 items of gang insignia, including 11 gang patches, one t-shirt, and one pair of shorts.

Police also located several other unlawful items, including a replica pistol, a taser, ammunition, and 22 cannabis plants.

These items highlight the dangerous role gangs play within our communities.

We hope the arrests today are a clear reminder that Police are committed to enforcing the gang insignia legislation and that we will be taking every opportunity to not only follow up on these breaches but also any other illegal gang activity.

While it is not always possible to take immediate action on the day, our gang disruption units are dedicated to targeting the unlawful activity of gangs. We will not tolerate intimidation or breaches of the law, and this action today demonstrates that.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

Pedestrian dies following Courtenay Place crash

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

A 66-year-old woman from Germany has died in hospital following a crash on Courtenay Place on Monday night (24 February).

The woman was a pedestrian and was hit by a vehicle as she crossed the street about 8.25pm. Sadly, she passed away in hospital this afternoon.

The victim’s family have travelled to New Zealand. Police are providing them with support and liaising with the German Embassy.

An investigation into the crash and its cause remains ongoing.

No charges have been laid at this time.

We would still like to hear from anyone with footage of the incident. If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online or call 105. Please use the reference number 250224/0187.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

Two-Thirds of Employees in Singapore Considering Changing Employers Within the Next 12 Months, Aon Study Finds

MIL OSI

February 26, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

65 percent of employees are willing to sacrifice existing benefits for a better choice of benefits
45 percent agree that their compensation is fair compared to similar roles

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 February 2025 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today released results from its 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study. The global study of more than 9,000 employees across 23 geographies, including the U.S., China, India and Australia, found that two-thirds of employees in Singapore are considering changing employers.

Aon’s study found 60 percent of employees globally might or will seek new employment in the next 12 months, revealing widespread dissatisfaction with their current job. This percentage is even higher in Singapore, at 67 percent, underscoring the urgency for Singaporean businesses to adapt their Human Capital strategies to meet the evolving expectations of its workforce.

With 21 percent of Singapore employees feeling undervalued compared to 13 percent globally, employers should ensure a consistent and continual investment in their employees to help mitigate workload pressures and retain their brightest talent.

“In a competitive market, it is imperative businesses build a fair and equitable workplace in which employees are rewarded for their efforts and results. Employers in Singapore must rethink their total rewards strategy to address both professional and personal needs,” said Rahul Chawla, partner and head of Talent Solutions for southeast Asia at Aon. “Designing a holistic employee value proposition that recognises unique work motivations utilising data and analytics will help build a resilient workforce and enhance the employee experience.”

Top 5 Most Influential Characteristics Attracting Employees in Singapore

“Although the expectation of above-average pay might be a key driver for employees leaving organisations, the survey also indicates a trust issue with less than half of participants feel their compensation is fair and more than a third lack confidence that their employer ensures pay equality regardless of gender. Employers therefore must do a lot more to ascertain their market positioning and communicate it confidently to build trust in the process,” added Chawla.

The top five valued benefits for the Singapore workforce are:

Medical coverage
Paid time off
Work-life balance programs
Flexible benefits
Career development

Top employee expectations for Singapore

44 percent say employers should support employee wellbeing.
24 percent say employers should support with eldercare or family care.
24 percent say employers should help employees save for retirement/long term needs.

Medical coverage and paid time off were top valued benefits

Medical Coverage and Paid Time Off were in the top five valued benefits for the Singapore workforce. While paid time off was the top valued benefit by Gen Y and Gen Z, medical coverage was rated highly by Gen X and Baby Boomers, indicating the need for employers to address the needs of an ageing workforce with integrated medical and wellbeing coverage. Interestingly, 65 percent of employees are willing to sacrifice the value of existing benefits for a better choice of benefits.

Work-life balance, personalised benefits and flexible working have also become more important for Singapore’s workforce.

“Employee benefits are so much more than programs and initiatives; they are a long-term people and performance strategy, driving business goals over a sustained period,” said Alan Oates, head of Global Benefits for Asia Pacific at Aon. “It is interesting that almost two-third of the employees would be willing to sacrifice the value of existing benefits for a better choice of benefits. In this challenging cost environment, we are successfully using flexibility and personalised benefits to better match employee needs and balance cost. Understanding employee expectations through data-driven insights coupled with leadership support are critical factors in creating an innovative benefits strategy that can positively impact attracting and retaining talent.”

Technological disruptions and innovation necessitate ongoing skill development among employees. In Singapore, 29 percent of employees are not confident that their employers are investing in their skills development and training for future work needs, compared to 17 percent globally. Additionally, 13 percent of employees in Singapore are uncertain about the impact of AI on their jobs, compared to 15 percent globally. Meanwhile, 35 percent of employees are motivated to develop new AI skills to remain relevant both globally and in Singapore.

Read Aon’s Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study here.

Hashtag: #Aon

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

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

Citizen’s arrest powers will put workers in harm’s way

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

The Government’s announcement to change citizen’s arrest powers shows workers will bear the brunt of their lack of a plan to deal with retail crime, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff.

“If the proposed changes to citizen’s arrests laws are any indication of what is to come, there will be serious implications for worker safety and employment rights in pursuit of minor savings for retailers,” said Wagstaff.

“Setting the expectation that workers on the shopfloor will be required to prevent shoplifting and retail crime will only increase the risk of violence and undermines workers’ right to a safe and healthy workplace.

“Good employers don’t put workers’ lives at risk to save a few dollars.

“We should be focusing on ways of work that remove hazards from the workplace, not create them. Employers must work with employees on creating safe workplaces, and what the business will do to achieve that.

“There are serious employment and criminal law concerns for workers and the public by putting workers in harm’s way to save their boss a few bucks. Crimefighting is not within the scope of retail workers’ employment duties.

“Workers in Aotearoa New Zealand have the legal right to a safe and healthy workplace. They also have the legal right to stop or say no to any work if they believe that doing the work would expose them, or anyone else, to a serious health or safety risk,” said Wagstaff.

MIL OSI

Auckland University – Business School celebrates triple crown

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: University of Auckland Business School

The University of Auckland Business School is in the top one percent in the world, receiving sought-after accreditation from three international organisations – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).

It was the first in Australasia to attain this ‘triple crown’ in 2004, a recognition it has now maintained for two decades making it the longest-standing triple crown accredited school in the region.

All three international accrediting bodies praised many aspects of its operations in the latest round of accreditation awards.

The European Quality Improvement System awarded accreditation to the School based on overall quality, viability and a commitment to continuous improvement. It also considered internationalisation and corporate connections.

The Business School’s commitment to excellence, academic quality and innovative programme design were among several areas that impressed assessors from the Association of MBAs, an institution known for stringent criteria that evaluate teaching, curriculum and student interaction.

Meanwhile, accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is achieved by just six percent of the world’s business schools and is considered the gold standard in global business education.

Business schools that earn this accreditation must demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching, research, curriculum development and student success. In the latest accreditation renewal, the organisation commended the Business School for its outstanding research engagement, research-led teaching and strong commitment to positive societal impact through faculty and departmental research centres.

It said: “The recent establishment of the Energy Centre and Inclusive Capitalism Centre as faculty-level research centres has brought increased emphasis to research agendas of critical significance for New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region.”

It also praised the Business School for actively driving initiatives to improve research impact, such as the national research translation competition, which sees academics translate complex studies into relatable reads.

“Additionally, the experience of the School in developing a wide range of research engagements and collaborations with industry partners, such as with prominent Māori owned seafood company, Moana New Zealand, lead the way in informing classroom learning through rich case study development that prioritises local issues and solutions.”

Business School Dean Susan Watson says the triple crown achievement is a testament to the School’s exceptional performance across teaching, research, student success and industry engagement.

“With the successful completion of all three accreditations in an exceptionally compressed timeframe, the Business School continues to demonstrate remarkable organisational capability and sustained excellence,” she says.

“This recognises our innovative programme design, impactful research and meaningful industry engagement – both in New Zealand and on the world stage.”

She says the Business School also earned accolades for its cultural leadership.

“Our unique integration of Māori perspectives and commitment to diversity sets us apart globally. We combine international best practice with local cultural excellence.”

MIL OSI

BusinessNZ – Tourism provides boost to NZ economy

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ welcomes data released by Statistics New Zealand showing an increase in tourism spend and agrees the sector has potential to boost the economy even further.

Business New Zealand Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the tourism sector continues to bounce back from the damage caused during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The 59 percent increase in tourism spend translates to more than $16 billion in the year to March 2024, but the benefits to New Zealand’s economy go much deeper than the dollar value. As our second largest export industry, tourism employs more than 180,000 people across all regions in both rural and urban settings.

“BusinessNZ agrees with Tourism Industry Aotearoa in saying the industry has the potential to grow its economic contribution and attract more visitors from key markets in Asia and Europe.

“The stats out today show positive signs of recovery, but we cannot afford to be complacent.

“If we want New Zealand to remain a top tourism destination, we must continue investing in much-needed infrastructure, so visitors can enjoy a high-quality experience which is unmatched by anything in the world.”

The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

MIL OSI

Employers and Manufacturers say New citizen arrest powers a dangerous escalation

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: EMA

The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) says the expansion of citizen’s arrest powers announced by the government today could significantly raise the health and safety risks faced by workers in the retail sector and seems unlikely to effectively reduce shoplifting.

EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald says business owners are being encouraged to put themselves and their staff in harm’s way, which is in breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“Employers have a duty of care not to put their people in harm’s way and encouraging staff to restrain or try to make a citizen’s arrest against offenders deliberately puts employees in the frame for injury. Health and safety applies to all businesses.

“The impact of theft is often far greater on small businesses who can’t absorb the losses so readily, but the impact of possible harm is also great on friends and families if things go wrong.

“Our concern is that these proposals will lead to an escalation in violence. If an offender believes they will be met with aggression, they will come prepared.

“In addition, far from discouraging thefts or aggression in retail workplaces, we believe this will result in swarming behaviour in which a number of offenders will be present to create numerical superiority. Those are outcomes that no-one wants.”

New crime data released yesterday showed a drop in violent crime for first time since 2018.

Ram raids have reduced 58% between 2023 and 2024 and total violent crime has reduced by 2%.

A 40% increase in foot patrols by police has much to do with discouraging these behaviours.

The concerning 12% increase in retail theft and related offences can be met the same way, with a heightened presence of trained police, says McDonald.

“Police officers undergo months of training on the correct level of force that is acceptable in apprehending suspects.

“They are the experts in de-escalating violence and their increased presence in shopping centres and other retail areas is the safest solution, alongside preventative measures, the ability to recover goods and effective trespass laws.”

Section 48 of the Crimes Act 1961 states that you can use reasonable force in self-defense, including resisting restraint by a member of the public.

“We are very concerned about judgement calls being put in the hands of sometimes young or inexperienced workers in the retail sector and the very real danger of violence being the outcome,” says McDonald.

“It’s more likely that those who try to restrain offenders will also face a greater risk of prosecution themselves, if they are perceived to have stepped over the boundary of what is reasonable restraint.”

MIL OSI

1...837838839...1,068 Page 838 of 1,068