Employers and Manufacturers say New citizen arrest powers a dangerous escalation

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.”

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Appointments – PSA appoints Fleur Fitzsimons as a National Secretary

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: PSA

PSA Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons has been appointed as a National Secretary of the country’s largest union, PSA President Virgil Iraia says.

Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is led by two National Secretaries and Fleur will join National Secretary Duane Leo as co-leader of the union.

To ensure continuity the PSA has appointed Fleur ahead of National Secretary Kerry Davies’ retirement later in year. Kerry has spent 40 years working for the union movement, mainly with the PSA, and has been National Secretary for six years.

Virgil says the PSA was pleased that a candidate of Fleur’s ability had stepped up to replace Kerry, whose experience and leadership had been vital to the work of the PSA.

“Kerry has done an outstanding job for the PSA, and we were looking for a strong and able candidate to step into the senior leadership role at a time when members were facing a hostile political and economic environment.

“Fleur will bring her considerable experience and skills to this role. Her skills will help us keep advocating for properly funded public and state services, health care, local government and community services, and for recognition of the importance of the work of our members who deliver these,” Virgil says.

Fleur has 20 years’ experience working for the PSA as an organiser, media adviser, solicitor, Assistant Secretary, and most recently as an Acting National Secretary.

She also served as a Wellington City Councillor for five years, and is a former President of the Victoria and New Zealand University students’ associations.

“We have a lot of work to do in response to the Government’s attacks on public, community and health services. I am looking forward to the challenge” Fleur says.

The PSA is the union of 95,000 members, working in the Public Service, State Sector, Health, Local Government and Community and Public Services.

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Child Care – Save the Children calls for immediate action to meet minimum standards for children in care, following new report

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: Save the Children

Save the Children is deeply concerned by the lack of progress to ensure all children in care are receiving the minimum standard of care required by the National Care Standards and Related Matters Regulations (NCS Regulations).

Today’s report by Aroturuki Tamariki, the Independent Children’s Monitor highlights the lack of progress of Oranga Tamariki to meet the minimum regulatory care standards that are requirements for children in the care of the State over the past four years, and do not expect to see progress by the next report one year from now.

“The Royal Commission of Inquiry has illuminated the painful failures of the past where many children were let down by the State, subjected to horrifying levels of abuse and harm while in the care of the State. Sadly, this report shows that abuse and harm to children while in care of the State remains a current issue,” says Save the Children Advocacy Director Jacqui Southey.

“It is unacceptable that funding cuts are impacting the delivery of care and protection of children in vulnerable situations. Adequate investment is required to ensure our care system is working effectively and cohesively, protecting and improving the lives of children that have already experienced significant harm or neglect.

“Enduring failures to meet the minimum standards required by the National Care Standard Regulations are not good enough.”

Ms Southey says significant areas of concern include unacceptably high numbers of children in care continue to be harmed, with highest rates of harm occurring in secure residential care settings or when children return home to their families.

The report shows 23 % of tamariki and rangatahi were found to have been abused in secure residences, with 18 % of the harm caused by residence staff and 79 % by other rangatahi. For tamariki and rangatahi returned home to the care of a parent while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki, 11% of tamariki and rangatahi were abused or neglected.

“Failure to complete assessments and care plans for all children is worrying, as is the lack of collaboration of agencies across the care and protection systems potentially leading to gaps creating risks that children could be harmed instead of being protected,” says Ms Southey.

“There are strong expectations that when a child is being harmed or at serious risk of harm and the State is required to step in, that the situation for that child will dramatically improve, that their care and protection is guaranteed, and that the State will uphold their parental responsibilities to ensure the child’s rights and wellbeing are met in the short and longer duration of their care. The role of social workers, working alongside tamariki, carers and families is critical to achieving this.”

Save the Children is calling for immediate action based on the findings of the report to change the trajectory to meet the minimum care standards, ensure that all children have required assessments completed, and up to date care plans in place that are communicated to and developed with the children they are about.

Other areas that urgently need to be improved include ensuring all children that are 18 years transitioning out of the care system are well supported in the next steps of their lives to have emotional support, housing, financial support, support to access employment or undertake further education.

About Save the Children NZ:

Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.

Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

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National Care Standards Regulations still not being met – Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2023/24 released

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor

The latest report on Experiences of Care in Aotearoa has found that tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) are still not receiving the minimum standard of care required by the National Care Standards Regulations. The Regulations have been in place since 2019.

The report on agency compliance with the National Care Standards Regulations for the period 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 was published by Aroturuki Tamariki – Independent Children’s Monitor today. Chief Executive Arran Jones says agencies with custody and care of tamariki and rangatahi are required to comply with these regulations.

“With custody of almost 99 percent of tamariki and rangatahi in care, our findings are mostly about Oranga Tamariki. When the State takes custody of a child, its job is to care for and protect them. Oranga Tamariki is not alone, all government agencies need to see themselves as guardians of these children and make sure they are safe, well cared for, and have their needs met,” Mr Jones says.

“This is our fourth monitoring report and the very slow pace of change shows that the underlying issues are not being addressed in a way that will make a difference to the lives of tamariki and rangatahi in care. The care standards are fundamentally about social work practice, if that’s enabled the standards will be met.

“Social workers are not always able to work effectively, including completing meaningful plans and assessments, visiting tamariki and rangatahi as often as they need, and supporting caregivers and whānau.

“As a result, one third of children are still not being visited by their social worker as often as required, sixty percent of caregivers are not visited as planned and almost a third of rangatahi experience no planning at all for their transition to adulthood.

“Tamariki and rangatahi in care are not prioritised for government services, and funding does not follow the child. We consistently heard about stand-offs between government agencies over who is responsible for paying. Social workers, caregivers and whānau have to seek out services and supports child-by-child, relying on established relationships and goodwill, rather than there being a system that automatically responds to need.

“Tamariki and rangatahi, including those who later become involved in youth justice, are often taken into care because they have been abused or neglected. Ensuring they get the help and support they need will give them the best chance to go on and have good lives. Failure to do so can perpetuate the harm,” says Mr Jones.

The report found more tamariki and rangatahi are being abused in care. In 2023/24, 507 tamariki and rangatahi (nine percent of those in care) were found to have been abused or neglected while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. The areas where disproportionate levels of abuse continue to occur are in secure residences (mostly by other rangatahi in the residence) and when tamariki and rangatahi return to their parents’ care while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. For those returned home, supports are not always in place for the parents, and social workers are not visiting when they should.

When rangatahi are getting ready to leave care for adulthood at 18, many get help from the transition service. Often this help comes too late, with only 14 percent referred when they become eligible at 15 years old, and just over half by the age of 16. Oranga Tamariki is often not doing the things it is required to do to prepare young people for leaving care.

“The issues identified in our latest Experiences of Care in Aotearoa report are not new. If they can be addressed, we might start to see progress towards provision of the minimum standard of care. Until then, tamariki and rangatahi will continue to miss out.

“We welcome the extent to which Oranga Tamariki has engaged with this report, and that it will be used to drive performance. However, we are already eight months into the next reporting period and, based on what we have heard so far from our most recent monitoring visits, we are unlikely to see improvement in our next report. From our most recent monitoring visits we’ve heard how the 2024/25 contract funding decisions have damaged relationships, and restricted services that social workers can call on,” says Mr Jones.

Read the report https://aroturuki.govt.nz/reports/eoc-23-24

Notes:

The National Care Standards Regulations came into effect in 2019 and set out the minimum standards required when a child comes into care. These regulations apply to Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation and any other agency with custody and care responsibilities.

Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor checks that organisations supporting and working with tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau, are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes. We monitor compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and the associated regulations, including the National Care Standards. We also look at how the wider system (such as early intervention) is supporting tamariki and rangatahi under the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act.

Aroturuki Tamariki works closely with its partners in the oversight system, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People’s Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

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Big jump in overseas visitor spend boosts tourism

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has welcomed news that New Zealand’s tourism sector continues to gather strength, according to latest data out today.

The Tourism Satellite Account released by Stats NZ shows total tourism expenditure in New Zealand of $44.4 billion for the year ending March 2024, an increase of $5.6 billion or 14.6 per cent compared to March 2023.

Overseas visitor expenditure increased by $6.3 billion (59.9 per cent) to $16.9 billion

“The big story is that international expenditure grew almost 60 per cent in the year ending March 2024,” Louise Upston says.

“This encouraging news reflects a healthy recovery following the end of border restrictions in June 2022 and shows that many people all over the world couldn’t wait to visit New Zealand.

“We know tourism is critical to our economic growth. That’s why as a Government we’re laser focused on partnering with the sector to continue this growth – already this month, we’ve announced:

$500,000 for marketing New Zealand as the ‘go now’ destination for Australians
$30 million to support conservation visitor related experiences
$3 million for regional tourism boost
$9 million for Great Rides cycle infrastructure

“Tourism now contributes 7.5 per cent of GDP according to this data – and continues to be our second highest export. I want to see it back at number 1.

“We do also recognise a drop in domestic tourism spend reported today. That’s another reason to grow our economy so New Zealanders can benefit, and get out and travel their country as well,” Louise Upston says

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Rules to be eased to drive investment in electricity

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Restrictions on electricity lines companies investing in generation will be eased to help strengthen the energy network, Energy Minister Simon Watts and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

“This action, which is part of the coalition agreement between New Zealand First and National, will give distribution businesses the confidence they need to invest in generation, helping to increase regional resilience and the national energy supply,” Mr Jones says.

Distribution businesses are currently prohibited from owning more than 250 MW of generation connected to Transpower’s national grid, and/or more than 50 MW of generation connected to their own networks unless they operate that generation in a separate company or seek an exemption from the Electricity Authority.

“The current rules place undue costs on distributors, given that other regulations cover similar ground. The exemption process can also impose costs, as well as cause delay and uncertainty, which we are striving to avoid,” Mr Jones says.

Safeguards in both the Electricity Authority’s Code and the Commerce Act that provide protections for competition will apply to distribution businesses’ investment in generation.

Mr Watts says the change will further drive the investment needed in generation while continuing to preserve competition.

“It is very difficult to grow the economy when energy security is at risk. This change is among a number of measures the Government is taking to ensure businesses and ordinary Kiwis have access to a reliable and secure energy supply.”

The change will be included in the Energy and Electricity Security Bill which is expected to be introduced in the first half of this year.

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Māori housing partnership to deliver 100 affordable rental homes

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

A further $36 million Government investment into affordable Māori housing will benefit whānau across Aotearoa New Zealand, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says.
The Minister today announced additional funding of $36 million to national iwi collective Ka Uruora that will continue momentum and enable the delivery of 100 affordable rental homes across Auckland, Marlborough / Nelson, Taranaki, Waikato, Thames and Hawke’s Bay.
“We have a firm focus on enabling economic growth that benefits whānau.” Mr Potaka says.
“The Government’s partnerships with Māori entities like Ka Uruora for affordable housing is an important tool for creating jobs while making it more equitable for Māori whānau to be able to live in warm, stable and secure affordable homes. A good home can mean a world of difference for stable education and employment.
“Today’s announcement is in addition to the $200 million in funding we are accelerating for 400 affordable rentals announced at the start of February, and it is in addition to the $82 million in funding announced in November for 12 Māori housing providers for about 198 whare in areas where there is a high demand for affordable housing.
“The partnership with Ka Uruora will see them contribute $26 million into the delivery of these 100 affordable rentals.” Mr Potaka said.
“These partnerships will help support the many whānau who struggle to pay a market rental.”
Founded in Taranaki, Ka Uruora is a growing collective of 20 Iwi and Māori partners across Taranaki, Te Tau Ihu, Central North Island, Waikato, Hauraki and Hawkes Bay.
To date, Ka Uruora has delivered 65 affordable rentals with a further 107 affordable rentals in the existing pipeline. This additional funding will enable Ka Uruora to build additional homes across the motu.
The funding is administered by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Te Puni Kōkiri under the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme. It is an extension to the current Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga prototype, which Ka Uruora signed with the Crown in 2022 – a $57.8 million investment to deliver up to 172 affordable rentals.

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Human remains located in Otira, identified

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

A bone located in the Otira area last year has been identified as belonging to a person who is believed to have gone missing in 2020.

On 18 January 2024, a member of the public contacted Police after finding a bone in the Otira area.

The bone has since been examined by a Pathologist, Anthropologist, and ESR scientists as we worked to identify the age of the bone and who it belonged to.

Following the examination by ESR Scientists the bone has now been confirmed as further remains of missing person Marni Sheppeard, who was last heard from in November 2020.

In 2021, Marni’s partial remains were located in the Rolleston River area following an extensive search involving LandSAR volunteers and Police, two CanyonSar teams, Alpine Cliff Rescue, two police dog units and a LandSAR dog team which were deployed into the area by Precision Helicopters.

Police have since spoken with Marni’s mother and informed her of the finding.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Fast-tracked mining, cut-rate safety? A miner’s warning – E tū

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: Etu Union

By Mark Anderson, Process Operator at OceaniaGold Waihi, and Convenor of the E tū Engineering, Infrastructure, and Extractives Industry Council

It’s 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning. I’m at work, constantly hopping in and out of my front-end loader to pull five-foot-long, waterlogged timber beams out of the ore that the underground crew has brought up overnight. These beams come from the old timber framing used to build the Waihi mine over 100 years ago.

Pieces of timber like this are absolute showstoppers for us – if they end up on the conveyor belt heading into the mill, they could jam the system or get stuck in the feed chute, shutting us down for hours and leaving a massive mess to clean up. I don’t want to be that guy, so here I am, sweaty and covered in mud at 3 a.m., hauling them out by hand. But I don’t mind. I’ve got a huge smile on my face because I love the job I do.

I work as a process operator at the gold mine in Waihi. There have been big developments recently, not just at the site but across the town, the country, and in the news. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on that.

At the end of January, Hon. Shane Jones brought MBIE and the media pack that follows him to Waihi for his big “Critical Minerals” announcement. Naturally, the protestors followed too, eager to let him know exactly what they thought of his plans.

I was part of the delegation that hosted the Minister, not just because I work at the mill but because I’m also a union delegate and the Convenor of the Engineering, Infrastructure and Extractives Industry Council for E tū, representing nearly 8,000 members in these industries. One thing I’ve noticed in all the discussions about fast-tracking mining, the use of public land, and economic impacts is that the voices of workers have been completely missing.

For workers, the first part of this conversation is obvious: it’s great news for the industry. The Government wants to invest in and expand mining, which means more security for those of us in the sector. That kind of stability is rare.

When I started my job at Waihi in 2007, they told me the “life of the mine” was about 18 months. I didn’t tell my partner that right away – we had just bought a house and had our second child, and we had enough pressure as it was. Mines open and close depending on commodity prices and market shifts. That’s just the way it is. But for the first time, there’s a sense of long-term security for workers and contractors, and that’s a huge win. Most mines in New Zealand are in regional areas, so this also means a boost for those communities and the families who rely on these jobs.

That said, every silver lining has a dark cloud. In my role as delegate and Convenor, my job is to look at the bigger picture and consider how all this affects workers. Is the Government rushing into this? Have they really thought it through? Are we actually prepared to scale up the industry safely?

Safety is always the first thing on a worker’s mind in this industry. It’s the first thing we talk about at the start of every shift, and it’s the foundation of most of our training. While Shane Jones is out there making big mining expansion announcements, over in the health and safety sector, the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, has quietly been working on a review of the Health and Safety at Work Act – what most people know as the Pike River legislation.

Last year, she held a roadshow to gather input on the review. Workers and unions did everything they could to attend those meetings, but getting a seat at the table was very difficult. Meanwhile, business and industry representatives seemed to have no trouble getting in.

Late last year, I was lucky enough to attend a CTU-organised event at Parliament where Brooke van Velden was present. She was asked directly why she hadn’t been engaging with workers about the review, and she responded saying she had. Never mind the experience of the workers and their unions in the audience before her, who have found it impossible to have real engagement with her on this issue and many others.

After the event, I approached her and invited her to visit Waihi, to come and see firsthand the work we do and the risks we manage to keep people safe. I invited her because I believe we do a very good job with safety, in comparison to other places around the country. A few days later, her office emailed me back with a polite but clear refusal. She had no immediate plans to visit Waihi or the surrounding area. The invite remains open.

So here we are, with one part of the Government rushing full steam ahead to expand mining while another is quietly working to weaken health and safety laws.

Expanding mining means an influx of new, inexperienced workers into a high-risk industry. It takes time to train people properly so they can work safely in these hazardous environments. In Waihi, new workers wear green hard hats so they’re easily identifiable – so we can look out for them. But if we get too many “Green Hats” at once, especially in newly established mines, we might have a serious safety issue. Without enough experienced workers to mentor them, the risks multiply.

The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety hasn’t yet detailed her plans for the Act, but my biggest fear is that, in classic libertarian fashion, the goal will be to deregulate, deregulate, deregulate – then tell companies to sort it out by increasing their insurance premiums.

Maybe that sounds cynical. I hope I’m wrong. But this Government hasn’t exactly shown much concern for workers’ rights so far, so I wouldn’t be surprised.

Then there are the other questions. Where are these workers going to come from? Where will they live in the remote areas where these mines are located? No one seems to be asking those questions, and I fear they’ll just be left for “the market” to sort out.

Back in Waihi, when protestors delayed Shane Jones’ speech, I noticed him sitting alone and decided to take my chance to talk to him. I asked him about worker safety, about where we’d get the people we need, about whether the Government had a plan. For a man who’s usually never short of words, all I got was a raised eyebrow and a nod.

I don’t think this Government has the answers. This year we will acknowledge the 15^th anniversary of the Pike River tragedy. The only way we can honour the lives of those workers is to ensure we never let health and safety standards fall behind again. Without workers at the forefront of this project, and without a Government committed to the highest standards, I find myself fearing the worst.

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Auckland Council AI initiative to boost customer experience

LiveNews Publisher

February 26, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council is set to trial AI technology that will help Aucklanders quickly access the council support they need, underpinned by Google Cloud technology.

‘Ask Auckland Council’ is a new digital assistant which will help Aucklanders access the information and support they’re looking for across the council’s digital platforms, in a way that suits them.

The pilot, funded by Google Cloud and delivered in partnership with Deloitte, will be trialled and tested as part of a new phase of innovation the council is leading through its new Group Shared Services division.

Presented at February’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the new technology is expected to deliver a greater experience for all Aucklanders.

“It’s incredibly positive to see Auckland Council leading the way with new technology and innovation that holds great potential to deliver better service for all Aucklanders, at no cost to the ratepayer,” says Cr Simpson.

“The scale of this makes it one of the largest applications of this technology in New Zealand and, in future, could be leveraged by other councils too.

“It holds great potential for our multicultural city to improve their council experience 24/7. The State of the City Report signalled Auckland’s need to continue to invest in technology adoption and this is one example where we are leading innovation that benefits our communities.”

Digital assistant to help find information

Auckland Council receives over 1.5 million calls every year and holds region-wide services and information across multiple digital platforms, making it at times difficult for Aucklanders to find the information they are after, quickly and efficiently.

Ask Auckland Council will enable Aucklanders to go to one place where the digital assistant will find what they are looking for, across all council organisations. This reduces the effort factor significantly.

“We are thrilled to work alongside Auckland Council and Deloitte to help make information about public services more accessible for Aucklanders,” says Paul Dearlove, head of Google Cloud, New Zealand.

“By harnessing the power of Google Cloud’s AI platform, we are helping empower Aucklanders to easily find the information they are after, and creating a more seamless and intuitive experience across Auckland Council’s digital platforms.”

Trialing to enhance technology

Auckland Council group shared services director Richard Jarrett said the technology is a prototype that will be tested and carefully trialled so it can be further enhanced, based on customer experience.

“It’s great to see Google and Deloitte come onboard to help us prototype this initiative and work together to achieve this important milestone. We are very grateful for the support they’ve provided, says Mr Jarrett.

“Shifting from prototype to testing with Aucklanders is the next planned phase. We think providing a single channel that is user-friendly and navigates our multiple websites will benefit Aucklanders, particularly when looking for information or help. I look forward to seeing this technology progress through into full development.”

While English will be the first language, the vision is for the tool to be voice and text interactive across a number of languages, rolled out based on prioritising New Zealand’s three official languages.

“Over time, we will introduce additional languages, so it becomes a multilingual digital assistant that enables our customers to provide us with feedback, access the right information and connect with the right council service,” says Mr Jarrett.

“The acceleration of technology offers us an opportunity to experiment with what might be possible to help Aucklanders and visitors to our city to navigate the range of services and attractions we offer.”

Ask Auckland Council is expected to launch later this year.

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