Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died after a water related incident at Whangapoua Beach this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the beach about 1pm after the person was recovered from the water. First aid was provided, however, sadly they were not able to be revived.
The death will be referred to the Coroner.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is moving to reduce the regulatory burden on New Zealand businesses by improving the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009, Associate Justice Minister Hon Nicole McKee says.
The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which had its first reading in Parliament today includes a range of amendments to reduce the compliance burden for businesses.
“This Bill will make 26 changes to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and consistency of the AML/CFT regime by relaxing requirements on low-risk activities and entities, such as family trusts,” Mrs McKee says.
“These amendments are the first of the Government’s programme to reform the AML/CFT regime and will benefit New Zealanders by empowering businesses to make the call about the level of checks they need to do on their customers.”
“The changes address key difficulties for many low-risk businesses who are currently required to undertake onerous checks even when there is clearly very little risk. These are part of the Government’s plan to make the AML/CFT system work better with less overly prescriptive requirements by allowing businesses to take measures in line with the actual risks that they face.”
The amendments also include the government’s first measures to reduce duplication in the AML/CFT system by:
clarifying the definition of a ‘trust and company service provider’ to resolve confusion and unnecessary duplication of obligations for some businesses currently captured by two definitions; and
removing unnecessary duplication of border cash reporting when someone physically brings cash with them when moving into New Zealand.
“This is just one part of a wider package of reforms to improve the regime and deliver regulatory relief, to support tackling organised crime and to improve New Zealand’s compliance with international standards.
“Other changes currently being progressed by the Ministry of Justice will build on these amendments and further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the AML/CFT regime for businesses, agencies, and ordinary New Zealanders. These changes include a new supervisor model, the introduction of a levy, and a wider regulatory package of reforms.”
Source: New Zealand Government
Legislation that will better protect victims of litigation abuse in family proceedings has passed through Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“Going through the Family Court is already a stressful experience for many. This is only compounded when someone engages in litigation abuse, using the court system to control, harass and contact their victim.
“This Government firmly believes that in order to restore law and order to New Zealand, victims must be at the heart of our justice system.
“Therefore, this Bill will strengthen the courts’ ability to identify litigation abuse by widening the view it must take of conduct both in and out of family proceedings.
“If the court is satisfied that litigant abuse has occurred, it will be able to make an order requiring the party to seek the approval of the court before taking further steps in new or existing proceedings. An order will usually last for up to three years, but can last for up to five years in extraordinary circumstances.
“This will provide better access to protections for victims, while still ensuring there is appropriate access to court.
“Under the current law, victims of litigation abuse must meet a high threshold before they can access statutory protections. These protections focus on the type of documents and proceedings, rather than on the pattern of abuse. This does not always work for family proceedings, particularly where family violence is an issue.
“We are sending a clear message that our that our courts are there to resolve genuine disputes. They are not a tool to prolong conflict, harass, harm or abuse.
“This is all part of our plan to ensure there are 20,000 fewer victims of violent crime by 2029, alongside a 15 per cent reduction in serious repeat youth offending.”
Source: New Zealand Governor General
E kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui mai nei I tenei ra, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora mai tātou katoa.
I’d like to specifically acknowledge: Mr Bill Mansfield, Chair of the Southern Seabirds Trust; Ms Janice Molloy, Trust Convenor; and Mr Al Brown, chef, restauranteur and food communicator.
And to all our award recipients and guests here this evening – tēnā koutou katoa.
It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to Government House Auckland for this year’s Seabird Smart Awards – the first of these awards I’ve had the pleasure of hosting as Governor-General. I must firstly note that my husband, Dr Davies, is a great seabird enthusiast – and that he was especially delighted to hear we would be hosting these awards here tonight.
As a country, New Zealand has a particular affinity for birds – and I’m sure it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that they’re a significant part of our national character. I was proud to learn that Aotearoa has a greater diversity of seabirds breeding on its shores and islands, and feeding in its waters, than any other country in the world.
In December last year, Dr Davies and I had the pleasure of visiting the Chatham Islands, and hearing about some of the remarkable seabird life in that beautiful and remote place. We learned about the Chatham Islands tāiko, with its extraordinary burrows, sometimes five metres in length, dug to avoid land-based predators – and the tōrea, with its uniquely-speckled eggs, designed, as they are, to blend in perfectly with those distinctive, grey-speckled sands of Rēkohu.
Two such beautiful creatures, living in perfect harmony with their natural environment – and both tragically on the verge of extinction. I understand that some ecologists have referred to seabirds as ‘ecosystem engineers’ – with entire islands and coastal ecosystems relying on their presence to survive and thrive, making their loss all the more significant and damaging.
As both direct and indirect human activity is responsible for this loss of seabird life, we bear a corresponding responsibility to do all we can to reverse this loss and protect these precious creatures. As Governor-General, I am pleased to be able to recognise the work of some of those carrying that mantle of responsibility here this evening.
It was American writer and naturalist, Aldo Leopold, who said that conservation is ‘a positive exercise of skill and insight, not merely a negative exercise of abstinence and caution.’ Each of this evening’s recipients embodies these words – through the positive actions you’ve taken, the skill and insight you’ve demonstrated, and, in turn, the deep care you’ve shown for New Zealand’s seabird life.
I also wish to take this opportunity to recognise Bill, as Chair, and Janice, and Convenor and Founder of the Southern Seabirds Trust, as well as all your staff, volunteers, and sponsors – for the powerful work that you do, working alongside the fishing industry in New Zealand and internationally, to foster seabird-safe practices.
It brings me great pleasure to note that His Majesty King Charles III, as Patron of the Southern Seabirds Trust, and passionate conservationist, has also passed on his heartfelt congratulations to all those involved in this evening, and who have been honoured with an award tonight. I understand that a copy of the letter from Buckingham Palace will be available to award recipients, and is also on display for all those in attendance here this evening.
Inspired by his time on Easter Island, the great Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, wrote The Art of Birds, which includes the following lines I thought fitting for this occasion:
I’m an incorrigible birder,
I cannot reform my ways –
though the birds
do not invite me
to the treetops,
to the ocean
or the sky,
to their conversation, their banquet,
I invite myself,
to watch them
without missing a thing…
And bird by bird I’ve come to know the earth:
and received those wings in my soul.
My sincerest thanks and congratulations once again to all of this evening’s recipients – and to all those here tonight who contribute so significantly to the wellbeing of New Zealand’s rare, diverse, and truly precious seabird life.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Source: Auckland Council
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Auckland’s Papatoetoe and Māngere have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area.
Biosecurity New Zealand, part of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) announced the update today.
“It’s great to see that restrictions are now lifted. Thank you to our communities, residents and businesses in these areas for their support – from following the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies to safely disposing of fruit in the provided bins,” says Phil Brown Auckland Council Acting General Manager, Environmental Services.
The decision to end the operation follows six weeks of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit.
With restrictions now lifted, the Biosecurity New Zealand signs and wheelie bins will be removed from the affected area in Papatoetoe over the next few days.
This also means that all kerbside collections, including food scraps, are back to normal.
We encourage you to take full advantage of the food scraps collection service and join thousands of Aucklanders who have already helped turn over 30,000 tonnes of food scraps into clean energy.
Here’s some summer tips to beat the heat and you can also request an additional food scraps bin by contacting us.
Biosecurity New Zealand quickly placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Papatoetoe and Māngere on 4 January 2025 after a single male Oriental fruit fly was identified from a national surveillance trap.
Since then, no further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae or pupae have been found. MPI are satisfied that the Controlled Area Notice restrictions can be lifted, and response operations can be closed.
Restrictions are lifted but stay vigilant. If you think you’ve spotted an Oriental fruit fly, eggs, or larvae/maggots in your fruit, call Biosecurity New Zealand (MPI) right away at 0800 80 99 66.
MPI will continue as normal to check Biosecurity New Zealand’s 7800 fruit fly traps around the country, including some 200 traps in Papatoetoe and Māngere.
Source: Media Outreach
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 February 2025 – SIBUR, the largest Russian manufacturer of synthetic materials, plans to increase the use of polymers in the production of components for the automotive industry.
In February 2025, SIBUR signed an agreement with the auto parts manufacturer DIPO for the joint development of polymer-based body parts, exterior and interior components, structural frames, and lighting components. Earlier, SIBUR developed a polyethylene grade for fuel tanks and two new grades of polycarbonate for automotive headlight diffusers that are used in Lada vehicles.
According to industry experts, up to 160,000 tonnes of polymer materials are used annually in Russian automotive production, with potential for increased demand. The polymers produced by SIBUR are already used in the production of trunk doors and soundproofing materials, and, in the future, they could be used to manufacture seals, brackets, and fasteners.
Polymer materials are approximately 30% lighter than metal, which helps reduce vehicle weight and, in turn, lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Thanks to their deformability, polymer components can absorb impact energy, enhancing safety. Furthermore, unlike metals, polymers are not susceptible to corrosion.
According to SIBUR, the use of Russian synthetic materials in the country’s automotive industry increased by 24% over the past year. The outlook for further growth is strong, driven by the company’s robust scientific and production capabilities for polymer development and manufacturing.
Hashtag: #SIBUR
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Source: Media Outreach
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 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 Japan, found that a majority of workers in the Philippines are looking at their next move and seek better employee benefits to respond to rising costs and mental wellbeing issues.
Aon’s study reveals that 64 percent of employees in the Philippines are either in the process of moving employers or might seek new employment in the next 12 months. Tight competition for talent highlights the need for employers to place a strong focus on total rewards to meet the evolving expectations of their workforce.
Josef Ayson – growth lead for Talent Solutions for the Philippines at Aon said, “Competition for skilled talent is increasing across the Philippines. This affects not just Manila where the right talent is more readily available but also in cities like Cebu, Davao, and other islands within the archipelago. In such an environment, managing and retaining employees is important for firms to remain competitive. Compensation strategies based on the latest data and analytics from their own organisations as well as the market, can help companies make more informed decisions on attracting and retaining employees in this evolving workforce landscape.”
The survey further revealed that medical coverage, paid time off and work-life balance programs have increased in value for the Philippines’ workforce. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed said that they would be willing to sacrifice existing benefits for a better choice of benefits, illustrating the need for flexibility and personalisation.
The top five valued benefits for the Philippines workforce are:
“Amid continued economic volatility and the rising cost of living, there is a growing expectation for employers to provide medical coverage and support for mental and financial wellbeing, said Cris Rosenthal, strategic advisory lead for Health Solutions for the Philippines at Aon. “Employers must rethink their approach to employee benefits balancing wages with flexible benefits to attract and retain the talent they need.”
The impact of the rising cost of living has also led worker to prioritize financial wellbeing. Sixty-five percent of employees said that employers should help employees save for retirement/long-term needs and 58 percent believe employers must provide financial education. This highlights the importance for organisations to make informed decisions using insights and robust market data to create a holistic employee value proposition aligned with employee needs and expectations.
Read Aon’s 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.
Source: New Zealand Government
AcknowledgementsGood afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here.It’s a pleasure to join you here today to officially open this beautiful facility at Wakefield Hospital.I’d like to acknowledge the Evolution Healthcare leadership team, and their esteemed guests here today including investors, and mana whenua.I’d also like to acknowledge:
Evolution Board Chair, Scott Pickering
Group CEO, Simon Keating
Chief Executive of Hospitals & Day Surgeries, Michael Quirke
General Manager, Carole Kaffes
Health New Zealand Deputy Chief Executive, Robyn Shearer
Deputy Commissioner of Health New Zealand, Ken Whelan
And the Kapa Haka group from South Wellington Intermediate School
And finally, I would like to thank and acknowledge the staff and clinicians providing exceptional care to patients here at Wakefield and other providers across the Wellington region.
Health TargetsAs you’re all aware, improving our health system is one of this Government’s top priorities.Last year we announced an ambitious new direction for health, reinvigorating five health targets to ensure that all New Zealanders can access timely, quality healthcare.We all know that you cannot manage what you do not measure.It is only with clear, measurable targets that we can understand and improve the performance of the health system. Targets focus resources, attention, and accountability.Targets save lives.The five health targets are tightly focused on things that really matter: faster cancer treatment, increased childhood immunisation, shorter stays in EDs and shorter wait times for assessments and treatment.Achieving these targets will require a back-to-basics approach in our public system to make sure our hospitals and community health services work smoothly and efficiently as a system, enabling our greatest asset – our frontline health workers – to provide the best possible care.The health system continues to be under significant pressure, and there is always a demand for more money. I am proud of the record investment this Government has made in health, but we need to also ensure we get value for money. Role of Private Hospital SectorMeeting those targets will require working in a more collaborative way, especially when it comes to reducing waitlists for elective treatment.When we left office in 2017, 97.3 percent of New Zealanders were getting elective surgeries within four months. When Labour left office, it had dropped to 62.1 percent. It will take time to turn this around, but it is a top priority of mine.Partnering with the private health sector is a key part of our plans to deliver for Kiwis. Aside from ensuring our public systems are working as efficiently as possible, we also need to consider how we can make best use of the capacity and expertise the private health sector can offer.Wakefield Hospital is a strong provider for the people in the Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley districts, as well as supporting referrals from out of the region with people travelling from as far afield as Waikato and the South Island.In the 23/24 financial year, Wakefield Hospital treated 450 patients on behalf of Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, and along with Bowen and Royston hospitals, meant Evolution Healthcare was the largest private provider for outsourcing in the Central Region.It is great to be here to celebrated the redevelopment of this hospital today and to congratulate everyone who has worked to deliver this project. The new Wakefield development includes seven new operating theatres, specialist cardiology and surgical treatment capacity, a 37-bed inpatient ward with capacity to expand an additional 32 inpatient beds. All this will increase the opportunities to deliver more for the Wellington Region and to grow opportunities to work closely with Wellington Hospital to provide more services and improve patient outcomes.Looking forward, the goal must be to create a mutually beneficial partnership that supports the health system and provides greater certainty for the private health sector.A key part of the strategy is a nationally supported approach to planning and outsourcing, and longer-term contracts and agreements which will help ensure patients get the treatment they need in a timely manner. By standardising referral arrangements and focusing on jointly managing waitlists by using all available capacity more effectively, Health New Zealand can prevent unnecessary delays and ensure that patients are referred to the right provider at the right time.As Minister of Health, my focus is and always will be on improving patient outcomes. Patients will be my number one priority, ensuring they get the timely and quality care they need and deserve. ConclusionI want to again thank you for the opportunity to join you here this afternoon, and for your ongoing dedication and investment into caring for New Zealanders. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of delivering this project, and to those who will be ensuring it delivers timely and quality care for patients in the Wellington Region.
Source: ACT Party
Responding to news that the resource consent for a McDonald’s in Wānaka has been declined, ACT Environment spokesperson Cameron Luxton says:
“A legitimate business has been blocked from investing, hiring locals, and selling products to willing buyers. This is an economic own-goal for Wānaka, and it shows how our planning regime stifles development.
“McDonald’s spent a year of time and resource fighting bureaucracy and bureaucratic NIMBYism while offering to make major compromises. We’re meant to be going for growth, but you have to wonder why anyone wanting to build or expand a business would even bother when this is the potential outcome.
“Clearly there was demand for a McDonald’s, but would-be customers now miss out because noisy opponents were able to weaponise a planning regime that is hostile to development.
“We’ve all got opinions on McDonald’s, but no-one is forced to buy a Big Mac. As far as the law is concerned, what ought to matter is that the building is sturdy, the food is safe, and the property rights of neighbours aren’t impacted. The opinions of lobby groups, busybodies, and would-be competitors shouldn’t come into it.
“My colleague Simon Court is working to replace the Resource Management Act with a system that respects property rights. That means letting people build, and letting people enjoy the products and services of their choice. This can’t come soon enough.
“This saga also highlights a failure in the culture of our health authorities. The National Public Health Service spent precious resources opposing this restaurant. That’s not democracy, it’s wasteful bureaucratic interference.”
