Consumer NZ Valentine’s Day alert: Beware the red flags

February 14, 2025

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ is warning New Zealanders to be on high alert this Valentine’s Day as romance scammers flip the typical scam protection advice on its head.

Ruairi O’Shea, Consumer NZ investigative writer, says romance scams are particularly insidious because they don’t follow the typical patterns associated with scams.

“Romance scams work because they bypass the red flags we’re trained to look out for. Instead of demanding urgent action or sending texts with links out of the blue, romance scammers build trust over months,” says O’Shea.

“And unlike an unsolicited text with a dodgy link, you may have even initiated first contact by swiping left on a dating app. It’s a slow burn, with scammers building trust before recommending investment opportunities or asking for intimate pictures that they could use to blackmail a person.

“Victims genuinely believe they’re in a relationship: they trust the other person implicitly and believe that person will act in their best interests.”

Between 2023 and 2024, a French woman was targeted by a scammer using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to successfully convince her she was speaking to the American actor Brad Pitt. She was scammed out of almost NZ$1.5 million.

“Romance scams can be utterly devastating because of the financial and emotional toll they take.

“Love is a strong incentive, and sadly, scammers know this and exploit it.”

Recognising these three ‘red flags’ can protect you from romance scams

The long game

Unlike traditional scams that rely on urgency, romance scammers play the long game. O’Shea says this slow-building trust makes victims more likely to overlook the more common or “typical” signs of a scam.

The investment

Once the scammer is confident they’ve established trust, they will begin exploiting.

“It might start with the scammer revealing a seemingly minor financial stress, and because they feel committed to this relationship, the victim may even proactively offer to help resolve the problem.

“Later, the scammer might casually recommend an investment opportunity, which, unfortunately, turns out to be fake.”

Strictly online

“It’s not new to hear of someone who is in a happy, committed relationship, with kids, a dog and a house, after having initially met their partner on a dating app.

“What is new, however, is the sophisticated way in which scammers are using AI to basically turbocharge their authenticity,” O’Shea says.

“Be suspicious if the person you meet online is reluctant to get together in the flesh. Their reasons for keeping a relationship secret or online can be incredibly convincing – health, travel, work, family – but if you can’t meet them in person, you shouldn’t trust them.”

4 don’ts to protect yourself and those you love (in real life) from romance scams

Don’t keep it on the down-low – talk to friends and family about online relationships: a fresh pair of eyes could help spot the signs of a scam.

Don’t give someone anything you wouldn’t post publicly on social media – this isn’t just intimate photographs but also your address or other potentially sensitive personal information.

Don’t send money to anyone you’ve only communicated with online – if you haven’t met someone in person, don’t give them anything of monetary value.

Don’t move to another messaging service – if you meet someone on a dating platform and they suggest moving to an encrypted messaging service like WhatsApp, be suspicious.

What to do if you’re the victim of a romance scam

If you’re the victim of a romance scam, contact the Police, Manaaki Tāngata Victim Support, your bank and Netsafe (the nation’s non-profit online safety organisation) immediately: a scam doesn’t necessarily end when a victim realises they’ve been scammed.

It’s also important to report online scams to CERT NZ, part of the National Cyber Security Centre. The National Cuber Security Centre runs Own Your Online and the service has helpful advice on how to spot a scam and what to do if you get caught out.

MIL OSI

Transport Sector – Road freight survey to fill key knowledge gaps

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Registrations for the National Road Freight Survey have opened today (February 14) with company owners, managers, drivers and other essential staff encouraged to have their say in the largest sector snap-shot in more than a decade.

The survey is being run by independent research firm Research NZ on behalf of Transporting New Zealand, and is available to all road freight industry participants.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the survey is a fantastic opportunity to better understand industry attitudes on key issues including workforce shortages, operating conditions, revenue issues such as tolling and congestion charging, the Cook Strait ferries and road policing.

“There are over 30,000 people working in the road freight sector across more than 4,000 business entities, carrying 93 percent of the national freight task,” Kalasih says.

“We want to get a clearer picture of what their leading concerns are, what opportunities they see for improvement, and what might be lesser priorities.”

He says he is particularly interested in sharing the results with policy makers and industry partners about the retirement intentions of drivers and the employment of migrant workers.

“We know the average age of truck drivers is rapidly approaching 60, and that migrant truck drivers have played an important supplementary role in filling shortages. However, the survey will give us a clearer picture of what proportion of the workforce intends to retire within five years, what the main barriers are to employing new drivers, and what policy changes we need to prioritise to improve the situation.”

Kalasih says that Research NZ has kept the survey short, multi-choice and accessible, with the option to provide more in-depth answers.

“The survey will ask operators to rank leading industry issues in order of importance, and then get more detailed responses on topical issues relating to each of those. This will be followed by some key questions on workforce challenges, the public perception of truck drivers, and what (if any) skill gaps people are noticing with new drivers.”

“Because of the importance of the road freight industry, and its fragmented nature, people get a lot of survey requests from government, suppliers and supply chain partners. That’s why we’ve ensured this survey is concise, while still being comprehensive. We got feedback from our members on the content and it’s been designed to ensure we’ve got it right.”

“People who register for the survey before 3 March (the survey launch date) will also enter the draw for an iPad, and there will be more prizes to follow. So get registered and share it with your team today. It’s open to all industry participants.”

Road freight business owners, managers, drivers and staff can pre-register for the survey at:

MIL OSI

Economy – Speech by Secretary to the Treasury Iain Rennie, ‘Bending two curves: New Zealand’s intertwined economic and fiscal challenges’

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: The Treasury

“I want to talk today about what it means to integrate fiscal and economic advice, with an eye to the long-term horizon. I will lay out the productivity and fiscal sustainability challenges that New Zealand faces. But I will also give you a sense of the broad solutions and policy toolkits that governments will have to contemplate over time to address those issues successfully, in the Treasury’s judgement.

The crux of my message today is that New Zealand needs to bend two curves. One is the long-term economic growth trajectory, which needs to bend upwards to expand our productive capacity and national real incomes. The second is our net public debt trajectory, which needs to bend downwards to rebuild the fiscal buffers that have been a major source of New Zealand’s resilience and ability to respond to shocks over recent decades. These are medium- and long-term challenges, but we need to address them soon.”

MIL OSI

Insurance Sector – Insurance industry report into the North Island weather events released

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Insurance Council of NZ

A report into the insurance industry’s response into New Zealand’s largest ever weather events has set out a number of actions to improve responses to future events.

The North Island Weather Events: The Insurance Industry response by the Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) examined insurers performance of claims related to the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023.

“The loss and devastation on families and communities was severe and the insurance industry has worked hard to settle claims and get people back on their feet as quickly as possible,” ICNZ Chief Executive Kris Faafoi said.

The North Island weather events resulted in more than 118,000 claims at an estimated value of $3.8 billion.

Despite the scale and complexity of the weather events, 91% of claims were resolved in 12 months, a rate of progress that surpassed previous major disasters. Within 16 months, 96% were settled.

“The industry response reflects the many people who worked hard every day to help assess and resolve claims and provide certainty for customers, including the additional 1,000 plus staff brought in to help deal with the surge in claims.

“We recognise that some of those affected are still dealing with the impact of these events. The industry is continually looking to improve its response and help customers recover.

“Some of the issues identified are being addressed by insurers. These include refining event response plans, investing in digital tools to manage the claims process more effectively, and improving communications with customers and support for vulnerable customers.

“The lessons learnt from previous major events were a significant factor in the industry’s preparedness and response to the North Island weather events. However, each event is unique, and it takes time for insurers to fully scale up in response to a surge in claims while also supporting their everyday operations.

“The report identifies a number of external factors that had an impact on claims, such as the need for better data sharing among Emergency Management agencies and councils, timely assessments for stickered properties, and access to skilled labour to assess land claims.

“The industry is working closely with the Natural Hazards Commission to identify new approaches to make land claims processes more effective for customers.

“We are also fostering closer relationships with Emergency Management authorities so our sector can get access to information about the scale and impact of events as early as possible to ensure a faster and effective response and recovery.

“More broadly, the insurance sector has called for a cross-sector recovery framework to enhance coordination and improve the response and recovery to natural disasters.

“Insurers have also consistently emphasised the importance of a collective approach to address climate change risks. By supporting climate adaptation – such as avoiding building in dumb places and investing in public infrastructure – we can better prepare New Zealand for future natural disasters,” Kris Faafoi said.

MIL OSI

Fire Safety – Restricted fire season for parts of Hawke’s Bay

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand will be moving parts of Hawke’s Bay into a restricted fire season from 9am, Friday 14 February, until further notice.

These areas are: Tararua West, Tararua South, Pahiatua and Eketāhuna.

Please see the attached map for an overview of these areas.

A restricted fire season means anyone planning on lighting an open-air fire will need to apply for and obtain a permit. You can apply for one at www.checkitsalright.nz.

If anyone is unclear, they can enter their address at www.checkitsalright.nz after 9am on Friday to find out what fire season they are in.

Fire and Emergency Hawke’s Bay District Manager Glen Varcoe says the decision to move these zones into a restricted season is due to prolonged warmer temperatures, drying winds, and lack of rainfall.

Glen Varcoe says the public needs to be conscious of the surrounding fire risk conditions and consider if they need to light a fire.

“Everyone must visit www.checkitsalright.nz to check the daily fire risk and see if they require a permit in their location.

“Even if you are not in the restricted zone, it may still be too dangerous to light a fire. If in doubt, don’t light,” he says.

“If people have checked the conditions and it is safe to complete a burn, please make sure you monitor the burn and have a water source nearby to fully extinguish it.

“Once the fire is out, please re-check the burn area for the next few days afterwards to make sure no re-ignition is possible.”

MIL OSI

Northland News – $600,000 of Climate Resilient Communities Funding allocated

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Northland Regional Council

Twenty-two projects around Te Taitokerau are to share $600,000 of Northland Regional Council funding designed to help build climate resilience.

Council Deputy Chair Tui Shortland says during the council’s Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 consultation, the region’s communities had emphasised the importance they placed on council taking a leading role in helping to build that resilience.

That had resulted in the council establishing a $600,000 fund to support communities to prepare for the growing effects of climate change and the natural hazard risks our region faces.

Councillor Shortland says the council had received a huge level of interest from communities across Northland, expressing their ideas and aspirations for a climate resilient future for Te Taitokerau.

“In this first round we had an overwhelming response, with 96 applications requesting $3.2 million.”

Councillor Shortland says deciding how to allocate the $600,000 available had been extremely difficult, but 22 projects that met the fund criteria and aimed to build community capacity and strengthen connections to build community resilience would receive a portion of this pūtea.

“Six of the projects directly focus on building kai resilience for the region.”

“These include on the ground community-led mahi that aims to educate and empower communities to grow their own kai and projects that identify and strengthen food support networks and develop a strategy for how the region can become self-sufficient in food production and distribution.”

Four projects supported water supply investigations to future proof water resilience and water tanks in vulnerable communities. “This extends the water resilience mahi NRC previously supported through the Water Resilience Fund which has now been replaced with this Climate Resilient Communities Fund.”

Three rural marae will receive funding to support the installation of solar panels, improving energy resilience and benefiting the wider community in times of need. Investing in energy security not only keeps the power on when energy infrastructure goes down, but reduces energy costs for our people and importantly helps reduce Te Taitokerau’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding will support four projects that look to nature-based solutions to build resilience to the changing climate, recognising how restoring wetlands, river margins and coastal dune systems can enhance protection from weather events, increase carbon sequestration and support our indigenous biodiversity.

Three other projects aim to build resilience across multiple impact areas looking holistically at how our resilience could be improved as the climate changes.

Two planning projects have been funded that will help the respective communities understand how climate change could impact them and to formulate specific plans to reduce these impacts.

Successful applicants and their projects are:

Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust – Bream Bay Coastal Restoration Project ($23,000)

Climate Change Taitokerau Northland Trust – Kai Sovereignty Strategy ($20,000)

Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand- Te Taitokerau branch – Te Taitokerau How to restore dunes video ($30,708)

Community Business Environment Centre – Hokinganui a Kai ($40,000)

Hokianga Community Educational Trust – He Kete Kai o Hokianga -Future Proofing our Hokianga Food Systems ($36,786.39)

Matatina Marae Trust – Matatina Kai Whenua – community garden at marae for self sufficiency ($22,476)

Maungarongo Whenua Trust on behalf of Ricco Tito -Taiao Kaitiaki Oranga ō te Waīma ($30,000)

Morehu Marae Committee – Water tank replacement at marae ($7127.66)

Ngaitupoto Trustees Marae – Solar system ($35,000)

Opuawhanga Community Hall Trust – Resilience Network ($10,500)

Oromahoe 18R2B2B2 Trust – Te Wai Ora, Te Whenua Ora: Oromahoe Water Feasibility Study ($25,000)

Pakanae 5A Trust – Cultural and Nature-Based Resilience Programme ($30,000)

Puketawa Marae – Solar Energy for marae resilience ($26,037.49)

Roma Marae – Te Ngao ki te Marae o Roma (Energy Resilience at Roma Marae) ($25,000)

Rural Support Trust Northland – Rural Support Climate Resilience ($40,000)

Te Hapua Sports and Recreation Club – Water Resilience ($6956.52)

Te Kōhanga Reo O Manaakitia – Kia manawaroa Te Kōhanga Reo o Manaakitia ($7200)

Te Maire Whanau Trust – Whānau-Led Fruit Orchard Development ($30,000)

Te Paatu ki Kauhanga Trust Board – Kāmehameha ($40,000)

Te Pokapu Tiaki Taiao O Te Tai Tokerau Trust -Tuituia Te Kahunuku & Food Resiliency ($32,325)

Te Runanga o Ngati Hine Trust – Tanks a lot ($40,000)

Whakapara Marae Trust – Te Taiao o nga Waipukehia” The environment of the flooded waters ($30,000) .

MIL OSI

Enough for a feed | Conservation blog

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

By Helen Ough Dealy

Whitebaiting can be competitive. Some fishers will go to great lengths to protect their fishing spot, particularly if the whitebait are running well.

Fisher conversations tend to disguise the true nature of their haul, “How much you got today?” “Not much, just a cupful – enough for a feed, maybe a fritter or two.” All the while trying to carry a 10 kilogram bucketful as if it weighs less than 500 grams!

Checking the whitebait catch on the banks of the Rangitaiki River | DOC

So, imagine the challenge DOC, as the whitebait fishery manager, faces. How do you count all the whitebait caught in a whitebaiting season? How big is the fishery?

These silvery delicacies are fished from streams, creeks, rivers and the surfline all over the country from Te Tai Tokerau, the Far North to Rakiura Stewart Island and Rēkohu/Wharekauri, the Chatham Islands.

The Whitebait Regulations don’t require fishers to report their catch. And, even if DOC had enough data collectors to cover every fishing spot, there’s only two months (between 1 September and 30 October) to count the white gold.

New Zealand Whitebaiting rivers based on rivers identified in Kelly 1988, sampled for whitebait by Yungnickel 2017 and identified for survey by DOC operations staff in 2021-22.¹

Fortunately, some fishers keep catch diaries for their own interest. Some diaries stretch back over 60 years, others just cover the previous season. These small, battered, often overlooked books are amazing repositories of weather, tide, gear, and catch data – some even record whitebaiter dances and get-togethers on the riverbank!

“Some whitebaiters have already shared this valuable resource with DOC,” says Emily Funnell, Freshwater Species Manager. “Their data is helping us better understand how much whitebait was caught, the weather conditions, river state, and fishing gear used.”

Page from a whitebait catch diary. Aperima River, Southland (2021-2024) | DOC

Page from a whitebait catch diary. Karangarua and Saltwater Rivers, West Coast (1984-2024) | DOC

Page from a whitebait catch diary. Punakaiki River, West Coast (2006)
| DOC

DOC is currently doing a call-out for more whitebait catch diaries.

“It doesn’t matter what state the data or diary is in. We’ve seen pocket-sized farming diaries covered in mildew. Others are computer-based spreadsheet printouts,” says Emily.

“All data is useful, whether you’ve been whitebaiting for a short time or for decades. The more data about the whitebait catch we have, the better we can understand and protect the fishery and its species into the future.”

“And even if you aren’t a whitebaiter, check the family archives as this valuable information can be passed down the generations.”

Emily says privacy is important, so information in the diaries will be kept completely anonymous and combined with data from other whitebaiters’ diaries.

Once the diaries have been collected, they will be analysed by NIWA freshwater scientists. The research results are expected later in 2025.

Whitebait compliance monitoring
| DOC

Bucket full of whitebait – enough for a few fritters! | DOC

Scoop netting for whitebait on the Rangitaiki River | DOC

How can you help with research into the whitebait fishery?

Email whitebait@doc.govt.nz if you’d like to:

• Share your whitebait catch diaries
• Request a catch diary template to record the 2025 whitebaiting season
• Find out more about this research and the results.

[1] Kelly GR. 1988. An inventory of whitebaiting rivers of the South Island. Christchurch: New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. New Zealand Freshwater Fisheries Report No.: 101.
Yungnickel M. 2017. New Zealand’s whitebait fishery: Spatial and Temporal Variation in Species Composition and Morphology [MSc]. Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury.

MIL OSI

DOC urges public support following incident near tara iti nesting site

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 14 February 2025

DOC staff found a group of youths aged 14 to 16 years camped within the fenced area and using DOC’s rangers’ observation hides.

The tara iti is New Zealand’s most critically endangered bird, with fewer than 45 adults remaining.

This breeding season, almost all tara iti nesting occurred at Mangawhai Heads. None of the chicks could fly when this incident occurred, so the tiny birds were highly vulnerable to trampling and stress-induced desertion from their parents. Tragically, trampling of tara iti chicks has occurred in the past, such as in December 2008, when a chick was unintentionally killed by two people entering a breeding area.

Despite no chicks being harmed in this instance, the incident caused significant disruption to the site. Tara iti chicks nearest to the hide showed signs of agitation, a behaviour that can lead to desertion. Additionally, human activity likely delayed feeding by adult birds, reducing food provision to chicks.

“The hide had been damaged, and there was evidence of a bonfire nearby. Materials used for chick recovery and site management had been removed, and footprints showed individuals had walked through sensitive areas, further increasing risks to the chicks,” says Joel Lauterbach, DOC Whangārei Operations Manager.

“Chicks were not in their usual day roosts, likely due to the disturbance. One chick remained undetected for several hours, which is highly unusual, and a concerning indication of the stress caused by the intrusion.”

DOC does not typically prosecute or infringe on youth offenders. Instead, the focus is on educating young people about the consequences of their actions – and the importance of protecting tara iti habitats.

“This is an opportunity to not only work with these youths but also raise awareness in the wider community,” says Joel.

Criminal proceedings would only be considered if the youths’ actions were deliberate and resulted in clear harm to the tara iti, such as fatalities. “Tara iti habitats are incredibly sensitive, and seemingly minor disturbances can have devastating consequences,” Joel says. “Chicks this young cannot fly, and if they freeze in response to human activity, they risk being trampled. If they run, they can wander from the safety of their nesting areas, making them harder for parents to locate and care for and putting them at higher risk of predation.”

DOC rangers manage the tara iti sites with precision, ensuring their own activities minimise disruption. Despite this, external disturbances, such as this incident, remain a significant threat. “The fences and signs are there for a reason,” says Joel. “We ask for everyone’s help in respecting these boundaries.”

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

Have you seen Margaret?

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police are asking for the public’s help to locate Margaret Lowe, who was last seen at her Te Atatū Peninsula home yesterday.

Margaret, 22, was last seen wearing a beige shirt and denim shorts and is described as about 175cms tall with a thin build and black hair.

It is out of character for Margaret to not be in contact with her family.

Both Police and Margaret’s family have serious concerns for her wellbeing and would like to know she is safe.

If you have any information on her whereabouts, please update us online now or call 105, quoting reference number 250214/0287.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

MIL OSI

Community Committee voices concern on homelessness

LiveNews Publisher

February 14, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s Community Committee is urging the Government to consider how nationwide targets for emergency housing are impacting on homelessness in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau.

Committee Chair, Councillor Angela Dalton, says the council has a duty of care to stand up for Aucklanders who don’t currently have a voice.

“This is our city; these are our people, and we have a responsibility towards them. We simply cannot, and will not, turn our back against our most vulnerable citizens,” Cr Dalton says.

On Wednesday 11 February, the committee received a concerning update from the council’s Community Impact team, which coordinates a regionwide response to support the city’s most vulnerable people.

The number of people known to be sleeping in cars, streets and local parks has risen by 53 per cent in the past four months – from 426 in September 2024 to 653 in January this year. In addition, there is an unknown number of homeless people who are transient and mobile.

That increase comes as Government data shows the number of people on Auckland’s emergency housing list has plummeted from 885 in 2023 to 39 at the end of December 2024, in line with new targets.

However, the council’s committee chair and deputy chair are asking for information on Aucklanders who have dropped off the list, which the Government has so far not provided.

Deputy Chair, Councillor Julie Fairey, says emergency support must be prioritised in Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest city, alongside a culture of caring.

“It is always important to help those who have been pushed out to the margins, to bring them in from the cold,” says Cr Fairey.

Auckland’s only after-hours emergency housing provider received 175 referrals in the last three months from police and other frontline agencies – for people suffering at the extreme end of hardship.

Councillor Dalton says staff have confirmed that many of these referrals will not be able to be accommodated in the future, due to a reduction in service funding.

“We know that social housing providers in Auckland are full – there is essentially no space to house people who have been denied access to emergency accommodation due to a tightening of the criteria,” she says.

Auckland’s only after-hours emergency accommodation is soon to be significantly reduced, which will further limit the options for people who are faced with sleeping rough, with no shelter.

“This means the council and a network of outreach providers will have to manage more acute homelessness on the streets,” Cr Dalton adds.

Meanwhile, the need for social support and housing continues to rise, with 6820 people on the social housing waitlist for Auckland in November 2024 (up from 3417 in 2018), and 2799 households in transitional housing (up from 901 in 2018).

The council has committed yearly funding of $500,000 in the Long-term Plan 2024-2034 for the next three years, to respond to homelessness.

However, Auckland’s homelessness sector hinges on central government funding through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Social Development.

Read the Community Committee meeting minutes here.

In addition to the 653 people sleeping rough in January, there is an unknown number of transient homeless people in Auckland.

Auckland homelessness – with data from the social housing register

Areas	April 2018	November 2024
Auckland households in emergency housing	221, representing 23 per cent of the national figure	60 (down from 885 Nov 2023) – representing 9 per cent of the national figure
Individuals on the public housing wait list in Auckland	3417 (48 per cent of whom are Māori), representing 42 per cent of the national figure	6820 (47 per cent of whom are Māori) – representing 32 per cent of the national figure
Auckland households in transitional housing	901 – representing 42 per cent of the national figure.	2799 – representing 44 per cent of the national figure
New applicants in October to the social housing register	Nil data	1857
Applicants on the social housing register nationally	8108	20,834
Applicants on the transfer register	1819	4707

MIL OSI

1...912913914...1,094 Page 913 of 1,094