Man charged with murder in relation to Ngāruawāhia death

Health and Fitness – Postie Bike Challenge – from delivering mail to delivering a vital message for kiwi males – Prostate Foundation

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February 11, 2025

Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation

It takes a special kind of human to load up a small motorbike, with a top speed of 80 km/hr, and head off from one end of the country to the other. But that’s exactly what an intrepid group of self-described “Mild Hogs” all on the wrong side of 50, are doing to make a difference to those affected by the most commonly diagnosed cancer in kiwi men – prostate cancer.

The Mild Hogs Charity Motorcycle Ride aka the ‘Postie Bike Challenge’ will see the six hogs (Brian, Murray, Martin, Ian, Julian and Scott) embark on a 12-day 2,500 km odyssey on 109cc motorbikes designed for delivering mail – the trusty Honda NBC110 – without a support vehicle or backup.

“It could be a long journey, but we all felt the need for a good adventure and it’s all in aid of a good cause,” said Hog spokesperson Ian Pringle.

Behind this two-wheeled adventure a serious issue – 1 in 8 kiwis will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, it is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country and the second leading cause of cancer death in NZ men.

“This is why the Postie Bike Challenge is so important and why we are very proud and grateful to the Mild Hogs for raising awareness of the disease and vital funds for those affected by it” said Peter Dickens, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ.

In a valiant display of spirit (or perhaps a touch of madness?) these daring souls will stamp their mark on men’s health, avoiding motorways, salads and late nights. From the majestic Cape Reinga (16 th February) they will traverse the heart of the North Island, the charming North Canterbury, onward to the breathtaking Central Otago via the rugged West Coast, to arrive at Bluff – culminating at Bluff on 27 th February -signed, sealed, and delivered.

“I have very fond memories of waiting for important news to arrive in the letterbox delivered by my friendly postie on their trusty bike, little did I know that years later six intrepid men would be making such an amazing effort on these same machines, in support of all those affected by prostate cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand”, says Peter Dickens.

Through their efforts, the Mild Hogs will be making a real difference to those diagnosed, and their families, helping to provide vital support and raising awareness of the disease as they traverse the country. We’re very grateful and humbled by their efforts and will be cheering them on in every town they visit along the way.

Calling rangatahi changemakers: Applications now open for Save the Children’s 2025 Youth Ambassador programme

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February 11, 2025

Source: Save the Children

Save the Children is searching for passionate young changemakers to join Generation Hope New Zealand, an inspiring youth leadership programme that empowers rangatahi aged 14 – 18 to take action for children’s rights and global issues.

Now more than ever, young people need the support, skills, and opportunities to make their voices heard. From leading workshops and hosting panel discussions to advocacy and engaging with political leaders. Generation Hope Youth Ambassadors take real action to shape a fairer world.

“This programme really stands out as an opportunity for young people to not only learn about the work of Save the Children and their own rights but also to feel empowered to act – for themselves, their peers, and their wider communities,” says Vira Paky, Save the Children NZ’s Youth Engagement Co-ordinator.

“Bringing together like-minded young people who care about fairness, education, and community creates an unparalleled environment. Watching the friendships and knowledge blossom from this programme is such a privilege.”

Through Generation Hope, youth ambassadors receive leadership training, advocacy skills, and a platform to drive meaningful change. During the programme, past members have held youth-led events and panel discussions, met with politicians, including presenting children’s climate action messages to Ministers at Parliament. Past members have gone on to set up their own youth councils and youth-led organisations.

“Generation Hope allowed me to form so many friendships with so many other young people willing to advocate for the issues in their communities, that I’m sure will last for many years to come.” says Generation Hope alumna Annamieka.

“Just go for it and apply,” says Generation Hope alumna Cassie. “There’s nothing for you to lose and everything for you to gain.”

SCNZ Media and Communications Director Amie Richardson is currently travelling for work. For interviews, please contact Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey on 027 647 7004. 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.

Social Issues – Disability support services consultation underway – from Invercargill to Whangarei

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February 11, 2025

Source: Ministry of Social Development

People in the disability community are invited to have their say in a six-week consultation that begins this week and runs until 24 March 2025.

Disability Support Services was transferred from the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) last year, after an Independent Review recommended changes to stabilise the system.

The head of Disability Support Services at MSD, Chris Bunny, says feedback is being sought on specific proposals for change.

“We are seeking feedback on:

how needs are assessed, and decisions made on how support is allocated
options for changes to flexible funding.

“My message to the disability community is I know the changes of last year have been difficult for some people, and this year we want to make progress on strengthening the disability support system for disabled people, their whānau and carers.

“We are working to stabilise disability support services so they are more fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable.

“This is a major round of consultation which builds on what the disabled community told us in a survey late last year.

“There’s lots of different ways people can have their say.

“In-person workshops will be held in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Invercargill, Lower Hutt, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Porirua, Rotorua, Wellington, and Whangarei.

In addition, people can attend an online workshop, make a written or video submission, or complete an online survey. There are also DIY resources for people or organisations who want to host their own workshops to support their submissions.

“Please register to book your place for a workshop in-person or online. You can do that at the Disability Support Services website, disabilitysupport.govt.nz

“We’ve released a discussion document outlining the issues and proposals on the way forward.

“Your feedback will help Government to make decisions to stabilise services, before considering further work to strengthen those supports,” says Mr Bunny.

Editor’s notes

What is this consultation about?

The consultation is focused on essential disability support people receive after an assessment from a Needs Assessment Service Coordination provider, or an Enabling Good Lives site.

While everyone is welcome to participate, Disability Support Services especially want to hear from people receiving these services and whānau, carers, and advocates.

The changes under discussion do not apply to people who only receive supports from other agencies, such as ACC, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport, or Work and Income.

What is being proposed?

Needs assessments

Improving how the tool reflects the diversity of disability
Proposals that the needs of family/whānau become part of the assessment
Making sure services continue to meet their needs – how often should supports be reviewed or reassessed?
Proposal that NASCs identify supports that are available through other agencies and provide guidance on how these can be accessed

Flexible Funding – two options

Option 1 – Linking flexible funding to the person’s plan, with oversight of how it is used
Option 2 – Adjust current lists of what can and can’t be funded using flexible funding.

There are also proposals to introduce criteria for receiving flexible funding, and questions on what these should be.

How do people register for workshops?

Can media attend workshops or film them?

Community consultation will begin with a presentation followed by work in smaller groups. To protect the privacy of those attending, these events are closed to media, unless reporters are there in a personal capacity to take part in the consultation. However , you may wish to talk to people outside the venue if you would like to.

Is the consultation going to be accessible?

Yes, alternate formats are available of the discussion document summary, including Easy Read, Braille, Audio, Large Print and New Zealand Sign Language. There are also translations in te reo Māori, Samoan, and Tongan.

We will also have sign language interpreters at our in-person and online workshops.

Venues for our in-person workshops have been selected because they are accessible, including access points, toilets, and the working spaces themselves.

Universities – Covid strategies ‘fell short’ for Pacific people, research finds – UoA

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February 11, 2025

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Research on the impacts of Covid-19 highlights high death rates among Pacific people in Aotearoa and the need to provide better support in the future.

A report has just been publicly released – Pacific contribution to the New Zealand COVID-19 response – Strengths, Weaknesses and Missed Opportunities.

It notes that despite the overall success of New Zealand’s response to Covid, Pacific people were hard hit and the response failed to target their needs adequately, says research lead, Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga, co-director of Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health at the University of Auckland.

“Despite clear and consistent evidence related to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Pacific communities, the national response fell short of engaging with Pacific leaders, instead adopting a generic ‘one size fits all’ approach,” the report states.

Pacific people were twice as likely to be hospitalised with Covid as non-Pacific and non-Māori in Aotearoa, according to the research, which was funded by the Ministry of Health and carried out by the Centre for Pacific and Global Health and two Pacific health and social service providers, the Pasifika Medical Association and the Fono.

A far higher percentage of Pacific people aged under 80 died within 28 days of being reported as a case, than those aged under 80 in other ethnic groups. Of the people aged under 59 years who died within 28 days of being reported as a case, 20 percent were Pacific, compared to eight percent of those categorised as European/other ethnicities of the same age.

The experiences of 147 Pacific people were gathered for the report, which states the virus and ensuing lockdowns took a significant toll on the mental health of all the participants.

Media coverage named a Pacific church as central to a large Covid cluster in August 2021, fuelling “racist vilification” of the Sāmoan community, stigma and discrimination, the report says.

“Government officials, media and Pacific community leaders need to collaborate closely and quickly to prevent similar occurrences of racism from media reports for future pandemics,” it states.

Many Pacific people were essential workers, who experienced fear and anxiety of the virus, in addition to racism.

The challenges of lockdowns and self-isolation were exacerbated for many Pacific families living in multi-generational households.

“The findings from the Covid-19 global pandemic emphasise the existing socioeconomic disparities, such as overcrowded living conditions, high rates of co-morbidities, and delayed access to healthcare, contributing to the disproportionate impact on Pacific and Māori communities.

“Recognising and addressing these structural inequalities are essential components of any comprehensive public health strategy aimed at mitigating the impact of pandemics on vulnerable populations,” the report states.

About 28 percent of Pacific peoples felt they couldn’t access mental health support during alert levels two, three and four, and 26 percent felt they could not access healthcare.

The report recommends that in the future, Pacific health services be given clear guidelines as soon as possible, so they can begin outreach work with Pacific communities and ensure patients still receive healthcare for long-term conditions.

It recommends reviewing policies on hospital visitors, because these were the most challenging of all protective measures for Pacific families.

Plans should enable Pacific communities to establish testing and vaccination centres at the beginning of an outbreak and factor in mental health impacts.

The importance of the church in offering guidance, combating misinformation and offering social support during a pandemic is highlighted in the reports.

While vaccine uptake was initially slow among Pacific people, 95 percent were fully vaccinated by December 2021. About 68 percent of the participants said caring for family motivated their decision to get vaccinated.

Pacific households faced disproportionate economic hardship during 2020 compared to the general population, with 18 percent of households losing half of their income or more.

Education also suffered, as online learning replaced classroom teaching. The research found 20 percent of Pacific students did not have or did not know if they had access to a device at home for distance learning.

“Long-term impacts of loss in learning and disengagement from school require further investigation,” the report states.

SH2 Hewletts Road rail crossing repairs – 24 hour road closure

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February 11, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

11 February 2025 9:25 am | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

Contractors will soon be carrying out essential repairs to the State Highway 2 (SH2) rail crossing near the Hewletts Road/Maunganui Road/Golf Road roundabout.

Due to the nature of the repairs, and to enable them to be completed in shortest time possible with the least impact, there will be a 24-hour full road closure on the short section of SH2 Hewletts Road, between Newton Road roundabout and Golf Road roundabout, in both directions.

The closure is for 24 hours from 6am Saturday 15 February to 6am Sunday 16 February.

While the closure is in place traffic will detour via Newton Street, Hull Road and Maunganui Road.

As this work is weather dependent, these timeframes are approximate and subject to change.

While contractors aim to minimise disruption, people should expect some travel delays due to the nature and location of these works.

There will be some noise and vibration associated with the works.

Update: Overnight shift of SH1 southbound traffic

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February 11, 2025

Papakura ki Pukekura – Papakura to Bombay

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

10 February 2025 5:38 pm | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises the eastward shift of the two southbound lanes on State Highway 1 between the BP motorway service centre and Drury Interchange previously planned for tonight as part of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project has now been delayed.

This shift is now expected to occur later this week on a date to be confirmed.

When implemented, the temporary realignment will see the two southbound lanes shift to the east. The two northbound lanes between the Drury Interchange and the BP motorway service centre will then be shifted westward in the coming weeks. These lane realignments will provide additional workspace in the central median for motorway widening and stormwater improvements.

There will be further lane shifts in both directions across the life of Stage 1B of this project, similar to traffic layouts during Stage 1A of this project.

During motorway closures necessary as part of this project, traffic will be detoured along Great South Road.

For more information on the project and to sign up to updates, please visit the project page:

Update – woman found injured in Christchurch park

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February 11, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police are making good progress with the investigation into the circumstances that led to a woman being found in a Christchurch park with critical injuries.

The woman was found at the Richmond Village Green on Wednesday 5 February.

She was transported to hospital, where she remains. Her condition is improving and she is now stable, and she has been able to speak with us.

Police have also been interviewing witnesses and family members as we work towards establishing the full picture of what has occurred, and who is responsible.

While Police do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider public, additional patrols have been operating in the area to ensure the community feels safe.

We are still appealing to anyone who may have information that would help us determine what happened.

Information can be passed to Police via our 105 phone service, or by going online and using ‘Update Report’, referencing file number 250205/8067.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Daily attendance dashboard is live

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February 11, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the new daily attendance dashboard is now live.

“The attendance dashboard will facilitate the daily recording and publication of student attendance,” says Mr Seymour.

“This is an example of Phase 2 of the government’s Attendance Action Plan to ensure that schools, the Ministry of Education, wider government, family, and caregivers are doing everything they can to get students back to school.

“The attendance dashboard will provide New Zealanders with up-to-date data about attendance in state and state-integrated schools across the country. That data will enable us to monitor truancy patterns, raise awareness and understanding of truancy and associated problems, and support effective interventions.

“On January 27 I announced that schools were required to record attendance daily for publication when the dashboard goes live. Today that data is available on the dashboard.

The interactive dashboard will show how many students were at school on any given day with data being published the day after attendance was recorded. The data will include a breakdown of reasons students were not attending school.

Visitors can filter the total number of students by region, type of school and Schooling Equity Index group (this measure has replaced deciles for schools), or day, to understand shifts in attendance over time.

“This will not create extra work for schools as daily recording of student attendance is already a requirement when a school is open for instruction, the Government is now compiling the data and making it readily available,” says Mr Seymour.

“To support schools to provide more accurate data we have also reviewed and reduced the number of attendance codes that schools need to use when recording attendance, from 26 to 15.

“This government is working hard to reach our student attendance target of 80 per cent of students being present for more than 90 per cent of the term by 2030. Tracking attendance daily through the attendance dashboard is integral to achieving this target.

“With more reliable and timely data being made available, the next phase of improving student attendance will be further understanding why students don’t attend.

“If this issue isn’t addressed there will be an 80-year long shadow of people who missed out on education when they were young, are less able to work, less able to participate in society, more likely to be on benefits. That’s how serious this is.”

Notes to editors: The dashboard can be accessed via Daily attendance | Education Counts

Woman charged in relation to fatal vehicle incident in Napier

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February 11, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Attribute to Detective Sergeant Stacey Bailey-Tran:

Police have arrested and charged a 23-year-old woman in relation to a fatal vehicle incident on Nuffield Avenue, Marewa on 27 December 2024.

The woman was arrested in Hastings yesterday afternoon.

She is due to appear in the Napier District Court on 20 February, charged with excess breath alcohol and reckless driving causing death.

Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to this incident.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.